Sheelytown (Omaha) facts for kids
Sheelytown was a historic neighborhood in South Omaha, Nebraska, USA. It was a home for many families who had just moved to the United States, especially from Ireland and Poland. This area was located north of the large Union Stockyards, where animals were processed for meat. Sheelytown was named after the Sheely Brothers Packing Houses, which were meat factories in the area. Omaha officially added Sheelytown to its city limits in 1887. The Omaha Quartermaster Depot, a military supply center, was built just east of the community.
History of Sheelytown
Joseph Sheely owned the Sheely Packing Company, a meat packing plant located near the railroad tracks. The people who worked at his plant lived in a small community right next to it. This type of community, built by a company for its workers, is called a company town. It was named Sheelytown after their boss.
The first people to live in Sheelytown were Irish immigrants. They arrived in the 1860s and 1870s to work in the stockyards and meatpacking plants. Later, when Polish and Czech immigrants came to Omaha, they also settled in Sheelytown and other parts of South Omaha.
Sheelytown was a neighborhood where many working-class families lived. People worked hard in the factories and stockyards. In the early 1900s, the community had important local leaders, sometimes called "ex-officio mayors." One of these leaders was Nicodemus Dargaczewski, who worked closely with well-known local political leaders like "Cowboy" James Dahlman and Tom Dennison.
Around the early 1900s, members of the Hanscom Park Methodist Episcopal Church wanted to offer fun and safe activities for the workers in Sheelytown. They organized dances to provide a good alternative to other places in the neighborhood. These dances were popular and continued for many years.
Sheelytown's Legacy
Right next to where Sheelytown used to be is a business area now known as the Vinton Street Commercial Historic District. This area was recognized for its historical importance and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
The Polonairs of Omaha is a polka band from Omaha. They recorded an album called Sheelytown On Parade on the Czech Records label. This shows how the history and culture of Sheelytown are still remembered today.
