South Omaha, Nebraska facts for kids

South Omaha is a special part of Omaha, Nebraska, in the United States. It used to be its own city! People called it "The Magic City" because it grew so fast. This quick growth happened thanks to the huge Union Stockyards, where animals were processed. In 1915, South Omaha became part of the bigger City of Omaha. Today, it has many historic places, especially in the South Omaha Main Street Historic District.

What is South Omaha?

South Omaha has traditional boundaries. To the north, it reached Vinton Street. To the south, it went to Harrison Street. The Missouri River was its eastern border, and 42nd Street was its western edge.

A Look Back at South Omaha

Before the 1880s, the area that is now South Omaha was mostly farmland. Then, a cattle businessman named Alexander Hamilton Swan decided to build a large stockyard just south of Omaha. A plan for the town of South Omaha was officially recorded on July 18, 1884. Just two years later, South Omaha became an official city. By 1890, the city had grown to 8,000 people. This amazing growth earned it the nickname "The Magic City."

In less than 10 years, South Omaha became a major center for stockyards and meatpacking. These jobs didn't require workers to speak perfect English. Because of this, thousands of immigrant workers came to South Omaha. Many came from countries in eastern and southern Europe. As new groups arrived, they often settled in certain neighborhoods. Over time, families might move to other parts of the city, and new immigrants would move into their old neighborhoods.

South Omaha officially joined Omaha on June 20, 1915. At that time, it was about 6.4 square miles and had 40,000 people living there. By 1947, about 15,000 people worked in meatpacking. But in the 1960s, the meatpacking industry changed. Many jobs were moved to other places. This caused South Omaha to lose about 10,000 jobs.

A Mix of Cultures

South Omaha has always been, and still is, a place with many different cultures. Many people living there today are descendants of immigrants. These include people from Czech, Irish, Italian, Latino, Lithuanian, and Polish backgrounds. These groups were the first workers in the meatpacking factories. Most of them were Roman Catholic. In recent years, South Omaha has welcomed new immigrants. Many of these new residents come from Hispanic and Sudanese backgrounds.

Places to Worship

The many different cultures in early South Omaha can be seen in its churches and other places of worship. Different groups built their own churches.

Catholic Churches:

• Irish – St. Mary's, St. Bridget's, and St. Patrick's
• German – St. Rose and St. Joseph
• Czech – Assumption and St. Adalbert's
• Polish – St. Stanislaus, Immaculate Conception Church, and St. Francis of Assisi
• Lithuanian – St. Anthony's
• Italian – St. Francis Cabrini and St. Ann's
• Croatian – Sts. Peter and Paul
• Hispanic – Our Lady of Guadalupe

Orthodox churches:

• Greek – St. John's Greek Orthodox
• Serbian – St. Nicholas
• Romanian – Holy Cross

In the late 1800s, a Jewish synagogue was also built in South Omaha.

Old Newspapers

Besides the churches, the Lithuanian community had its own newspaper in the early 1900s. It was called the Bell of the West.

Famous Places in South Omaha

South Omaha has many important historic buildings and areas. Here are a few notable ones:

• The Livestock Exchange Building was built in 1926. It was a very important part of the stockyards.
• The South Omaha Main Street Historic District started in 1883. This area on South 24th Street shows what the old main street looked like.
• The South Omaha Bridge was built in 1936. It crosses the Missouri River.
• Center School (Omaha, Nebraska) was built in 1893.
• Columbian School was built in 1892.
• The Prague Hotel is another historic building.
• Little Bohemia is a historic neighborhood. It was home to many Czech immigrants.
• Little Italy is another historic neighborhood. Many Italian immigrants lived here.

Notable People

• Dale Carnegie, a famous speaker and writer, had his first job in South Omaha. He worked for Armour & Company selling meat products.
• Johnny Goodman, a well-known golfer who won the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open, was born in South Omaha.