Webster Telephone Exchange Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Webster Telephone Exchange Building
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The Webster Telephone Exchange Building, the home of the Great Plains Black History Museum.
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 Location in Nebraska
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| Location | 2213 Lake Street, Omaha, Nebraska |
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| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Thomas R. Kimball |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000829 |
| Added to NRHP | December 5, 1977 |
The Webster Telephone Exchange Building is a special place in North Omaha, Nebraska. A famous architect named Thomas Rogers Kimball designed it. This building has a long history, helping people after a big tornado and later becoming a center for the community.
It has 33 rooms and is very important to Omaha's Black history. It was once home to the Omaha Urban League, a group that helps people. A well-known civil rights leader, Whitney Young, worked here. Later, in 1976, the building became the Great Plains Black History Museum. Because of its history and design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The City of Omaha also named it a landmark.
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A Look Back: The Building's History
The Webster Telephone Exchange building was built in 1906. It has a unique look, designed in a style called Tudor Revival. The architect, Thomas Kimball, created it for the Nebraska Telephone Company.
Helping After the 1913 Tornado
In 1913, a huge storm called the Easter Sunday Tornado hit Omaha. The Webster Telephone Exchange building became a central place for helping people recover. Telephone operators bravely stayed at their posts during the storm. Even with broken glass around them, they kept the phone lines working right away. People who were hurt in the nearby Near North Omaha area were also brought to the building for help.
A Community Hub for Omaha
In 1933, the phone company gave the building to the Omaha chapter of the Urban League. It was then called the Mid-City Community Center. This center was a busy place for the Near North Side neighborhood. It had a library, a nursery for young children, and even dental and medical clinics. There were also classrooms for learning.
Whitney Young, who later became a national leader for civil rights, had his offices here in the 1940s. The community center moved in 1956. After that, the building was turned into apartments. In the 1960s, it was used as the main office for Great Omaha Community Action, another group helping the community.
Becoming a Museum
In 1975, James T. and Bertha W. Calloway bought the building. They wanted to create a museum about the history of African Americans. Soon after, they gave the building to the new Great Plains Black History Museum.
The building was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. This recognized its important design and history. The museum closed its doors in 2004 because the roof was very old and needed repairs. Now, with a new team, the museum is finding ways to show its exhibits in other places. They also started holding community meetings in 2011 to plan for the future.
The Great Plains Black History Museum has a new location now. You can find it at the Historical Jewell Building, 2221 North 24th Street, Omaha, NE 68110. It is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
