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(Redirected from Omaha City)
'Omaha' is the largest city in the State of Nebraska, United States. It is the county seat of Douglas County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 390,007. According to the 2006 census estimate, Omaha's population rose to 427,872, which includes an extra population count of approximately 8,300 people by annexing the smaller city of Elkhorn. Located on the eastern edge of Nebraska, it is on the Missouri River, about 20 miles (30 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Council Bluffs, Iowa lies directly across the Missouri River from Omaha. The city and its suburbs formed the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2000, with an estimated population of 822,549 (2006[1]) residing in eight counties or about 1.2 million within a 50 mile (80 km) radius.
The history of Omaha led to the nickname "Gate City" because of Omaha's centrality in the nation and access to the gold fields of Colorado. The leadership of the Omaha Claim Club included many of the city's founding fathers, many of whom received lots in Scriptown and likely never visited Sheelytown. While many of Omaha's early wealthy class were making money from the warehouses in Jobbers Canyon, madames Anna Wilson and Ada Everleigh were making a living from the crowds visiting the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition. Boss Tom Dennison compounded the city's vices in the notorious Sporting District, while others invested in the Omaha Stockyards and packinghouses. While the wealthy were building homes in Kountze Park and Dundee, many working class immigrants built homes in the Sheelytown and Burlington Road neighborhoods, while many African Americans lived in the Near North Side. Many early settlers are buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery. After two race-focused lynchings in its early history, the Civil Rights Movement in Omaha included contributions by Whitney Young and Harry Haywood, as well as local organizations including the DePorres Club and the ''Omaha Star''. Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers gained national notoriety in the late 1960s documentary film ''A Time for Burning'', and has maintained it throughout his career, recently being named "the maverick of Omaha" by ''Mother Jones'' magazine.[2]
Funding for schools and racial segregation have been contentious issues for education in the Omaha Public Schools and surrounding districts for the last several years. This tension was relieved in early 2007 when the Nebraska Legislature developed a plan to use learning communities that ensure socioeconomic diversity. Education experts have called this plan, "an important model to watch."[3] Crime in Omaha is comparable to other U.S. cities of similar size, with racial tension and methamphetamine use among top social issues.[4]
Omaha has a rich cultural background. Cultural highlights include the Joslyn Art Museum, the Durham Western Heritage Museum, the Holland Performing Arts Center, and the Omaha Community Playhouse. The city boasts headquarters for such companies as Berkshire Hathaway and Conagra, and is listed as a top 10 high tech haven by ''Newsweek'' in 2001.[5] Music in Omaha has always been important to the city, with North Omaha's music scene being historically important and in modern times, the "Omaha Sound" defining an important trend across the nation.[6]
The city's historical and cultural attractions have been lauded by numerous national newspapers, including the ''Boston Globe''Daniel, D. (2005) "Unexpected Omaha: 'Mystery tour' travelers are surprised at what they find," ''Boston Globe''. 10/28/05. Retrieved 8/22/07. and the ''New York Times''.[7]
Since the 1600s, the Omaha, Pawnee, Otoe, the Missouri, the Ponca and Ioway all variously occupied the land that became Omaha. The word "Omaha" (actually ''UmoNhoN'' or ''UmaNhaN'') means "those going against the current." [8]
The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed by the riverbanks that would later become the city of Omaha in 1804, and met on Council Bluff at a point about 20 miles (30 km) north of present-day Omaha, at which point they met with the Otoe. That same area saw the development of Fort Lisa in 1806; Fort Atkinson in 1819; and Cabanne's Trading Post, built in 1822. The Mormons built a town called Cutler's Park in the area in 1846.
Before it was legal to claim land in Indian Country, William D. Brown was operating the Lone Tree Ferry to bring settlers from Council Bluffs to the area that became Omaha. Brown is generally credited as having the first vision for a city where Omaha nows sits. The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 was presaged by the staking out of claims around the area that was to become Omaha by residents from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. With the founding of the city on July 4, 1854, the Omaha Claim Club was formed to provide vigilante justice for claim jumpers and others who infringed on the land of many of the city's founding fathers. Some of this land was later used to entice Nebraska Territory legislators in an area called Scriptown. The violent tactics used by the Claim Club to secure land were later nullified by the U.S. Supreme Court who ruled against numerous landowners in ''Baker v. Morton''.
During the late 1800s and early 1900s there were a variety of ethnic and immigrant neighborhoods in the city, including Little Italy, Near North Side and Little Bohemia. At the time, gambling, drinking and prostitution were widespread and controlled by Omaha's political boss, Tom Dennison. His reign lasted for more than 30 years, ending shortly before his death at the age of 75 in 1933. In 1898 the city's leadership played host to the Trans-Mississippi Exposition, touted as a celebration of agricultural and industrial growth throughout the Midwest. More than 2,000,000 visitors attended the event, held in the Kountze Place subdivision of the city, which today is located in North Omaha.
Most of Omaha's pioneers and founding figures are buried alongside soldiers from Fort Omaha and early European immigrant and African Americans in Prospect Hill Cemetery. There are several other historical cemeteries in Omaha, as well. From the second generation of Omaha's leadership throughout today, many notable and average Omahans are buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in far North Omaha.
Main articles: Civil Rights Movement in Omaha, Nebraska
The civil rights movement in Omaha has roots that extend back until at least 1912. Historical organizations committed to civil rights in Omaha include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1912, and the Urban League of Nebraska with the first chapter in the western United States started in North Omaha in 1928. Both of these organizations continue today. Student and youth activism in Omaha led to the creation of two unique groups in Omaha, including Creighton University's DePorres Club, started in 1947, and the Black Association for Nationalism Through Unity (BANTU), popular throughout the 1960s.
Main articles: Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area
The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area consists of eight counties; five in Nebraska and three in Iowa. In descending order of population, they are:
★ Douglas County, Nebraska
★ Sarpy County, Nebraska
★ Pottawattamie County, Iowa
★ Cass County, Nebraska
★ Saunders County, Nebraska
★ Washington County, Nebraska
★ Harrison County, Iowa
★ Mills County, Iowa
The Omaha-Council Bluffs Combined Statistical Area is comprised of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fremont Micropolitan Statistical Area; the CSA has a population of 858,720 (2005 Census Bureau estimate). Omaha ranks as the 43rd-largest city in the United States, and is the core city of the nation's the 60th-largest metropolitan area.
Main articles: Neighborhoods of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is generally divided into five geographic areas: Downtown, Midtown, North Omaha, South Omaha and West Omaha. There is a small community in East Omaha, as well.
The city has a wide range of historical and new neighborhoods and suburbs that reflect its socioeconomic diversity. Early neighborhood development of ethnic enclaves, including Little Italy, Little Bohemia and Greek Town, have given way to gated communities. Recently, Omahans have made strides to revitalize a healthy and vibrant downtown area, including the redevelopment of the Old Market and the designation of the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District. At the turn of the century the City of Omaha annexed several surrounding communities, including Florence, Dundee and Benson. At the same time, the city annexed all of South Omaha, including its historic neighborhoods such as Dahlman and Burlington Road. From its first annexation in 1857 (of East Omaha) to its recent and controversial annexation of Elkhorn, Omaha has constantly had an eye towards growth.
Main articles: Landmarks in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is home to dozens of nationally, regionally and locally significant landmarks. The city has more than a dozen historic districts, including Fort Omaha Historic District, Gold Coast Historic District, Omaha Quartermaster Depot Historic District and the South Omaha Main Street Historic District. Omaha is notorious for its 1989 demolition of all 24 buildings in the Jobbers Canyon Historic District, which represented the largest loss of buildings on the National Register ever lost to date.[9] The city also has almost a hundred individual properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Bank of Florence, Holy Family Church, the Christian Specht Building and the Joslyn Castle. The city also has three locations on the highly-selective list of National Historic Landmarks. Locally-designated landmarks including residential, commercial, religious, educational, agricultural and socially-significant locations across the city accentuate Omaha's cultural legacy and important history.
Main articles: Culture in Omaha
Main articles: Culture in North Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is home to the Omaha Community Playhouse, the largest community theater in the United States.[10] The Omaha Symphony Orchestra and its modern Holland Performing Arts Center[11], the Opera Omaha at the Orpheum and Rose theaters, and the Blue Barn Theatre form the backbone of Omaha's performing arts community.
Opened in 1931, the Joslyn Art Museum has significant art collections.[12] Since its inception in 1976, Omaha Children's Museum has been a place where children can challenge themselves, discover how the world works and learn through play. The largest urban artists' colony in the world, The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, was founded in Omaha,[13] and the Durham Western Heritage Museum is accredited with the Smithsonian Institution for traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian[14]. The annual Omaha Blues, Jazz, & Gospel Festival celebrates local music along with the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame.
In 1955 Omaha's Union Stockyards overtook Chicago's stockyards as the United States' meat packing center, and this legacy is reflected in Omaha's renowned steakhouses like Gorat's and the recently closed Mister C's, as well as through the retail chain Omaha Steaks.
The Henry Doorly Zoo is widely considered one of the premier zoos in the world. Omaha's historic downtown area known as the Old Market was once part of the former "Jobbers Canyon". Today its warehouses and other buildings house shops, restaurants, bars, and art galleries. The Omaha Botanical Gardens features 100 acres (40 hectares), while the new Kenefick Park recognizes Union Pacific's long history in Omaha.
North Omaha is the home to several historical cultural attractions, including the Dreamland Historical Project, Love’s Jazz & Art Center, and the John Beasley Theater. The annual River City Roundup is celebrated at Fort Omaha; Florence Days celebrate Florence history, and; Native Omaha Days is a biennial event celebrating Near North Side heritage.
Main articles: Sports in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium is home to the Omaha Royals minor-league baseball team (the AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals). Since 1950, it has hosted the annual NCAA College World Series men's baseball tournament in mid-June.[15]
A tribute to Omaha's meatpacking past, the Omaha Beef indoor football team plays at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
The Creighton University Bluejays compete in a number of NCAA Division I sports. In addition to baseball they play soccer at Morrison Stadium and basketball at the Qwest Center.
Ice hockey is a popular spectator sport in Omaha. The two Omaha-area teams are the Omaha Lancers, a USHL team that plays in the neighboring city of Council Bluffs, IA at the Mid-America Center[16] and the University of Nebraska at Omaha Mavericks, an NCAA Division I team that plays at the Qwest Center.
Omaha has a thriving running community and many miles of paved running and biking trails throughout the city and surrounding communities. Chief among these is the Keystone Trail. The Omaha Marathon, which also includes a Half Marathon and 10K race, takes place annually in September.
Omaha is the birthplace of numerous important historical and modern sports figures, including Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson; 1989 American League Rookie of the Year Gregg Olson; NFL Running back Ahman Green; Heisman Trophy winners Nile Kinnick, Johnny Rodgers, and Eric Crouch; Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers; and champion tennis player Andy Roddick.
Main articles: Music of Omaha
Omaha has a rich history in rhythm & blues and jazz as the home ground for a number of influential bands, including Anna Mae Winburn's Cotton Club Boys and Lloyd Hunter's Seranaders. Homegrown talent includes rock and roll pioneer Wynonie Harris, jazz great Preston Love, drummer Buddy Miles, Luigi Waites, and many others. Doug Ingle from the late 60's band Iron Butterfly is also from Omaha.
Contemporary music groups either located in or originally from Omaha include Mannheim Steamroller, Bright Eyes, The Faint, Cursive, Azure Ray, 49 cents, Tilly and the Wall and 311. The late indie-folk singer/songwriter Elliott Smith was also from Omaha. During the late 1990s, Omaha became nationally known as the birthplace of Saddle Creek Records, and the subsequent "Omaha Sound" was borne from their bands' collective style.[17]
Omaha also has a fledgling hip hop scene that includes Pigeon John, Mars Black and long-time bastion Houston Alexander, a one-time graffiti artist and current local hip-hop radio show host.[18] Cerone Thomas, known as Scrybe, has had a number one single on college radio stations across the United States.[19]
Main articles: List of films made in Omaha, Nebraska
In 1939, the world premiere of the film Union Pacific was held in Omaha, Nebraska and the accompanying three-day celebration drew 250,000 people. A special train from Hollywood to Omaha carried director Cecil B. DeMille and stars Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea. Omaha's Girls and Boys Town was made famous by the Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney movie "Boys Town".
Omaha has been showcased in recent years by a handful of relatively big budget motion pictures. The city's most extensive exposure can be accredited to Omaha native Alexander Payne, the Oscar-nominated director who shot parts of ''About Schmidt'', ''Citizen Ruth'' and ''Election'' in the city and neighboring Council Bluffs.
The demolition of the Cinerama Indian Hills Theater by Nebraska Methodist Hospital represented a real loss to American cinematic history.[20] The Dundee Theatre is the lone surviving single-screen movie theater in Omaha and still shows films.[21]
The Omaha metropolitan area is served by the ''Omaha World-Herald'', the city's major newspaper and the largest employee-owned newspaper in the United States, as well as ''The Reader'', and ''Omaha Magazine''. ''The Omaha Star'', founded in 1938 in North Omaha, is Nebraska's only African American newspaper.[22]
Omaha is the historic and modern birthplace and home of many notable politicians, actors, musicians, business leaders and cultural leaders. Malcolm X was born in Omaha in 1925. A variety of actors, including Fred Astaire and Adele Astaire, Nick Nolte, Dorothy McGuire and Marlon Brando were born in Omaha. Academy Award winner Henry Fonda also grew up in Omaha and was encouraged to pursue acting by Marlon Brando's mother at the Omaha Community Playhouse, which she helped found. Montgomery Clift came from Omaha as well and his family's home still stands on South 33rd St, a few blocks from the Gerald Ford birthplace site which memorializes the 38th President. Omaha's rich musical heritage includes legends such as Wynonie Harris, Preston Love, Buddy Miles, Calvin Keys, Eugene McDaniels and many others. The modern music scene includes the members of 311. The third richest person in the world, Warren Buffett, also lives in Omaha.[23]
As of the census of 2000, there are 390,007 people, 156,738 households, and 94,983 families residing within city limits. The population density is 1,301.5/km² (3,370.7/mi²). There are 165,731 housing units at an average density of 553.1/km² (1,432.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 78.39% White, 13.31% African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.74% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.91% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 7.54% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 156,738 households out of which 30.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% are married couples living together, 13.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% are non-families. 31.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.10.
In the city the average age of the population is diverse with 25.6% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $40,006, and the median income for a family is $50,821. Males have a median income of $34,301 versus $26,652 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,756. 11.3% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Main articles: Racial Tension in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha has been racially and ethnically diverse since its founding, and has faced various incidents of racial and ethnic tension throughout its history. One such incident led to the Omaha Race Riot of 1919, and another led to the Greek Town Riot. In the 1960s there were several race-related riots in North Omaha, including one at the Logan Fontenelle Housing Project in the Near North Side community. The Black Panther Party was the source of tension in the late 1960s, culminating in the ''cause célèbre'' known as the Rice/Poindexter Case.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, gang violence and incidents between the Omaha Police Department and members of the African American community further aggravated relations between groups in north and South Omaha.
Main articles: Education in Omaha, Nebraska
Education in Omaha is provided by many private and public institutions. Omaha Public Schools runs the city's largest public school district and is the largest school district in Nebraska with more than 45,000 students in more than 75 schools. There are more than 10 colleges, universities, trade, and specialty schools in the Omaha metro area.
The Nebraska State Legislature recently approved a controversial plan to split Omaha into three distinct "learning communities" with a central administrative board.
[24] The plan, originally proposed by Near North Side State Senator Ernie Chambers, relies on dividing Omaha Public Schools according to racial composition, with Caucasian students predominantly attending a West Omaha learning community; Hispanic/Latino students in South Omaha and; African American students in North Omaha.
:''Further information:OPS division plans''
Main articles: Economy of Omaha, Nebraska
With diversification in several industries, including banking, insurance, telecommunications, architecture/construction, and transportation, Omaha's economy has grown dramatically since the early 1990s. Omaha's most prominent businessman is Warren Buffett, nicknamed the "Oracle of Omaha", who is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the third richest man in the world. Omaha is also home to the headquarters of several major corporations, including Berkshire Hathaway, ConAgra Foods, Kiewit Corporation, The Gallup Organization, infoUSA, Union Pacific, and Mutual of Omaha. Many large data processing firms have major operations in Omaha, including First Data and PayPal.
Omaha is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 307.9 km² (118.9 mi²). 299.7 km² (115.7 mi²) of it is land and 8.2 km² (3.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.67% water.
Though located at approximately the same latitude as Rome, Omaha, by virtue of lying near the center of the North American continent far from either large bodies of water or mountain ranges, has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification ''Dfa''), with hot summers and cold winters. Average July maximum and minimum temperatures are 87 °F (31 °C) and 66 °F (19 °C) respectively, with moderate humidity and relatively frequent thunderstorms; the January counterparts are 31 °F (-1 °C) and 10 °F (-12 °C). The maximum temperature recorded in the city is 114 °F (46 °C), the minimum -23 °F (-30 °C). Average yearly precipitation is 30 in (76 cm), falling mostly in the warmer months. What precipitation does fall in winter usually takes the form of snow, with average yearly snowfall being around 30 in (76 cm).
Omaha's growth has required the constant development of new urban infrastructures that influence, allow and encourage the constant expansion of the city.
The gas and water public utilities in Omaha are provided by the Metropolitan Utilities District. Nebraska is the only public power state in the nation. All electric utilities are non-profit and customer-owned. Electricity in the city is provided by the Omaha Public Power District.[25] Public housing is governed by the Omaha Housing Authority, and public transportation is provided by Metro Area Transit. Qwest and Cox provide local telephone services. The City of Omaha maintains two modern sewage treatment plants."The Greater Omaha Advantage: Utilities" SCEDC. Retrieved 8/17/07.
The Enron corporation began as North Natural Gas Company in Omaha. Northern provides three natural gas lines to Omaha currently. Peoples Natural Gas, a division of UtiliCorp United, serves several surrounding communities in the Omaha metro."The Greater Omaha Advantage: Utilities" SCEDC. Retrieved 8/17/07. Cox Communications provides cable television services.
Omaha's tallest building is the 45-story First National Bank Tower. There is a proposed ., 32-story downtown condominium tower in the works. The WallStreet Tower Omaha would be built as soon as fall 2009.[26]
Omaha is the smallest city in the United States to have three major research hospitals, Boys Town National Research Hospital [5], the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Creighton University Medical Center. BTNRH is well-known for world-class researchers in hearing-related research and high quality treatment. UNMC is a world renowned cancer treatment and transplant center, attracting patients internationally.
Eppley Airfield, Omaha's airport, serves the region with over 4.2 million passengers enplaning or deplaning in 2006. Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, USAirways, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, Midwest Airlines, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines serve the airport with direct and connecting service. General aviation airports serving the area are the Millard Municipal Airport, North Omaha Airport and the Council Bluffs Airport. Offutt Air Force Base is a military base. Eppley is situated in East Omaha, with many users driving through Carter Lake, Iowa and getting a view of Carter Lake before getting there.
The primary mode of transportation in Omaha is by car, with I-80, I-480, I-680, I-29, and U.S. Route 75 (JFK Freeway and North Freeway) providing freeway service across the metropolitan area. The expressway along West Dodge Road (U.S. Route 6 and Nebraska Link 28B) and U.S. Route 275 has been upgraded to freeway standards from I-680 to Fremont. Metro Area Transit runs a number of bus routes throughout the city. Omaha is laid out on a grid plan, with 12 blocks to the mile (east - west).
Omaha is the location of a historic boulevard system that sought to combine the beauty of parks with the pleasure of driving cars.[27] This system includes everything from the historic Florence and Fontenelle Boulevards to the modern Sorenson Expressway.[28]
Although Council Bluffs was chosen as the starting point for the Union Pacific Railroad, construction began from Omaha on the eastern portion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. By the middle of the 20th century, Omaha was served by the following railroads: Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific (CRIP), Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CBQ); Chicago Great Western (CGW); Illinois Central (IC); Chicago & Northwestern (CNW); Wabash (WAB); Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul & Pacific (The Milwaukee Road) (CMStP&P); Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha; Missouri Pacific (MP); and Union Pacific. Omaha is also the location of Union Pacific Railroad's corporate headquarters. Located downtown, Union Pacific Center is the largest building by square feet in the state of Nebraska, and the 4th tallest in Omaha.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service through Omaha, operating its California Zephyr daily in each direction between Chicago and Emeryville, California, across the bay from San Francisco. Today, the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District celebrates this connection, along with the listing of the Burlington Train Station and the Union Station on the National Register of Historic Places.
Omaha's position as a transportation center was finalized with the 1872 opening of the Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge linking the transcontinental railroad to the railroads terminating in Council Bluffs. In 1888 the first road bridge the Ak-Sar-Ben Bridge opened. In the 1890s, the Illinois Central drawbridge opened as the largest bridge of its type in the world at that time. Omaha's Missouri River road bridges are now entering their second generation, including the WPA financed South Omaha Bridge (now Veteran's Memorial) which was added to the National Register of Historic Places and is currently scheduled to be demolished. In 2006 Omaha and Council Bluffs announced plans to build the Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge which should become a city landmark on its scheduled opening in November 2008.
Omaha has six sister cities, which are:
★ 'Shizuoka', Japan
★ 'Braunschweig', Germany
★ 'Šiauliai', Lithuania
★ 'Naas', Ireland
★ 'Xalapa', Mexico
★ 'Artemivsk', Ukraine
★ List of articles related to Omaha, Nebraska
★ List of lists about Omaha, Nebraska
1. Population Estimates and Components of Population Change for Iowa's Metropolitan Areas
2. Beckel, M. (2006) The Maverick of Omaha. Interview: Sen. Ernie Chambers talks race and politics. ''Mother Jones.'' January 5, 2006
3. Saunders, M. (2007) Metro area a national model? The learning community's ideas draw interest after a high court ruling against race-based integration plans,"] ''Omaha World-Herald'' 6/29/07. Retrieved 8/22/07.
4. Bonné, J. (2007) "Scourge of the heartland". MSNBC. Retrieved 3/12/07)
5. Noted on access Omaha website [1] and Creighton's Omaha scene page [2]
6. Dinova, N. (2005) "Mayday: Bushido Karaoke" on Saddle Creek". ''Washington Post'' 7/22/05. Retrieved 6/22/07.
7. Andersen, K. (2007) Omaha’s Culture Club. ''New York Times T Style Magazine - Travel.'' 3/25/07. Retrieved 6/7/07.
8.
★ John Joseph Mathews, ''The Osages: Children of the Middle Waters'' (University of Oklahoma Press 1961), pages 110, 128, 140, 282
9. Gratz, R.B. (1996) ''Living City: How America's Cities Are Being Revitalized by Thinking Small in a Big Way.'' John Wiley and Sons. p. V.
10. (nd) OCP History. Omaha Community Playhouse. Retrieved 6/7/07.
11. Hassebroek, A. (2006) "Holland Center Further Energized Omaha's Lively Culture." ''Omaha World Herald.'' 10/15/06. Retrieved 6/7/07.
12. (nd) [http://affiliations.si.edu/AffiliateDetail.Asp?AffiliateID=180 Smithsonian Affiliations. Smithsonian Institute. Retrieved 6/7/07.
13. (2006) Insight Omaha: The Art of it All. ''Hemispheres Magazine''. Retrieved 6/7/07.
14. (nd) History. Durham Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved 6/7/07.
15. This player at CWS knows all the scores
16. (nd) Team History. Omaha Lancers. Retrieved 6/7/07.
17. Schulte, B. (2003) "The Story of Omaha; Nebraska City Gets a Makeover: Cow Town to Urban Hip." ''Washington Post,'' 12/14/03. Retrieved 6/7/07.
18. Losa, J. (2006) "On the Town: Fans Should Support Local Hip-Hop." ''Omaha World-Herald''. 11/2/06. Retrieved 7/1/07.
19. Davis, R. (2005) [ "UNO rapper, student hits No. 1 on local radio station with current single."] ''The Gateway.'' 10/21/05. Retrieved 6/17/07.
20. Haines, R. ''The Moviegoing Experience, 1968-2001''. p. 231.
21. (nd) About Us. Dundee Theatre. Retrieved 6/7/07.
22. (2007) "Omaha Star receives award," ''The Reader''. Jan 25, 2007.
23. (2005) Homes Of The Billionaires (Slideshow) Forbes.com. 3/10/05. Retrieved 4/13/07.
24. Young, J. (2007) Landmark schools plan approved, signed by governor. ''Lincoln Journal Star.'' 5/24/07. Retrieved 6/7/07.
25. Ridley and Associates (1997) "Chapter One," Nebraska's Electric Utility Industry: Final Report. Nebraska Legislature L.R. 455 Phase I Study. Retrieved 8/17/07.
26. (n.d.) [4] Yahoo.com
27. Larsen, L. and Cottrell, B. (1997) ''The Gate City: A History of Omaha.'' University of Nebraska Press. p 131.
28. Larsen, L. and Cottrell, B. (1997) p 131.
★ Lawrence H. Larsen and Barbara J. Cottrell. ''The Gate City: A History of Omaha'' (1997)
★ Lawrence H. Larsen, Harl A. Dalstrom, Kay Calame Dalstrom, and Barbara J. Cottrell. ''Upstream Metropolis: An Urban Biography of Omaha and Council Bluffs''(2007)
★ City of Omaha Official Website
★ OmahaWiki.org Omaha's free on-line encyclopedia that anyone can edit
★ Metro Area Planning Agency (MAPA)'s Official Carpool and Ride Share Website
★ Beerman, B.J. (2004) ''Where the hell is Omaha?'' AmericanMafia.Com - Article tells the history of Omaha's organized crime scene, including roles for various ethnic groups.
★ Citro, J. (n.d.) ''The Italians of Nebraska.'' - Includes photos of important Italian landmarks in Omaha.
★ Omaha Marathon official website
★ Czechs in Nebraska - An introduction.
★ IrishOmaha.com
★ Omaha's Culture Club - 3/25/07 New York Times article on Omaha's burgeoning arts and music scene
★ Ak-Sar-Ben Race Track History Website
'Omaha' is the largest city in the State of Nebraska, United States. It is the county seat of Douglas County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 390,007. According to the 2006 census estimate, Omaha's population rose to 427,872, which includes an extra population count of approximately 8,300 people by annexing the smaller city of Elkhorn. Located on the eastern edge of Nebraska, it is on the Missouri River, about 20 miles (30 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Council Bluffs, Iowa lies directly across the Missouri River from Omaha. The city and its suburbs formed the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2000, with an estimated population of 822,549 (2006[1]) residing in eight counties or about 1.2 million within a 50 mile (80 km) radius.
The history of Omaha led to the nickname "Gate City" because of Omaha's centrality in the nation and access to the gold fields of Colorado. The leadership of the Omaha Claim Club included many of the city's founding fathers, many of whom received lots in Scriptown and likely never visited Sheelytown. While many of Omaha's early wealthy class were making money from the warehouses in Jobbers Canyon, madames Anna Wilson and Ada Everleigh were making a living from the crowds visiting the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition. Boss Tom Dennison compounded the city's vices in the notorious Sporting District, while others invested in the Omaha Stockyards and packinghouses. While the wealthy were building homes in Kountze Park and Dundee, many working class immigrants built homes in the Sheelytown and Burlington Road neighborhoods, while many African Americans lived in the Near North Side. Many early settlers are buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery. After two race-focused lynchings in its early history, the Civil Rights Movement in Omaha included contributions by Whitney Young and Harry Haywood, as well as local organizations including the DePorres Club and the ''Omaha Star''. Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers gained national notoriety in the late 1960s documentary film ''A Time for Burning'', and has maintained it throughout his career, recently being named "the maverick of Omaha" by ''Mother Jones'' magazine.[2]
Funding for schools and racial segregation have been contentious issues for education in the Omaha Public Schools and surrounding districts for the last several years. This tension was relieved in early 2007 when the Nebraska Legislature developed a plan to use learning communities that ensure socioeconomic diversity. Education experts have called this plan, "an important model to watch."[3] Crime in Omaha is comparable to other U.S. cities of similar size, with racial tension and methamphetamine use among top social issues.[4]
Omaha has a rich cultural background. Cultural highlights include the Joslyn Art Museum, the Durham Western Heritage Museum, the Holland Performing Arts Center, and the Omaha Community Playhouse. The city boasts headquarters for such companies as Berkshire Hathaway and Conagra, and is listed as a top 10 high tech haven by ''Newsweek'' in 2001.[5] Music in Omaha has always been important to the city, with North Omaha's music scene being historically important and in modern times, the "Omaha Sound" defining an important trend across the nation.[6]
The city's historical and cultural attractions have been lauded by numerous national newspapers, including the ''Boston Globe''Daniel, D. (2005) "Unexpected Omaha: 'Mystery tour' travelers are surprised at what they find," ''Boston Globe''. 10/28/05. Retrieved 8/22/07. and the ''New York Times''.[7]
History
Since the 1600s, the Omaha, Pawnee, Otoe, the Missouri, the Ponca and Ioway all variously occupied the land that became Omaha. The word "Omaha" (actually ''UmoNhoN'' or ''UmaNhaN'') means "those going against the current." [8]
The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed by the riverbanks that would later become the city of Omaha in 1804, and met on Council Bluff at a point about 20 miles (30 km) north of present-day Omaha, at which point they met with the Otoe. That same area saw the development of Fort Lisa in 1806; Fort Atkinson in 1819; and Cabanne's Trading Post, built in 1822. The Mormons built a town called Cutler's Park in the area in 1846.
Founding and settlement
Before it was legal to claim land in Indian Country, William D. Brown was operating the Lone Tree Ferry to bring settlers from Council Bluffs to the area that became Omaha. Brown is generally credited as having the first vision for a city where Omaha nows sits. The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 was presaged by the staking out of claims around the area that was to become Omaha by residents from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. With the founding of the city on July 4, 1854, the Omaha Claim Club was formed to provide vigilante justice for claim jumpers and others who infringed on the land of many of the city's founding fathers. Some of this land was later used to entice Nebraska Territory legislators in an area called Scriptown. The violent tactics used by the Claim Club to secure land were later nullified by the U.S. Supreme Court who ruled against numerous landowners in ''Baker v. Morton''.
During the late 1800s and early 1900s there were a variety of ethnic and immigrant neighborhoods in the city, including Little Italy, Near North Side and Little Bohemia. At the time, gambling, drinking and prostitution were widespread and controlled by Omaha's political boss, Tom Dennison. His reign lasted for more than 30 years, ending shortly before his death at the age of 75 in 1933. In 1898 the city's leadership played host to the Trans-Mississippi Exposition, touted as a celebration of agricultural and industrial growth throughout the Midwest. More than 2,000,000 visitors attended the event, held in the Kountze Place subdivision of the city, which today is located in North Omaha.
Most of Omaha's pioneers and founding figures are buried alongside soldiers from Fort Omaha and early European immigrant and African Americans in Prospect Hill Cemetery. There are several other historical cemeteries in Omaha, as well. From the second generation of Omaha's leadership throughout today, many notable and average Omahans are buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in far North Omaha.
Civil rights movement in Omaha
Main articles: Civil Rights Movement in Omaha, Nebraska
The civil rights movement in Omaha has roots that extend back until at least 1912. Historical organizations committed to civil rights in Omaha include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1912, and the Urban League of Nebraska with the first chapter in the western United States started in North Omaha in 1928. Both of these organizations continue today. Student and youth activism in Omaha led to the creation of two unique groups in Omaha, including Creighton University's DePorres Club, started in 1947, and the Black Association for Nationalism Through Unity (BANTU), popular throughout the 1960s.
Cityscape
Omaha's skyline as seen from the northeast in Iowa
Metropolitan area
Main articles: Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area
Satellite photo showing Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa
The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area consists of eight counties; five in Nebraska and three in Iowa. In descending order of population, they are:
★ Douglas County, Nebraska
★ Sarpy County, Nebraska
★ Pottawattamie County, Iowa
★ Cass County, Nebraska
★ Saunders County, Nebraska
★ Washington County, Nebraska
★ Harrison County, Iowa
★ Mills County, Iowa
The Omaha-Council Bluffs Combined Statistical Area is comprised of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fremont Micropolitan Statistical Area; the CSA has a population of 858,720 (2005 Census Bureau estimate). Omaha ranks as the 43rd-largest city in the United States, and is the core city of the nation's the 60th-largest metropolitan area.
Neighborhoods
Main articles: Neighborhoods of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is generally divided into five geographic areas: Downtown, Midtown, North Omaha, South Omaha and West Omaha. There is a small community in East Omaha, as well.
The city has a wide range of historical and new neighborhoods and suburbs that reflect its socioeconomic diversity. Early neighborhood development of ethnic enclaves, including Little Italy, Little Bohemia and Greek Town, have given way to gated communities. Recently, Omahans have made strides to revitalize a healthy and vibrant downtown area, including the redevelopment of the Old Market and the designation of the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District. At the turn of the century the City of Omaha annexed several surrounding communities, including Florence, Dundee and Benson. At the same time, the city annexed all of South Omaha, including its historic neighborhoods such as Dahlman and Burlington Road. From its first annexation in 1857 (of East Omaha) to its recent and controversial annexation of Elkhorn, Omaha has constantly had an eye towards growth.
Landmarks
Main articles: Landmarks in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is home to dozens of nationally, regionally and locally significant landmarks. The city has more than a dozen historic districts, including Fort Omaha Historic District, Gold Coast Historic District, Omaha Quartermaster Depot Historic District and the South Omaha Main Street Historic District. Omaha is notorious for its 1989 demolition of all 24 buildings in the Jobbers Canyon Historic District, which represented the largest loss of buildings on the National Register ever lost to date.[9] The city also has almost a hundred individual properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Bank of Florence, Holy Family Church, the Christian Specht Building and the Joslyn Castle. The city also has three locations on the highly-selective list of National Historic Landmarks. Locally-designated landmarks including residential, commercial, religious, educational, agricultural and socially-significant locations across the city accentuate Omaha's cultural legacy and important history.
Culture
Main articles: Culture in Omaha
Main articles: Culture in North Omaha, Nebraska
Joslyn Art Museum's tiled Fountain Court
Omaha is home to the Omaha Community Playhouse, the largest community theater in the United States.[10] The Omaha Symphony Orchestra and its modern Holland Performing Arts Center[11], the Opera Omaha at the Orpheum and Rose theaters, and the Blue Barn Theatre form the backbone of Omaha's performing arts community.
Opened in 1931, the Joslyn Art Museum has significant art collections.[12] Since its inception in 1976, Omaha Children's Museum has been a place where children can challenge themselves, discover how the world works and learn through play. The largest urban artists' colony in the world, The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, was founded in Omaha,[13] and the Durham Western Heritage Museum is accredited with the Smithsonian Institution for traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian[14]. The annual Omaha Blues, Jazz, & Gospel Festival celebrates local music along with the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame.
In 1955 Omaha's Union Stockyards overtook Chicago's stockyards as the United States' meat packing center, and this legacy is reflected in Omaha's renowned steakhouses like Gorat's and the recently closed Mister C's, as well as through the retail chain Omaha Steaks.
The Henry Doorly Zoo is widely considered one of the premier zoos in the world. Omaha's historic downtown area known as the Old Market was once part of the former "Jobbers Canyon". Today its warehouses and other buildings house shops, restaurants, bars, and art galleries. The Omaha Botanical Gardens features 100 acres (40 hectares), while the new Kenefick Park recognizes Union Pacific's long history in Omaha.
North Omaha is the home to several historical cultural attractions, including the Dreamland Historical Project, Love’s Jazz & Art Center, and the John Beasley Theater. The annual River City Roundup is celebrated at Fort Omaha; Florence Days celebrate Florence history, and; Native Omaha Days is a biennial event celebrating Near North Side heritage.
Sports
Main entrance to the Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium
Main articles: Sports in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium is home to the Omaha Royals minor-league baseball team (the AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals). Since 1950, it has hosted the annual NCAA College World Series men's baseball tournament in mid-June.[15]
A tribute to Omaha's meatpacking past, the Omaha Beef indoor football team plays at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
The Creighton University Bluejays compete in a number of NCAA Division I sports. In addition to baseball they play soccer at Morrison Stadium and basketball at the Qwest Center.
Ice hockey is a popular spectator sport in Omaha. The two Omaha-area teams are the Omaha Lancers, a USHL team that plays in the neighboring city of Council Bluffs, IA at the Mid-America Center[16] and the University of Nebraska at Omaha Mavericks, an NCAA Division I team that plays at the Qwest Center.
Omaha has a thriving running community and many miles of paved running and biking trails throughout the city and surrounding communities. Chief among these is the Keystone Trail. The Omaha Marathon, which also includes a Half Marathon and 10K race, takes place annually in September.
Omaha is the birthplace of numerous important historical and modern sports figures, including Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson; 1989 American League Rookie of the Year Gregg Olson; NFL Running back Ahman Green; Heisman Trophy winners Nile Kinnick, Johnny Rodgers, and Eric Crouch; Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers; and champion tennis player Andy Roddick.
Music
Main articles: Music of Omaha
Omaha has a rich history in rhythm & blues and jazz as the home ground for a number of influential bands, including Anna Mae Winburn's Cotton Club Boys and Lloyd Hunter's Seranaders. Homegrown talent includes rock and roll pioneer Wynonie Harris, jazz great Preston Love, drummer Buddy Miles, Luigi Waites, and many others. Doug Ingle from the late 60's band Iron Butterfly is also from Omaha.
Contemporary music groups either located in or originally from Omaha include Mannheim Steamroller, Bright Eyes, The Faint, Cursive, Azure Ray, 49 cents, Tilly and the Wall and 311. The late indie-folk singer/songwriter Elliott Smith was also from Omaha. During the late 1990s, Omaha became nationally known as the birthplace of Saddle Creek Records, and the subsequent "Omaha Sound" was borne from their bands' collective style.[17]
Omaha also has a fledgling hip hop scene that includes Pigeon John, Mars Black and long-time bastion Houston Alexander, a one-time graffiti artist and current local hip-hop radio show host.[18] Cerone Thomas, known as Scrybe, has had a number one single on college radio stations across the United States.[19]
Film
Main articles: List of films made in Omaha, Nebraska
In 1939, the world premiere of the film Union Pacific was held in Omaha, Nebraska and the accompanying three-day celebration drew 250,000 people. A special train from Hollywood to Omaha carried director Cecil B. DeMille and stars Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea. Omaha's Girls and Boys Town was made famous by the Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney movie "Boys Town".
Omaha has been showcased in recent years by a handful of relatively big budget motion pictures. The city's most extensive exposure can be accredited to Omaha native Alexander Payne, the Oscar-nominated director who shot parts of ''About Schmidt'', ''Citizen Ruth'' and ''Election'' in the city and neighboring Council Bluffs.
The demolition of the Cinerama Indian Hills Theater by Nebraska Methodist Hospital represented a real loss to American cinematic history.[20] The Dundee Theatre is the lone surviving single-screen movie theater in Omaha and still shows films.[21]
Media
The Omaha metropolitan area is served by the ''Omaha World-Herald'', the city's major newspaper and the largest employee-owned newspaper in the United States, as well as ''The Reader'', and ''Omaha Magazine''. ''The Omaha Star'', founded in 1938 in North Omaha, is Nebraska's only African American newspaper.[22]
People
Fred and Adele Astaire circa 1906 in Omaha.
Omaha is the historic and modern birthplace and home of many notable politicians, actors, musicians, business leaders and cultural leaders. Malcolm X was born in Omaha in 1925. A variety of actors, including Fred Astaire and Adele Astaire, Nick Nolte, Dorothy McGuire and Marlon Brando were born in Omaha. Academy Award winner Henry Fonda also grew up in Omaha and was encouraged to pursue acting by Marlon Brando's mother at the Omaha Community Playhouse, which she helped found. Montgomery Clift came from Omaha as well and his family's home still stands on South 33rd St, a few blocks from the Gerald Ford birthplace site which memorializes the 38th President. Omaha's rich musical heritage includes legends such as Wynonie Harris, Preston Love, Buddy Miles, Calvin Keys, Eugene McDaniels and many others. The modern music scene includes the members of 311. The third richest person in the world, Warren Buffett, also lives in Omaha.[23]
Demographics
| 'Omaha Population by decade' | |
| 1860 | 1,883 |
| 1870 | 16,083 |
| 1880 | 30,518 |
| 1890 | 140,452 |
| 1900 | 102,555 |
| 1910 | 124,096 |
| 1920 | 191,061 |
| 1930 | 214,006 |
| 1940 | 223,844 |
| 1950 | 251,117 |
| 1960 | 301,598 |
| 1970 | 346,929 |
| 1980 | 313,939 |
| 1990 | 335,795 |
| 2000 | 390,007 |
| 2006 | 427,872 (est.) |
As of the census of 2000, there are 390,007 people, 156,738 households, and 94,983 families residing within city limits. The population density is 1,301.5/km² (3,370.7/mi²). There are 165,731 housing units at an average density of 553.1/km² (1,432.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 78.39% White, 13.31% African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.74% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.91% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 7.54% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 156,738 households out of which 30.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% are married couples living together, 13.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% are non-families. 31.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.10.
In the city the average age of the population is diverse with 25.6% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $40,006, and the median income for a family is $50,821. Males have a median income of $34,301 versus $26,652 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,756. 11.3% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Racial and ethnic tension
Main articles: Racial Tension in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha has been racially and ethnically diverse since its founding, and has faced various incidents of racial and ethnic tension throughout its history. One such incident led to the Omaha Race Riot of 1919, and another led to the Greek Town Riot. In the 1960s there were several race-related riots in North Omaha, including one at the Logan Fontenelle Housing Project in the Near North Side community. The Black Panther Party was the source of tension in the late 1960s, culminating in the ''cause célèbre'' known as the Rice/Poindexter Case.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, gang violence and incidents between the Omaha Police Department and members of the African American community further aggravated relations between groups in north and South Omaha.
Education
Main articles: Education in Omaha, Nebraska
Education in Omaha is provided by many private and public institutions. Omaha Public Schools runs the city's largest public school district and is the largest school district in Nebraska with more than 45,000 students in more than 75 schools. There are more than 10 colleges, universities, trade, and specialty schools in the Omaha metro area.
The Nebraska State Legislature recently approved a controversial plan to split Omaha into three distinct "learning communities" with a central administrative board.
[24] The plan, originally proposed by Near North Side State Senator Ernie Chambers, relies on dividing Omaha Public Schools according to racial composition, with Caucasian students predominantly attending a West Omaha learning community; Hispanic/Latino students in South Omaha and; African American students in North Omaha.
:''Further information:OPS division plans''
Economy
Main articles: Economy of Omaha, Nebraska
With diversification in several industries, including banking, insurance, telecommunications, architecture/construction, and transportation, Omaha's economy has grown dramatically since the early 1990s. Omaha's most prominent businessman is Warren Buffett, nicknamed the "Oracle of Omaha", who is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the third richest man in the world. Omaha is also home to the headquarters of several major corporations, including Berkshire Hathaway, ConAgra Foods, Kiewit Corporation, The Gallup Organization, infoUSA, Union Pacific, and Mutual of Omaha. Many large data processing firms have major operations in Omaha, including First Data and PayPal.
Geography
Omaha is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 307.9 km² (118.9 mi²). 299.7 km² (115.7 mi²) of it is land and 8.2 km² (3.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.67% water.
Climate
Though located at approximately the same latitude as Rome, Omaha, by virtue of lying near the center of the North American continent far from either large bodies of water or mountain ranges, has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification ''Dfa''), with hot summers and cold winters. Average July maximum and minimum temperatures are 87 °F (31 °C) and 66 °F (19 °C) respectively, with moderate humidity and relatively frequent thunderstorms; the January counterparts are 31 °F (-1 °C) and 10 °F (-12 °C). The maximum temperature recorded in the city is 114 °F (46 °C), the minimum -23 °F (-30 °C). Average yearly precipitation is 30 in (76 cm), falling mostly in the warmer months. What precipitation does fall in winter usually takes the form of snow, with average yearly snowfall being around 30 in (76 cm).
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High °F | 69 | 78 | 89 | 97 | 99 | 105 | 114 | 110 | 104 | 96 | 83 | 72 |
| Norm High °F | 31.7 | 37.9 | 50.4 | 63.2 | 73.7 | 83.7 | 87.4 | 85.2 | 77.3 | 65.2 | 47.8 | 34.8 |
| Norm Low °F | 11.6 | 18 | 28.1 | 39.6 | 50.7 | 60.6 | 65.9 | 63.8 | 53.5 | 41.1 | 28.1 | 16.4 |
| Rec Low °F | -23 | -21 | -16 | 5 | 27 | 38 | 44 | 43 | 25 | 13 | -9 | -23 |
| Precip (in) | 0.77 | 0.8 | 2.13 | 2.94 | 4.44 | 3.95 | 3.86 | 3.21 | 3.17 | 2.21 | 1.82 | 0.92 |
| ''Source: USTravelWeather.com [3]'' | ||||||||||||
Infrastructure
Omaha's growth has required the constant development of new urban infrastructures that influence, allow and encourage the constant expansion of the city.
Public utilities
The gas and water public utilities in Omaha are provided by the Metropolitan Utilities District. Nebraska is the only public power state in the nation. All electric utilities are non-profit and customer-owned. Electricity in the city is provided by the Omaha Public Power District.[25] Public housing is governed by the Omaha Housing Authority, and public transportation is provided by Metro Area Transit. Qwest and Cox provide local telephone services. The City of Omaha maintains two modern sewage treatment plants."The Greater Omaha Advantage: Utilities" SCEDC. Retrieved 8/17/07.
Private utilities
The Enron corporation began as North Natural Gas Company in Omaha. Northern provides three natural gas lines to Omaha currently. Peoples Natural Gas, a division of UtiliCorp United, serves several surrounding communities in the Omaha metro."The Greater Omaha Advantage: Utilities" SCEDC. Retrieved 8/17/07. Cox Communications provides cable television services.
Tallest buildings
Omaha's tallest building is the 45-story First National Bank Tower. There is a proposed ., 32-story downtown condominium tower in the works. The WallStreet Tower Omaha would be built as soon as fall 2009.[26]
| Name | Stories | Height |
|---|---|---|
| One First National Center | 45 | 634 ft (193 m) |
| Woodmen Tower | 30 | 478 ft (146 m) |
| Masonic Manor | 22 | 320 ft (98 m) |
| Union Pacific Center | 19 | 317 ft (97 m) |
| First National Center | 22 | 295 ft (90 m) |
| Mutual of Omaha Building | 14 | 285 ft (87 m) |
| AT&T Building | 16 | 265 ft (81 m) |
| Northern Natural Gas Building | 19 | 260 ft (79 m) |
| 1200 Landmark Center | 15 | 255 ft (78 m) |
| Omaha World Herald Building | 16 | 250 ft (76 m) |
Health and medicine
Omaha is the smallest city in the United States to have three major research hospitals, Boys Town National Research Hospital [5], the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Creighton University Medical Center. BTNRH is well-known for world-class researchers in hearing-related research and high quality treatment. UNMC is a world renowned cancer treatment and transplant center, attracting patients internationally.
Transportation
Airports
Eppley Airfield, Omaha's airport, serves the region with over 4.2 million passengers enplaning or deplaning in 2006. Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, USAirways, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, Midwest Airlines, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines serve the airport with direct and connecting service. General aviation airports serving the area are the Millard Municipal Airport, North Omaha Airport and the Council Bluffs Airport. Offutt Air Force Base is a military base. Eppley is situated in East Omaha, with many users driving through Carter Lake, Iowa and getting a view of Carter Lake before getting there.
Automobiles
The primary mode of transportation in Omaha is by car, with I-80, I-480, I-680, I-29, and U.S. Route 75 (JFK Freeway and North Freeway) providing freeway service across the metropolitan area. The expressway along West Dodge Road (U.S. Route 6 and Nebraska Link 28B) and U.S. Route 275 has been upgraded to freeway standards from I-680 to Fremont. Metro Area Transit runs a number of bus routes throughout the city. Omaha is laid out on a grid plan, with 12 blocks to the mile (east - west).
Omaha is the location of a historic boulevard system that sought to combine the beauty of parks with the pleasure of driving cars.[27] This system includes everything from the historic Florence and Fontenelle Boulevards to the modern Sorenson Expressway.[28]
Railroads
Although Council Bluffs was chosen as the starting point for the Union Pacific Railroad, construction began from Omaha on the eastern portion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. By the middle of the 20th century, Omaha was served by the following railroads: Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific (CRIP), Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CBQ); Chicago Great Western (CGW); Illinois Central (IC); Chicago & Northwestern (CNW); Wabash (WAB); Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul & Pacific (The Milwaukee Road) (CMStP&P); Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha; Missouri Pacific (MP); and Union Pacific. Omaha is also the location of Union Pacific Railroad's corporate headquarters. Located downtown, Union Pacific Center is the largest building by square feet in the state of Nebraska, and the 4th tallest in Omaha.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service through Omaha, operating its California Zephyr daily in each direction between Chicago and Emeryville, California, across the bay from San Francisco. Today, the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District celebrates this connection, along with the listing of the Burlington Train Station and the Union Station on the National Register of Historic Places.
Missouri River bridges
Omaha's position as a transportation center was finalized with the 1872 opening of the Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge linking the transcontinental railroad to the railroads terminating in Council Bluffs. In 1888 the first road bridge the Ak-Sar-Ben Bridge opened. In the 1890s, the Illinois Central drawbridge opened as the largest bridge of its type in the world at that time. Omaha's Missouri River road bridges are now entering their second generation, including the WPA financed South Omaha Bridge (now Veteran's Memorial) which was added to the National Register of Historic Places and is currently scheduled to be demolished. In 2006 Omaha and Council Bluffs announced plans to build the Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge which should become a city landmark on its scheduled opening in November 2008.
Sister cities
Omaha has six sister cities, which are:
★ 'Shizuoka', Japan
★ 'Braunschweig', Germany
★ 'Šiauliai', Lithuania
★ 'Naas', Ireland
★ 'Xalapa', Mexico
★ 'Artemivsk', Ukraine
Image gallery
See also
★ List of articles related to Omaha, Nebraska
★ List of lists about Omaha, Nebraska
References
1. Population Estimates and Components of Population Change for Iowa's Metropolitan Areas
2. Beckel, M. (2006) The Maverick of Omaha. Interview: Sen. Ernie Chambers talks race and politics. ''Mother Jones.'' January 5, 2006
3. Saunders, M. (2007) Metro area a national model? The learning community's ideas draw interest after a high court ruling against race-based integration plans,"] ''Omaha World-Herald'' 6/29/07. Retrieved 8/22/07.
4. Bonné, J. (2007) "Scourge of the heartland". MSNBC. Retrieved 3/12/07)
5. Noted on access Omaha website [1] and Creighton's Omaha scene page [2]
6. Dinova, N. (2005) "Mayday: Bushido Karaoke" on Saddle Creek". ''Washington Post'' 7/22/05. Retrieved 6/22/07.
7. Andersen, K. (2007) Omaha’s Culture Club. ''New York Times T Style Magazine - Travel.'' 3/25/07. Retrieved 6/7/07.
8.
★ John Joseph Mathews, ''The Osages: Children of the Middle Waters'' (University of Oklahoma Press 1961), pages 110, 128, 140, 282
9. Gratz, R.B. (1996) ''Living City: How America's Cities Are Being Revitalized by Thinking Small in a Big Way.'' John Wiley and Sons. p. V.
10. (nd) OCP History. Omaha Community Playhouse. Retrieved 6/7/07.
11. Hassebroek, A. (2006) "Holland Center Further Energized Omaha's Lively Culture." ''Omaha World Herald.'' 10/15/06. Retrieved 6/7/07.
12. (nd) [http://affiliations.si.edu/AffiliateDetail.Asp?AffiliateID=180 Smithsonian Affiliations. Smithsonian Institute. Retrieved 6/7/07.
13. (2006) Insight Omaha: The Art of it All. ''Hemispheres Magazine''. Retrieved 6/7/07.
14. (nd) History. Durham Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved 6/7/07.
15. This player at CWS knows all the scores
16. (nd) Team History. Omaha Lancers. Retrieved 6/7/07.
17. Schulte, B. (2003) "The Story of Omaha; Nebraska City Gets a Makeover: Cow Town to Urban Hip." ''Washington Post,'' 12/14/03. Retrieved 6/7/07.
18. Losa, J. (2006) "On the Town: Fans Should Support Local Hip-Hop." ''Omaha World-Herald''. 11/2/06. Retrieved 7/1/07.
19. Davis, R. (2005) [ "UNO rapper, student hits No. 1 on local radio station with current single."] ''The Gateway.'' 10/21/05. Retrieved 6/17/07.
20. Haines, R. ''The Moviegoing Experience, 1968-2001''. p. 231.
21. (nd) About Us. Dundee Theatre. Retrieved 6/7/07.
22. (2007) "Omaha Star receives award," ''The Reader''. Jan 25, 2007.
23. (2005) Homes Of The Billionaires (Slideshow) Forbes.com. 3/10/05. Retrieved 4/13/07.
24. Young, J. (2007) Landmark schools plan approved, signed by governor. ''Lincoln Journal Star.'' 5/24/07. Retrieved 6/7/07.
25. Ridley and Associates (1997) "Chapter One," Nebraska's Electric Utility Industry: Final Report. Nebraska Legislature L.R. 455 Phase I Study. Retrieved 8/17/07.
26. (n.d.) [4] Yahoo.com
27. Larsen, L. and Cottrell, B. (1997) ''The Gate City: A History of Omaha.'' University of Nebraska Press. p 131.
28. Larsen, L. and Cottrell, B. (1997) p 131.
Additional references
★ Lawrence H. Larsen and Barbara J. Cottrell. ''The Gate City: A History of Omaha'' (1997)
★ Lawrence H. Larsen, Harl A. Dalstrom, Kay Calame Dalstrom, and Barbara J. Cottrell. ''Upstream Metropolis: An Urban Biography of Omaha and Council Bluffs''(2007)
External links
★ City of Omaha Official Website
★ OmahaWiki.org Omaha's free on-line encyclopedia that anyone can edit
★ Metro Area Planning Agency (MAPA)'s Official Carpool and Ride Share Website
★ Beerman, B.J. (2004) ''Where the hell is Omaha?'' AmericanMafia.Com - Article tells the history of Omaha's organized crime scene, including roles for various ethnic groups.
★ Citro, J. (n.d.) ''The Italians of Nebraska.'' - Includes photos of important Italian landmarks in Omaha.
★ Omaha Marathon official website
★ Czechs in Nebraska - An introduction.
★ IrishOmaha.com
★ Omaha's Culture Club - 3/25/07 New York Times article on Omaha's burgeoning arts and music scene
★ Ak-Sar-Ben Race Track History Website
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