North Omaha History Podcast, Omaha History, South Omaha History

For 90 years, a huge mixed use commercial and apartment block on North 16th Street was an anchor in a busy neighborhood. This story explores who lived there, the small storefront businesses that rotated through it, and how it eventually met the wrecking ball.

In this episode, we explore Omaha Technical High School, once the largest school in the world under one roof. We’ll dive into the school’s unique “tinkerer” philosophy, which provided a vital vocational pathway for working class students, and celebrate the trailblazing graduates like Tuskegee Airman Alfonza Davis and basketball legend Bob Boozer. Adam will also share reasons why it clo...

Started in 1940, the Tomorrow World’s Club was a pioneering youth activism project. While adult civil rights organizations in Omaha were focused on politics, this youth-led groups researched and documented systemic racism across the city. Their bold campaigns laid the foundation for future civil rights victories and influenced youth for a quarter century afterwards! Our thanks to our patrons: Sher...

Places like Abbott Drive, McKinley Street, and up and down the big streets were popular with car racers for a long time. In today’s episode Adam is going to explore the history of organizing racing in North O, including long-forgotten race tracks and more! Our thanks to our patrons: Sheryl English Marlo Ibarra Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Matt Martin Michael Wagner Sarah Swa...

Blasting horns, banging drums and blaring singers made jazz popular in North Omaha, but did you know the community has a rich history of classical, gospel, and other forms of music? In today’s episode we’re going to talk about the people, places and events that make the history of music in the community spectacular. Our thanks to our patrons: Sheryl English Marlo Ibarra Tony Rathgeber...

Going on Fast Rides!—Roller coasters, cotton candy, and other summer fun were to be had at several amusement parks in the history of North Omaha! This episode gives a clear timeline to explore those places, the things that happened there, and the people who ran them. Our thanks to our patrons: Hailey Konnath Sheryl English Marlo Ibarra Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Matt Martin Mich...

Telephones, a makeshift morgue, a community center, apartments, and the most important museum in North Omaha were all in the same building. Today, its the most public private building in the community and its in terrible condition. However, before anything worse can happen to it we’ll share the story of the Webster Telephone Exchange Building. Our thanks to our patrons: Sheryl English Marlo Ibarra...

More than one hundred years ago, North Omaha was the hotbed of technological warfare. For the first time, the U.S. Army was suddenly capable of flying thousands of feet in the air for hours at a time. Soldiers and officers came from across America to learn how to fly at 30th and Fort. This is a history of the Fort Omaha Balloon School. Our thanks to our patrons: Sheryl English Marlo Ibarra Tony Ra...

Clothes, cosmetics, furniture, hardware, appliances, houseware, sporting goods, and toys all under one roof? Today, there is one discount department store in the community, but throughout the decades there were at least a dozen department stores north of Dodge Street and east of 72nd. We’re going to explore the history of department stores on N. 24th St., Military Ave in Benson, and other places....

For 63 years, the little City of Florence had its own municipal leadership. In today’s episode, Adam shares the story of the mayors of Florence featuring details about the job and the people who filled the shoes as the most powerful civic leader in far North Omaha. Our thanks to our patrons: Marlo Ibarra Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Matt Martin Michael Wagner Sarah Swanson Wattle...

Beyond its past religious roots and Wild West stopover vibes, Florence has stories that are rarely told. Today, Adam’s going to share some of these tales, including stories about the last wolf in Florence, an old village that barely existed and has mostly faded away, and a round house that captured imaginations for a generation. Our thanks to our patrons: Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryal...

With roots starting in 1812 extending all the way to today, the Florence neighborhood is rich with history longer, stronger and at times, more interesting than Omaha. One of those is the reality that it was an independent city for 63 years! Today, Adam’s going to share the story of the City of Florence including the events, people, and places that made it a competitor to Omaha for a while. Our tha...

Over the last 150 years, railroad tracks, trestles, bridges, roundhouses, switching yards, maintenance shops and more left big marks throughout North Omaha. However, today, there’s barely anything left from five different railroad companies, a dozen depots, eleven bridges and trestles, two roundhouses and much, much more railroad infrastructure in the community. This episode is a lowdown of the hi...

Huge corporations, locally-owned shops and politicians in Omaha worked together for more than a century to employ a lot of people by poisoning people along the way. Since 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency has been working to help the community as part of a citywide environmental cleanup. However, no single person has been paid any money and North Omaha is still suffering. This episode is a...

The history of parks in North Omaha shows how the community’s 60 parks covering 2,000 acres with 70 play structures and 1,000 miles of trails is part of the important backdrop of the area. We learn the Civilian Conservation Corps program was responsible for constructing over 100 projects in the state, we explore community centers in North Omaha, find out the role of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Expo...

Before there were superstores and membership warehouses in west Omaha, North Omaha was home to literally hundreds of grocery stores scattered across the community. This episode is going to reveal some of their histories, including the people, places and events that made grocery stores so important to the community. Our thanks to our patrons: Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Matt Marti...

This episode is going to explore a main street older than Omaha with more history per block than any other neighborhood in Omaha! The old Florence Main Street is packed with old buildings, interesting characters and good stories worth sharing. Included here is an overview of Winter Quarters landmarks, memories of buildings that have been lost, and highlights of the exciting history still in the fo...

Omaha has a complicated history with the Missouri River. In the last 170 years, the river has soaked the city over and over, especially in the flood plain known as East Omaha. In this episode, we’re going to explore the neighborhoods, the towns, and the history of the region around Eppley Airfield, from the bluffs to the river and north of Locust Street to the OPPD power plant. Our thanks to our p...

Through exhaustive research and determined learning, Adam has compiled what some have called the most extensive collection of writing on Omaha’s Black history. In today’s episode he is going to introduce some of the most important people, places and events in Omaha’s African American history starting long before the city of Omaha was founded and continuing all the way to today. Our thanks to our p...

Learning About East Omaha’s Past — As the city of Omaha and real estate developers consider demolishing a historic neighborhood in East Omaha, Adam shares the history of the area, which includes everything from North 14th Street to the river, from Locust Street to the OPPD power plant. In this episode we learn about old towns and roadhouses, more than one airport, the truck farms that used to fill...

The Biggest Events in North Omaha History — For more than 10,000 years, the area that forms today’s North Omaha has been hopping with events of all kinds! In today’s episode we’ll do an overview of those events, including the organized and formal events as well as the informal times that carved out the community’s cult Our thanks to our patrons: Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Matt M...

History of Mob Violence in Omaha — From deep labor divisions to white supremacists, Omaha has a long history of mob violence. Adam shares what some of these battles were, who was in them and who was terrorized by them, and how they affect the city still. Our thanks to our patrons: Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Matt Martin Michael Wagner Joseph Tingley Sarah Swanson Wattle and Daub...

When middle and upper class people decided to build their fine homes and mansions in the Kountze Place neighborhood, they brought their churches with them. In this episode Adam shares the denominations, the buildings and the legacies of the dozen historic churches in the neighborhood still today. Our thanks to our patrons: Tony Rathgeber Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Matt Martin Michael Wagner Jo...

From the rolling prairie savannas and the deforested Ponca Hills of the 1850s, to urban giants and annihilated heritage trees, North Omaha has a long history of different nature In this episode Adam will explore the Florence bench, lost waterways, giant prairies and more that still define the history of nature in the community. Our thanks to our patrons: Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Kimberly Dav...

History of Forest Lawn — Some of the most important people from Omaha’s history have been buried here for more than 130 years. This show explores the timeline, architecture, and burials that made Forest Lawn essential in Omaha. Our thanks to our patrons: Don Goodrich Bridget Maryalice Kimberly Davlin Matt Martin Michael Wagner Joseph Tingley Sarah Swanson Wattle and Daub Craftsman Jeff Rockw...