The North Omaha History Podcast with noted author and historian – Adam Fletcher Sasse. Each week, Adam takes you on a guided tour through Omaha’s dynamic past.
Originally envisioned as an interstate highway to connect I-480 with I-680, the North Freeway is of the most controversial street projects in Omaha history. By developing a major highway through the heart of North Omaha, the government physically sliced Omaha's historically African American neighborhood in half, leaving a legacy of controversy and discrimination continuing today. This is a history of the North Freeway in Omaha. Our thanks to our patrons: Michael Wagner Joseph Tingley Sarah Swanson James Sechser Jeff Rockwell Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison And The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
A fast roadway across North Omaha has provided more than 150 years of growth and opportunities for neighborhoods and institutions in the community. Here's a review of some of that history, including the story of Jenna Street and more! Our thanks to our patrons: Sarah Swanson James Sechser Jeff Rockwell Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison And The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
From the beginning of the community in 1856, there have been countless light, medium, and heavy industries in North Omaha. Food production, railroads, vehicle manufacturing, and many other industries have all been important, and many others. This is a history of industries in North Omaha. Our thanks to our patrons: Sarah Swanson James Sechser Jeff Rockwell Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison And The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Did you know that North Omaha has been home to FIVE higher education institutions in its history? It was 1863 when the Town of Saratoga, now located in North Omaha, went to the Nebraska Territorial Legislature and secured a charter for the first-ever University of Nebraska. Unfortunately, their efforts amounted in nil—but their legacy did not. Adam has some great info. Our thanks to our patrons: James Sechser Jeff Rockwell Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison And The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Adam has the history of the Omaha Beltline Railroad which was part of the Missouri Pacific. He traces the old right away and depot locations. Our thanks to our patrons: James Sechser Jeff Rockwell Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison And The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Adam Fletcher Sasse gives us the rich history of North Omaha streets from before Omaha was founded, to the present day. Our thanks to our patrons: Jeff Rockwell Gene E Pafford Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
KOWH was a soul music radio station in Omaha owned by African Americans including Bob Gibson and Gale Sayers. It was on-air from 1970 to 1979 and our producer Steve loved listening to it in the day. Listen in as Adam fills us in on everything KOWH-FM. Our thanks to our patrons: Jeff Rockwell Gene E Pafford Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Adam has a great rundown of historic structures, parks, and streets in North Omaha. Listen in. Our thanks to our patrons for helping meet expenses. You can help out this volunteer effort by becoming a patron for as little as a dollar a month. Go to Patreon.com/Omaha.
Fast food, Italian food, soul food, diners and cafes, barbecues, ice cream stores, caterers, and many, many other types of food fill North Omaha history. These businesses have been run by African Americans, European and Asian immigrants, Hispanic and Latinx people, and white people who moved to the community from across the United States. They have also been run by generations of North Omahans who handed businesses down through generations. Adams explains. Our thanks to our patrons: Jeff Rockwell Gene E Pafford Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience. Our thanks to Lamb of God Lutheran Chruch in Papillion for letting us use their facility. On Adam's blog, North Omaha includes all the area in Douglas County, Nebraska, north of Dodge Street and east of North 72nd. In this history of North Omaha, there have been at least a dozen hospitals within these boundaries. They were religious and non-secular; charities and businesses; segregated and mixed race. Some were run by African Americans, others by Jews, and others still by Scandinavians. Today, there is only one left. Our thanks to our patrons: Jeff Rockwell Gene E Pafford Barb Naughtin Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Flaunts His Ignorance Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
I'm Steve Sleeper, the producer of the North Omaha History podcast. Adam and I have always wanted to record some episodes in front of a live audience and we got that chance on Dec 13, 2021 when we recorded three episodes. The one you're about to hear is the history of Cuming Street in North Omaha. Our thanks to Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Papillion for letting us use their facility and also thanks to our patrons. Now seen as the front door to Omaha, Cuming Street has also served as the city's farthest edge; as the growing, mighty muscles of industry and business; and as its dirty, neglected backside. This is a history of Cuming Street in North Omaha. Our thanks to our patrons: Gene E Pafford Barb Naughtin Lonnie Hansen Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
A church minister, newspaper editor, NAACP leader, community activist, and family man, the Rev. John Albert Williams (1866-1933) was a singular leader in a simpler time who faced complex problems and made North Omaha a better place. He was widely recognized in North Omaha, in the Episcopal Church and among his family; however, today his name is nearly lost to Omaha history. Adam is making sure his name is not lost. Our thanks to our patrons: Gene E Pafford Barb Naughtin Lonnie Hansen Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Over more than a 50-year period, one lawyer's name stands out in the African American history of Omaha. He defended his community constantly, unrelentingly, and powerfully as a journalist and advocate who commanded troops during the Great War. Continuously earning the begrudging respect of his white legal colleagues in Omaha, he was also a founding member of several Black empowerment organizations and involved in many of the city's important events. Adam has a biography of Harrison J. Pinkett. Our thanks to our patrons: Barb Naughtin Lonnie Hansen Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. Open by appointment Thurs-Sat 1-5. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
On Veterans Day, 1941, there was a giant parade for the dedication of a new monument to honor the life of John J. Pershing, General of the Armies during World War I. The City of Omaha named a new roadway leading from Abbott Drive to River Drive after him, as well. This wasn't the beginning of North Omaha's love affair with this leader though. Adam Fletcher Sasse has the rest of the story Our thanks to our patrons: Barb Naughtin Lonnie Hansen Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. Open by appointment Thurs-Sat 1-5. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Pioneer cemeteries, Jewish cemeteries, military burials, African American burials, famous people and forgotten people make North Omaha's cemeteries a vital piece of the city's history. These are the final resting places of thousands of people from the 1840s through today. Our thanks to our patrons: Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. Open by appointment Thurs-Sat 1-5. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
History of Department Stores in North Omaha. The idea of going to a single store to shop for many different types of products came around in the 1750s in England. Omaha's first department stores opened downtown in the 1870s and 1880s, with the biggest ones staying around for a century. However, in a city as segregated as Omaha it was important that the Black community and Jewish community needed their own shopping opportunities. Also, each suburb needed their own small department stores. Adam has the history of department stores in North Omaha. Our thanks to our patrons: Lonnie (Hansen) Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. Open by appointment Thurs-Sat 1-5. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
The oldest neighborhoods in the North Omaha community are Florence and the Near North Side, which is immediately north of North Downtown and south of Pratt Street. Other outlying houses and buildings may exist, but are largely hidden by the newer developments around them. Here are ten of the oldest buildings in North Omaha, all built more than 125 years ago. Our thanks to our patrons: Lonnie Hansen Dunbier Paul Feilmann Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. Open by appointment Thurs-Sat 1-5. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
The 24th and Lake Historic District is being recognized more and more as a cultural asset to all of Omaha, and to the Midwestern United States overall. The African American heritage of the intersection includes jazz and blues, parades and big bands, and modern social justice movements stemming from the 1950s through today. Adam has is the history of one of the most important locations in the 24th and Lake Historic District, and the Jewell Building, home of the Dreamland Ballroom. Our thanks to our patrons: Tim Reeder Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. Open by appointment Thurs-Sat 1-5. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
When Omaha was founded, Carter Lake didn't even exist! But after a big flood, it became a playground for the people with amusement parks, resorts, a public beach, an airport and a lot more. This is a history of the Carter Lake. Our thanks to our patrons: Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Lori Schwartz Jim Collison and The Great Plains Black History Museum. Open by appointment Thurs-Sat 1-5. The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Oftentimes, great leaders take their place in history. However, this right hasn't been given to many African American leaders, especially in Omaha. One man single-handedly roused a generation of political activism, social consciousness, and deliberate action to improve the conditions of newly liberated Black people who settled in Omaha when it was a very young city. This is the life of Edwin Overall. Our thanks to our patrons: Mike Schill Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Lori Schwartz and Jim Collison The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
The founder of Florence was a pioneer store owner from the Iowa side of the Mississippi River. Then he crossed the Missouri River to stake out his future town. After he died, his wife kept his body in a glass-covered casket in a backyard mausoleum at their Florence house for a year. Here’s the story of James Comey Mitchell, the founder of Florence. Our thanks to our patrons: Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Hanna Lori Schwartz and Jim Collison The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
One neighborhood in North Omaha had a hospital, a half-dozen churches and businesses galore, and a long history. Then it all seemed to disappear. This is a history of the Monmouth Park neighborhood. Our thanks to our patrons: Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Kelsey Tarrell Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Lori Schwartz and Jim Collison The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to Patreon.com/Omaha
For more than 150 years, North Omaha has experienced powerful leadership within the community. Some leaders have appealed to African Americans, some to white people, and some have created bridges to support all North Omahans. From the 1950s through the 1980s, one man was regularly credited with the latter. This is a biography of community leader, entrepreneur and educator Dr. Rodney Wead. Our thanks to our patrons: Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Carl Jackson Kelsey Tarrell Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Troy Lewellen Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah Lori Schwartz and Jim Collison The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to https://www.patreon.com/omaha
Dan Desdunes was The Man. For more than 20 years, he was the leader of Omaha’s powerhouse music scene. He also launched several musicians’ careers, volunteered around the community, and was well-thought of throughout his life. But even before he got to Omaha, Desdunes made waves ripple in Louisiana. This is the biography of North Omaha’s Dan Desdunes. Our thanks to our patrons: Jenna Smith Dan Hedrick Troy Lewellen Carl Jackson Kelsey Tarrell Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Jim Collison Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah and Lori Schwartz The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Imagine a warm summer evening at the turn of the century. Look out on Carter Lake and see the lightning bugs flickering and listen to the cicadas roaring. Picture yourself strolling along a boardwalk wrapped along the edge of the lake, wearing fancy clothes and just basking in the natural opulence. Walking by clubs and docks with sailboats bobbing in the darkness, you see cottages and restaurants all crowding the edge. Then you see a brightly lit amusement park. This is a history of Cortland Beach, Omaha’s finest summertime resort from 1889 to 1905. Our thanks to our patrons: Dan Hedrick Troy Lewellen Carl Jackson Kelsey Tarrell Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Jim Collison Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah – and Lori Schwartz The North Omaha History podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to Patreon.com/Omaha
North Omaha is screaming full of history, and the new 24th and Lake Historic District is a tremendous example of how that’s so. After its first developments in the 1870s, this intersection evolved to become a hotbed of the African American community; as well as the heart of the Jewish community; a farm supply area; and much, much more. In 2016, 38 buildings were included in a new listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Adam Fletcher Sasse guides us through a large jewel in North Omaha’s historical crown. Our thanks to our patrons: Carl Jackson Kelsey Tarrell Richard Gude Daniel Ammons Sara Rogers Jim Collison Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh Kristine Gerber Jay Hannah - and Lori Schwartz The North Omaha History Podcast is a volunteer effort, but you can help us meet expenses by becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month. Go to Patreon.com/Omaha
North Omaha sits on the shoulder of a city that keeps growing, but leaves this community alone. Routinely forgotten about, the community is largely neglected by investors and developers who see it as dead space. Perched uncomfortably on the precipice of downtown Omaha, the rest of this growing metro looks at North Omaha’s foibles and history mercilessly. Instead, Omaha is slowly devouring the southern boundaries of North Omaha in an apparent effort to gentrify the neighborhood for the benefit of Creighton University and the growing NoDo area. Become a patron of the North Omaha History Podcast at: Patreon.com/Omaha
Tucked away in North Omaha is a historic neighborhood that gets little attention. However, the people who’ve lived there have vibrant memories and meaningful stories that lasted a lifetime. The Central Park neighborhood extends from North 33rd to North 48th Streets, from Ames Avenue to Sorenson Parkway. Located west of the town of Saratoga, it was never an incorporated town like its neighbors in Irvington or Benson. A lot of the oral histories of the area talked about it being a rural community, surrounded by farms and fields, orchards, and more. Rising from cornfields and hills, the Central Park neighborhood has a long history starting in the 1880s. Adam Has lots of detail in this episode. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
In the 1840s, crossing the raging Missouri River was a harrowing struggle. Men, women, and children in schooners, on foot and riding horses, had to get across the water in a way they would survive that would keep all their supplies and possessions intact. It took 100 years to build a permanent structure across the water. Adam explores the bridge, the ferries, the politics, the economics, and more of the Mormon Bridge. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
North Omaha has been the home to many fraternal lodges, community societies, political and social organizations and other groups. It has also been home to a lot of private clubs, nightclubs, dance halls and ballrooms. Its long history includes serving as the city’s African American cultural, religious and social hub, along with its Scandinavian roots, business ties, and other connections. There are also neighborhood social clubs, fraternal organizations and halls throughout the community. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
With more than two dozen houses that are 130 years old, a major metro area park and a mysterious lost community hidden in a forest, the history of the Omaha View neighborhood, Adams Park and the Plum Nelly community is very tantalizing. Adam Fletcher Sasse fills us in. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
An African-American minister and his wife built a congregation in North Omaha that is credited with raising the community and fighting segregation. St Phillip the Deacon Episcopal Church and it’s pastor John Albert Williams, his wife Lucinda. Adam Fletcher tells us the story of this dynamic couple. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
The intersection of North 30th and Ames Avenue was an important suburban crossroads in North Omaha as early as the 1890s and going all the way into the 1960s. Then, with white flight in full force and North Omaha divestment underway, the intersection started to struggle. Adam Fletcher Sasse fills us in. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Began in 1915 and officially chartered in 1918, the Omaha NAACP has been the vanguard in fighting for African Americans for the last century of Omaha’s existence. Adam Fletcher Sasse guides us through the NAACP from its founding to the present day. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Omaha is a city of immigrants, and among the diversity are Italians who came for jobs, homes and connections. More than Mister C’s or an Italian sandwich shop at 30th and Ames, there is a rich heritage in the community that’s almost entirely lost. Adam teaches us the history of Italians in North Omaha. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
In the 1940s and 50s, the region north of Ames Street and east of 42nd Street grew rapidly. The area had been farms. but during the post-World War II housing boom, all those fields were planted with neighborhoods, schools and families. Those folks needed grocery stores, barber shops and clothing stores. North Omaha’s first shopping center opened in the early 60s. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Often forgotten and neglected by Omaha, there’s an area that was home to hard-working folks who, for more than a century, made their living growing food. It was in the areas known today as the Sherman neighborhood, the old town of East Omaha, Birchwood, and everything on the Nebraska side of Carter Lake. Adam tells us all about truck farms in East Omaha. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
James Monroe Parker is one of the most important people in the history of Florence. His business and his farm are two of the most visible historical landmarks in Omaha today, even though only one is acknowledged for its importance. Listen in as Adam takes it from there. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Did you know that North Omaha has at least eight historic cemeteries? Serving religious and ethnic populations as well as the general public, these are the final resting places of thousands of people from the 1840s through today. Adam has some great stories about these cemeteries. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
In the last decade, the lynching of Will Brown has received a lot of attention in Omaha and beyond. However, many of the facts in the story have been lost to time and others muddled away. For years, Adam has searched for little-known details about Brown’s lynching and he shares what he learned in this podcast episode. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Once there was a massive public housing project located at the intersection of North 24th and Paul Streets in the Near North Side neighborhood. Originally named the “Northside Village Public Housing Project,” the name was officially changed in honor of the famous Omaha tribe leader Logan Fontenelle. Starting in the late 1970s, these projects were unofficially known as “Little Vietnam”. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Starting in 1896, the Salvation Army ran numerous facilities in North Omaha. Adam walks us through all those facilities. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Some places hold the memories of North Omaha’s past more eloquently than others. While some of North Omaha transitioned from country estates to suburban bliss, from commuter haven to neglected hood, one building has stood steady in the community throughout almost everything. It’s called The Sherman. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
The town of East Omaha was south of the present-day Eppley Airport, west of Abbott Drive, and north and west of the Missouri River. Throughout the years, this town has been home to more than 2,600 homes, countless businesses, a school, the East Omaha River Rats, and now the Open Door Mission, the Omaha Correctional Center, the Omaha Immigration Court, and businesses like Monarch Oil and the FleetPride Service Center. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Located on the southwest corner of 24th and Lake for more than 50 years, Duffy Drug was an iconic store in North Omaha. Before they were there, the site at 2424 North 24th Street was home to the farthest north drug store in Omaha. Then the first Black-owned business in Omaha was on the southwest corner of 24th - the Soul House music store opened in 1968. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Malcolm X was born in 1925 as Malcolm Little in Omaha to Earl and Louise Little, but lived in Omaha less than a year. His story in the city is longer though, where leaders have never managed to memorialize him with a building, street, park, library or museum. Adam Fletcher Sasse guides us through a biography of Malcolm X in Omaha. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Did you know that North Omaha has been home to FIVE higher education institutions in its history? It was 1863 when the Town of Saratoga, now located in North Omaha, went to the Nebraska Territorial Legislature and secured a charter for the first-ever University of Nebraska. Unfortunately, their efforts amounted to nill—but their legacy did not! Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
Imagine a time when riding a streetcar was interesting, respected and almost a little glamorous. On the dusty, granite-covered streets of Omaha, that time was during the 1870s and 1880s. That new technology needed fanciful buildings to go along with the times, and the streetcar maintenance shop at 2606 North 26th Street in North Omaha was one of those buildings. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
There are several lost towns and villages located inside present-day North Omaha. Over time, they’ve been annexed, absorbed and otherwise soaked into the fabric of the city of Omaha and largely forgotten. Only Florence and Benson have retained distinctive identities as dedicated former towns. The rest are almost wholly missing from the public record. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha 49
North Omaha’s African American culture has grown and changed dramatically since its founding in 1854. One of the main drivers of the culture for more than a century has been the Black media. From the time Omaha’s first Black newspaper was published in 1889 through Shanelle Williams’ continued use of Facebook, Twitter and other social media today to build the African American community in Omaha, Black media has continued to transform the North Omaha community and the city at large. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
The Belt Line railway was once a passenger service, then an industrial line for 75+ years. Today, there’s nothing left of it besides an empty rail bed. The railroad heading up the modern-day Sorensen Parkway was the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad. Another railroad headed north from the Webster Street Station north to Florence and points beyond. It was the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway, aka the Omaha Road. Help us meet expenses and keep the light on at the North Omaha History Podcast by becoming a patron. Please go to Patreon.com/Omaha
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