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109-672: It is the largest museum devoted to the black experience on the Great Plains. In 1962, Omaha community leader Bertha Calloway founded the Negro Historical Society . In 1976 she opened the Great Plains Black History Museum, in the Western Telephone Exchange Building. This had been a community center for recovery efforts after the disastrous 1913 tornado. From 1933 to 1952, it was used by

218-687: A Spanish scout and explorer in the Southwest , was a war captain of the Spanish Indian auxiliaries. By 1714 (the same year the French explorers reached the Platte), he and a small exploration group from the south had reportedly already reached the Platte three times. He later guided the 1720 Villasur expedition to the area in a Spanish effort to stop French expansion onto the Great Plains. Naranjo and Villasur's party made

327-516: A U.S. Army officer on leave, led an expedition to the west financed by John Jacob Astor . They took wagons along the Platte, North Platte and Sweetwater River trail to the Green River in present-day Wyoming. The notable author Washington Irving wrote an account of Bonneville's explorations in the west that made him well known in the US. Following the fur traders, the major emigration trails established along

436-550: A canoe to travel far. The Platte River valley provided an easily passable wagon corridor; it sloped gradually up in height as it went almost due west from the Missouri. The Platte route had access to water, grass, buffalo and buffalo 'chips,' which the Indians and emigrants used as fuel for fires. Long Native American use had created trails on both sides of the muddy, about 1 mile (1.6 km) wide and shallow Platte River. The Platte's water

545-510: A large Tier 1 network provider, was founded in Omaha in 1985 as Kiewit Diversified Group, a division of Kiewit Corporation , a Fortune 500 construction and mining company still headquartered in Omaha; Level 3 moved to Denver in 1998. World Com was founded by a merger with Omaha's MFS Communications, started as Metropolitan Fiber Systems in 1993. MFS, backed by Kiewit Corporation CEO Walter Scott Jr. and Warren Buffett , purchased UUNET , one of

654-879: A number of Nebraska stakeholders embarked upon the Platte River Cooperative Hydrology Study (COHYST). Conducted with assistance from the United States Geological Survey and the Natural Resources Conservation Service , this study attempts to arrive at a better understanding of the geology and hydrology of the Platte River basin from the Colorado and Wyoming borders to Columbus, including the Loup basin. This improved understanding could be used to develop policies for management of

763-405: A previously adopted closure of part of such river basin, subbasin, or reach to the issuance of additional water well permits, or to temporarily suspend or continue in effect a temporary suspension previously adopted on the drilling of new water wells in all or part of such river basin, subbasin, or reach. Most of the Platte River basin is currently considered as overappropriated. Beginning in 2004,

872-406: A river basin, subbasin, or reach shall be deemed overappropriated if it is subject to an interstate cooperative agreement among more states and if, prior to such date, the state has declared a moratorium on the issuance of new surface water appropriations in such river, subbasin, or reach, and has requested each natural resources district jurisdiction in the affected area to close or continue in effect

981-568: A transliteration of the name given by the Otoe people, meaning "flat water". This expression is very close to the French words "rivière platte" ("flat river"), the probable origin of the name Platte River. The Platte River is formed in western Nebraska east of the city of North Platte, Nebraska by the confluence of the North Platte and the South Platte Rivers , which both arise from snowmelt in

1090-555: Is 23.5 °F (−4.7 °C), with lows reaching 0 °F (−18 °C) on 11 days annually. The lowest temperature recorded in the city was −32 °F (−35.6 °C) on January 5, 1884, and the highest 114 °F (45.6 °C) on July 25, 1936 . Average yearly precipitation is 30.6 in (777 mm), falling mostly in the warmer months. Snow is the most common precipitation in winter, with average seasonal snowfall being 28.7 in (72.9 cm). Based on 30-year averages obtained from NOAA 's National Climatic Data Center for

1199-644: Is a tributary of the Missouri River , which itself is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico . The Platte over most of its length is a broad, shallow, meandering stream with a sandy bottom and many islands—a braided stream . The Platte is one of the most significant tributary systems in the watershed of the Missouri, draining a large portion of the central Great Plains in Nebraska and

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1308-637: Is all about ... revealing a history that’s been withheld." In 1976 Calloway opened the museum, aided by a $ 100,000 grant from the United States Bicentennial Commission . Since then, the museum has featured paintings, rare books, photographs, and films of the African-American experience in the Midwest. Most African Americans arrived in the Midwest from the South during the first half of

1417-489: Is closed but the museum is open!" The facility had been closed because of needed renovation but, as the board chairman and Museum President, James Beatty said, "The building is closed. The Museum is open." As of the spring of 2011, a new board was in place which was holding community meetings to broaden discussions of the museum's future. In 2014 the museum moved to a space in the Crossroad Mall on 72nd and Dodge streets and

1526-457: Is considered as being in the "Heartland" of the United States. Important environmental impacts on the natural habitat in the area include the spread of invasive plant species, restoring prairies and bur oak savanna habitats, and managing the whitetail deer population. Omaha is home to several hospitals, mostly along Dodge Street (US6). Being the county seat, it is also the location of

1635-524: Is estimated at 3,240 cu ft/s (92 m /s). The Platte drains one of the most arid areas of the Great Plains with a flow that is considerably lower than rivers of comparable length in North America. For much of its length, it is a classic wide, muddy and shallow braided stream which in the lower reaches flows in a floodplain bordered by bluffs. During pioneer days, the common humorous description

1744-424: Is joined from the north by the about 70-mile-long (110 km) Loup River about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Columbus. During pioneer days, a Loup River ferry crossed the river. From Columbus, the Platte flows almost due east about 50 miles (80 km) past North Bend and then on to Fremont . Near Fremont, the Platte bends south and then east around the location of Omaha in a large "L" turn. Near Fremont

1853-461: Is much smaller due to the extensive water taken from it for irrigation. Historically, the North Platte River was up to a mile wide (1.6 km) in many places, as evidenced by the old streambed and historic written records. The South Platte River drainage includes about 28,000 square miles (73,000 km ) in the north east corner of Colorado, parts of southeastern Wyoming in the vicinity of

1962-474: Is the 58th-largest metro area in the United States, with a population of 967,604. Furthermore, the greater Omaha–Council Bluffs–Fremont combined statistical area had 1,004,771 residents in 2020. Omaha's pioneer period began in 1854, when the city was founded by speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa . The city was founded along the Missouri River, and a crossing called Lone Tree Ferry earned

2071-582: Is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County . It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River , about 10 mi (15 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River . The nation's 40th-most populous city , Omaha had a population of 486,051 as of the 2020 census . It is the anchor of the eight-county Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area , which extends into Iowa and

2180-542: Is the state of Wyoming. The nearest Colorado town is Walden , the county seat. The rugged Rocky Mountains Continental Divide surrounding Jackson County have at least twelve peaks over 11,000 feet (3,400 m) in height. From Jackson County, the North Platte flows north about 200 miles (320 km) out of the Routt National Forest and North Park near what is now Walden to Casper, Wyoming . Shortly after passing Casper,

2289-746: The Enola Gay and Bockscar used in the atomic bombing of Japan in World War II. The construction of Interstates 80 , 480 and 680 , along with the North Omaha Freeway , spurred development. There was also controversy, particularly in North Omaha, where new routes bisected several neighborhoods. Creighton University hosted the DePorres Club , an early civil rights group whose use of sit-in strategies for integration of public facilities predated

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2398-481: The Burlington Railroad , bringing along Gatling guns and a cannon for defense. When the event ended, one man was dead and several were wounded. In 1891, a mob hanged Joe Coe , an African-American porter after he was accused of raping a white girl. There were also several other riots and civil unrest events in Omaha during this period. In 1898, Omaha's leaders, under the guidance of Gurdon Wattles , held

2507-469: The Central Flyway . Fossil evidence in the Platte River valley indicates this crane stopover has been active for over 10 million years. Since the mid-20th century, this river has shrunk significantly. This reduction in size is attributed in part to its waters being used for irrigation, and to a much greater extent to the waters diverted and used by the growing population of Colorado, which has outstripped

2616-625: The Douglas County Courthouse to get the prisoner, causing more than $ 1 million damage. They hanged and shot Will Brown, then burned his body. Troops were called in from Fort Omaha to quell the riot, prevent more crowds gathering in South Omaha, and to protect the black community in North Omaha. The culture of North Omaha thrived throughout the 1920s through 1950s, with several creative figures, including Tillie Olsen , Wallace Thurman , Lloyd Hunter , and Anna Mae Winburn emerging from

2725-595: The Mormon Trail north of the Platte River and had to ferry across the Elkhorn. After the Union Pacific railroad was constructed west from Omaha in 1866, it had to build a major bridge across the Elkhorn. After the confluence of the Elkhorn and the Platte River, the Platte continues southward, about 7 miles (11 km) before it turns sharply and heads almost due East for about 20 miles (32 km) before its confluence with

2834-583: The Nebraskier , after its Oto name, meaning "flat water". The French later applied the French word plate (meaning flat, and pronounced plat , or platte ) to the river. Occupied by various Indian tribes for part of each year, the Platte River territory had been claimed by both Spanish and French explorers trying to rule the Great Plains. Spain had claimed all of the Great Plains after Coronado's 1541–42 expedition. Jose Naranjo, an African - Hopi who served as

2943-464: 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, which now wraps around Downtown Omaha, was later used to entice Nebraska Territorial legislators to an area called Scriptown . The Territorial capitol was in Omaha, but when Nebraska became a state in 1867, the capital

3052-656: The Oregon boundary dispute with Britain in 1846, the conclusion of the Mexican–American War in 1848, and the California Gold Rush in 1849 and other gold and silver strikes rapidly attracted increased emigrant traffic west. The Platte River in the future state of Nebraska and the North Platte River in Wyoming typically had many channels and islands. The waterways were often too shallow, crooked, muddy and unpredictable for

3161-576: The South Fork South Platte River and Middle Fork South Platte River , approximately 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Fairplay, Colorado . After the South and Middle fork join, the South Platte flows east-southeast till it exits Elevenmile Reservoir; it turns almost ninety degrees to skirt the west side of Pikes Peak and flows roughly east-northeast about 100 miles (160 km) through Denver and on to Greeley, Colorado . From Greeley,

3270-663: The Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition , touted as a celebration of agricultural and industrial growth throughout the Midwest . The Indian Congress , which drew more than 500 American Indians from across the country, was held simultaneously. More than 2 million visitors attended these events at Kountze Park and the Omaha Driving Park in the Kountze Place neighborhood. With dramatically increasing population in

3379-468: The Urban League as a community center, featuring a variety of services, such as medical, a library and others. Calloway's goal over the next 25 years was to teach Nebraskans and other visitors about the contributions of African Americans in the Midwest. In a 1996 interview Calloway explained, "People must see black history in order for the images they have of black people to change. That’s what our museum

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3488-568: The interior least tern are birds using the flyway which have been classified as endangered and are protected under the Platte River Endangered Species Partnership. Common plants in the Platte River area are big and little bluestem, switch grass, and cottonwood trees. White-tail deer, many types of catfish, Canada geese, and bald eagles attract fans. The Platte River area has long supported many animals but recently, due to urbanization and farming causing loss of habitat,

3597-479: The 1540s, dramatically changed life in the Great Plains. Indian tribes could more easily follow the buffalo herds as they migrated from north to south and back. Before 1870, herds of several hundred thousand bison (buffalo) periodically migrated across the Platte in following seasonal grazing. The animals often waded or swam across the Platte. The first-known European to see the Platte was the French explorer Étienne de Veniard, sieur de Bourgmont in 1714, who named it

3706-454: The 1860s and its graves were moved to Prospect Hill, where pioneers were later joined by soldiers from Fort Omaha , African Americans and early European immigrants . There are several other historical cemeteries in Omaha , historical Jewish synagogues and historical Christian churches dating from the pioneer era, as well. Two sculpture parks, Pioneer Courage and Spirit of Nebraska's Wilderness and The Transcontinental Railroad , celebrate

3815-518: The 1950s, development of highways and new housing led to the movement of the middle class to suburbs in West Omaha. Some of the movement was designated as white flight from racial unrest in the 1960s. Newer and poorer migrants lived in older housing close to downtown; those residents who were more established moved west into newer housing. Some suburbs are gated communities or have become edge cities . Recently, Omahans have made strides to revitalize

3924-479: The 1960s, three major race riots along North 24th Street destroyed the Near North Side's economic base, with recovery slow for decades. In 1969, Woodmen Tower was completed and became Omaha's tallest building and first major skyscraper at 478 ft (146 m), a sign of renewal. Since the 1970s, Omaha has continued expanding and growing, mostly to available land to the west. West Omaha has become home to

4033-806: The 19th century, first rampant in the city's Burnt District and later in the Sporting District . Controlled by Omaha's political boss Tom Dennison by 1890, criminal elements enjoyed support from Omaha's "perpetual" mayor, "Cowboy Jim" Dahlman, nicknamed for his eight terms as mayor. Calamities such as the Great Flood of 1881 did not slow down the city's violence. In 1882, the Camp Dump Strike pitted state militia against unionized strikers, drawing national attention to Omaha's labor troubles. The Governor of Nebraska had to call in U.S. Army troops from nearby Fort Omaha to protect strikebreakers for

4142-445: The 20th century, competition and fierce labor struggles led to major civil unrest. In 1900, Omaha was the center of a national uproar over the kidnapping of Edward Cudahy, Jr. , the son of a local meatpacking magnate. The city's labor and management clashed in bitter strikes, racial tension escalated as blacks were hired as strikebreakers, and ethnic strife broke out. A major riot by earlier immigrants in South Omaha destroyed

4251-537: The 20th century, in two waves of the Great Migration . The museum chronicles their transformation into urban workers, the development of churches and other community institutions; and music, literature and other cultures. The museum is one of the largest historical and cultural institutions devoted to African-American life west of the Mississippi River. The museum closed in 2001 after the director Jim Calloway,

4360-633: The 42nd-largest city in the United States, and is the core city of its 60th-largest metropolitan area. There are no consolidated city-counties in the area; the City of Omaha studied the possibility extensively through 2003 and concluded, "The City of Omaha and Douglas County should merge into a municipal county, work to commence immediately, and that functional consolidations begin immediately in as many departments as possible, including but not limited to parks, fleet management, facilities management, local planning , purchasing and personnel." Geographically, Omaha

4469-702: The Midwestern United States on the bank of the Missouri River in eastern Nebraska, much of Omaha is built in the Missouri River Valley . Other significant bodies of water in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area include Lake Manawa, Papillion Creek , Carter Lake , Platte River and the Glenn Cunningham Lake . The city's land has been altered considerably with substantial land grading throughout Downtown Omaha and scattered across

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4578-546: The Mississippi River to the British. The Spanish took over lands west of the Mississippi River. Since there were few fur-bearing animals on the Platte of interest to the fur traders , the French and British explorers and fur trappers ignored the Platte territory for some time. During the course of the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), France briefly reacquired the land west of the Mississippi River from Spain. In 1804, Napoleon sold

4687-471: The Missouri River waterfront near downtown. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge was opened to foot and bicycle traffic on September 28, 2008. Started in 2003, RiverFront Place Condos first phase was completed in 2006 and the second phase was opened in 2011. The development along Omaha's riverfront is attributed with prompting the City of Council Bluffs to move their own riverfront development time line forward. In

4796-477: The Missouri River. Sarpy County is shaped like a crescent, being bounded on the east by the Missouri River, on the south and west by the Platte, and on the north by Douglas County which contains Omaha. The Platte-Missouri River confluence is about 10 miles (16 km) south of Omaha. Including the North Platte River, the Platte River stretches over 850 miles (1,400 km), with a drainage basin of about 90,000 square miles (230,000 km ). The mean annual flow

4905-445: The North Platte turns to the east-southeast and flows about 350 miles (560 km) to the city of North Platte, Nebraska. In Colorado and Wyoming, the North Platte is narrower and much swifter flowing than it is in Nebraska, where it becomes a slow flowing, shallow braided stream . The North Platte River has been dammed about eight times for water storage and irrigation purposes in Wyoming and Nebraska as it flows to its confluence with

5014-837: The Omaha language means "Upstream People" or "Against the Current". In 1804 the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed the riverbanks where the city of Omaha would be built. Between July 30 and August 3, 1804, members of the expedition, including Meriwether Lewis and William Clark , met with Oto and Missouria tribal leaders at the Council Bluff at a point about 20 mi (32 km) north of present-day Omaha. Immediately south of that area, Americans built several fur trading outposts in succeeding years, including Fort Lisa in 1812; Fort Atkinson in 1819; Cabanné's Trading Post , built in 1822, and Fontenelle's Post in 1823, in what became Bellevue . There

5123-544: The Platte is joined from the north by the Elkhorn River . The Elkhorn, a 290-mile-long (470 km) river, originates in the eastern Sandhills of Nebraska and is one of the largest tributaries of the Platte River. The Elkhorn joins the Platte on its south-bound path just southwest of Omaha, approximately 1 mile (2 km) south and 3 miles (5 km) west of Gretna . The pioneers leaving from near Omaha (established 1854) or Council Bluffs, Iowa (established 1846) used

5232-404: The Platte turns sharply and flows south-southeast about 10 miles (16 km) to about Waterloo, Nebraska —located about 20 miles (32 km) west of Omaha. Near Waterloo the Platte turns even more and heads almost due south for about 10 miles (16 km). About 30 miles (48 km) east-southeast of Waterloo and about 30 miles (48 km) from the Platte's confluence with the Missouri River ,

5341-570: The Platte, North Platte River and Sweetwater River was first written about after its discovery in 1811 by Wilson Price Hunt of the Astor Expedition . He was returning to the Missouri River posts from the newly established Fort Astoria on the Columbia River near the Pacific Ocean. Because few American trappers and settlers were then in the contested Oregon Territory , his trail discovery

5450-583: The South Platte River trail into Colorado. After the North Platte and the South Platte rivers join to form the Platte River, over most of its length it is a sandy, broad, shallow, braided river. Its many shallow channels and islands and ever-changing sandbars made navigation difficult; it was never used as a major water transportation route. The Platte flows in a large arc, east-southeast to near Fort Kearny and then east-northeast, across Nebraska south of Grand Island and on to Columbus . The Platte River

5559-475: The South Platte River. The upper reaches of the river in the Rockies in Colorado and Wyoming are popular for recreation rafting and lure and fly fishing for rainbow , brown , cutthroat trout and other sport fish. In western Nebraska, the banks and riverbed of the North Platte provide a green oasis amid an otherwise semi-arid region of North America. Today, by the time the North Platte reaches Paxton, Nebraska it

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5668-503: The South Platte turns east and flows about 200 miles (320 km) to its confluence with the North Platte River near the city of North Platte, Nebraska. The South Platte River has been dammed about 20 times for water storage, drinking water and irrigation purposes in Colorado as it flows to its confluence with the North Platte River. The total number of dams in the South Platte drainage may exceed 1,000 as nearly all major streams have at least one dam on them. The South Platte River serves as

5777-446: The US initially had little interest in settling the land on the plains. The next "good" land was believed to be in Oregon or California , especially the coastal areas, and those were the destinations of most emigrant traffic. The Mormons settled Utah , largely due to religious persecution in eastern areas. Various gold and silver strikes attracted further emigration to nearly all western states. The Native American trail west along

5886-406: The United States, a record that still stands as of 2013. The Jobbers Canyon Historic District , along the Missouri River, was felled for a new headquarters campus for ConAgra Foods, a company which threatened to relocate if Omaha did not allow them to raze the city's historic district. The Jobber's Canyon warehouses had before then been allowed to deteriorate and were the scene of several fires set by

5995-450: The ability of its groundwater to sustain them. Varying cultures of indigenous peoples lived intermittently along the Platte for thousands of years before European exploration. Historical tribes claimed various territories in the region. The Indian tribes typically visited different areas in different seasons, as they followed the bison herds for hunting periods. The introduction of horses, which had escaped from early Spanish explorers in

6104-486: The area that became Omaha. Brown is generally credited as having the first vision for a city where Omaha now sits. The passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act in 1854 was presaged by the staking out of claims around the area to become Omaha by residents from neighboring Council Bluffs. On July 4, 1854, the city was informally established at a picnic on Capital Hill, current site of Omaha Central High School . Soon after,

6213-481: The area west of the Mississippi River to the US in the Louisiana Purchase ; the US roughly doubled its area at a cost of about $ 15,000,000. In 1820 the U.S. Army ordered Major Stephen H. Long to explore and map the area around the Platte. Long reported the area as a great American desert, despite its native inhabitants and wildlife, due to a lack of easily-cultivated land. As a result of his and other reports,

6322-593: The city its nickname, the "Gateway to the West". Omaha introduced this new West to the world in 1898, when it played host to the World's Fair, dubbed the Trans-Mississippi Exposition . During the 19th century, Omaha's central location in the United States spurred the city to become an important national transportation hub . Throughout the rest of the 19th century, the transportation and jobbing sectors were important in

6431-568: The city of Cheyenne and a small part of the southwest corner of Nebraska. The South Platte drains a large part of the Front Range mountains east of the continental divide. The part of the river labeled the South Platte is formed in Park County, Colorado , located southwest of Denver , in the South Park grassland basin and mountains east of the continental divide. It is formed by the confluence of

6540-449: The city's Greek Town in 1909, completely driving out the Greek population. The civil rights movement in Omaha has roots that extend back to 1912, when the first chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People west of the Mississippi River was founded in the city. The Omaha Easter Sunday Tornado of 1913 destroyed much of the city's African-American community, in addition to much of Midtown Omaha. It

6649-460: The city's development, were founded in South Omaha in 1883. Within 20 years, Omaha had four of the five major meatpacking companies in the United States. By the 1950s, half the city's workforce was employed in meatpacking and processing. Meatpacking, jobbing and railroads were responsible for most of the growth in the city from the late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century. Immigrants soon created ethnic enclaves throughout

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6758-473: The city's pioneering history. The economy of Omaha boomed and busted through its early years. In 1858, the Omaha Daily Republican was founded by the Omaha Printing Company (rebranded Aradius Group, 2016) , it was Nebraska's first regional newspaper–founded before Nebraska claimed statehood. Omaha was a stopping point for settlers and prospectors heading west, either overland or by the Missouri River. The steamboat Bertrand sank north of Omaha on its way to

6867-496: The city's sprawling park system on boulevards designed by renowned landscape architect Horace Cleveland . The Omaha Horse Railway first carried passengers throughout the city, as did the later Omaha Cable Tramway Company and several similar companies. In 1888, the Omaha and Council Bluffs Railway and Bridge Company built the Douglas Street Bridge , the first pedestrian and wagon bridge between Omaha and Council Bluffs. Gambling, drinking and prostitution were widespread in

6976-540: The city, along with its railroads and breweries . In the 20th century, the Omaha Stockyards , once the world's largest, and its meatpacking plants gained international prominence. Omaha is the home to the headquarters of four Fortune 500 companies: Berkshire Hathaway , Kiewit Corporation , Mutual of Omaha , and Union Pacific Corporation . Other companies headquartered in the city include First National Bank of Omaha , Gallup, Inc. , Green Plains , Intrado , Valmont Industries , Werner Enterprises , and three of

7085-461: The city, including Irish in Sheelytown in South Omaha; Germans in the Near North Side , joined by the European Jews and black migrants from the South ; and Little Italy and Little Bohemia in South Omaha. Beginning in the late 19th century, Omaha's upper class lived in posh enclaves throughout the city, including the south and north Gold Coast neighborhoods, Bemis Park , Kountze Place , Field Club and throughout Midtown Omaha . They traveled

7194-523: The city. East Omaha sits on a flood plain west of the Missouri River. The area is the location of Carter Lake, an oxbow lake . The lake was once the site of East Omaha Island and Florence Lake, which dried up in the 1920s. The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area consists of eight counties; five in Nebraska and three in Iowa. The metropolitan area now includes Harrison , Pottawattamie , and Mills Counties in Iowa and Washington , Douglas, Sarpy , Cass , and Saunders Counties in Nebraska. This area

7303-612: The county courthouse. Omaha is generally divided into six geographic areas: Downtown, Midtown, North Omaha, South Omaha, West Omaha, and East Omaha. West Omaha includes the Miracle Hills, Boys Town , Regency, and Gateway areas. The city has a wide range of historical and new neighborhoods and suburbs that reflect its socioeconomic diversity. Early neighborhood development happened in ethnic enclaves, including Little Italy , Little Bohemia , Little Mexico and Greek Town . According to U.S. Census data, five European ethnic enclaves existed in Omaha in 1880, expanding to nine in 1900. Around

7412-624: The downtown and Midtown areas with the redevelopment of the Old Market, Turner Park, Gifford Park, and the designation of the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District . Omaha, due to its latitude of 41.26˚ N and location far from moderating bodies of water or mountain ranges, displays a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfa ). July averages 76.7 °F (24.8 °C), with average relative humidity around 70% which then leads to relatively frequent thunderstorms. Temperatures reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 29 days and 100 °F (38 °C) on 1.7 days annually. The January daily average

7521-413: The eastern Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming . The river valley played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States, providing the route for several major emigrant trails, including the Oregon , California , Mormon and Bozeman trails. The first Europeans to see the Platte were French explorers and fur trappers about 1714; they first called it the Nebraskier (Nebraska),

7630-413: The eastern Rockies east of the Continental Divide . In central north Colorado is the North Park valley, ringed by mountains of 12,000 feet (3,700 m) height; this is where the North Platte River originates. The head of the North Platte River is essentially all of Jackson County ; its boundaries are the continental divide on the west and south and the mountain drainage peaks on the east—the north boundary

7739-410: The first irrigation ditch to divert water from the Platte for farming. In March 1924, the U.S. Army Air Corps conducted a three-day bombing campaign on an ice gorge that threatened bridges near the town of North Bend. The Platte is in the middle of the Central Flyway, a primary north–south corridor for migratory birds from their summer nesting grounds in the north ( Alaska and Canada ), south for

7848-631: The first ski lift in the U.S.; the Top 40 radio format as first used in the U.S. at Omaha's KOWH Radio ; and the TV dinner . Various Native American tribes had lived in the land that became Omaha since the 17th century, including the Omaha and Ponca , Dhegihan-Siouan language people who had originated in the lower Ohio River valley and migrated west by the early 17th century; Pawnee , Otoe , Missouri , and Ioway . The word Omaha (actually Umoⁿhoⁿ or Umaⁿhaⁿ ) in

7957-725: The goldfields in 1865. Its massive collection of artifacts is on display at the nearby Desoto National Wildlife Refuge . The jobbing and wholesaling district brought new jobs, followed by the railroads and the stockyards. Groundbreaking for the First transcontinental railroad in 1863, provided an essential developmental boom for the city. In 1862, the U.S. Congress allowed the Union Pacific Railroad to begin building westward railways; in January 1866 it commenced construction out of Omaha. The Union Stockyards , another important part of

8066-408: The homeless population that had come to live in the abandoned buildings. At the time, there were no plans in place for revitalizing the buildings. In the 1980s and 1990s, Omaha also saw major company headquarters leave the city, including Enron , founded in the city in 1930 and taken to Houston in 1987 by the now-notorious Kenneth Lay . First Data Corporation, a large credit-card processor, also

8175-617: The lands that now make up the state. The treaty and cession involving the Omaha area occurred in 1854 when the Omaha Tribe ceded most of east-central Nebraska. Logan Fontenelle , an interpreter for the Omaha and signatory to the 1854 treaty, played an essential role in those proceedings. Before it was legal to claim land in Indian Country , William D. Brown operated the Lone Tree Ferry that brought settlers from Council Bluffs, Iowa to

8284-411: The largest Internet backbones in the world, for $ 2 billion in 1996. The now-infamous Bernie Ebbers purchased the much larger MFS for $ 14.3 billion in 1997 under his World Com . He moved headquarters of the merged company from Omaha to Mississippi. Around the start of the 21st century, several downtown skyscrapers and cultural institutions were built. The First National Bank Tower on Dodge Street

8393-468: The late 1960s, the city rivaled, but never surpassed, the United States insurance centers of Hartford, Connecticut , New York City and Boston . After surpassing Chicago in meat processing by the late 1950s, Omaha suffered the loss of 10,000 jobs as both the railroad and meatpacking industries restructured. The city struggled for decades to shift its economy as workers suffered. Poverty became more entrenched among families who remained in North Omaha. In

8502-638: The late 1970s. In the 1980s, Omaha's fruit warehouses were converted into a shopping area called the Old Market . The demolition of Jobber's Canyon in 1989 led to the creation of the ConAgra Foods campus. Several nearby buildings, including the Nash Block , have been converted into condominiums. The stockyards were taken down; the only surviving building is the Livestock Exchange Building , which

8611-417: The majority of the city's population. North and South Omaha's populations continue to be centers of new immigrants, with economic and racial diversity. In 1975 a major tornado , along with a major blizzard , caused more than $ 100 million in damages in 1975 dollars. Downtown Omaha has since been rejuvenated in numerous ways, starting with the development of Gene Leahy Mall and W. Dale Clark Library in

8720-497: The materials. Their staff has been cataloging documents and photographs housed at the NSHS in Lincoln. As of 2010, the museum reorganized with a new board of directors, and in the spring of 2011 started a series of community meetings to discuss its future, including the possibility of exhibiting materials before a museum building is available. As the new president James Beatty says, "The building

8829-489: The months of December, January and February, Weather Channel ranked Omaha the 5th coldest major U.S. city as of 2014. Platte River The Platte River ( / p l æ t / ) is a major American river, in the state of Nebraska . It is about 310 mi (500 km) long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary, the North Platte River , it flows for over 1,050 miles (1,690 km). The Platte River

8938-625: The most northern of Spanish exploration trips into the central plains. A Pawnee and Otoe Indian attack defeated the Spanish forces; the survivors returned to Santa Fe, New Mexico , and the Spanish left the Great Plains to the American Indians. As a result of the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) (called the French and Indian War in America), the French ceded all of their lands in North America east of

9047-559: The nation's ten largest architecture and engineering firms ( DLR Group , HDR, Inc. , and Leo A Daly ). Notable cultural institutions include the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium , Old Market , Durham Museum , Lauritzen Gardens , and annual College World Series . Modern Omaha inventions include the Reuben sandwich ; cake mix, developed by Duncan Hines ; center-pivot irrigation ; Raisin Bran ;

9156-645: The national movement. Following the development of the Glenn L. Martin Company bomber manufacturing plant in Bellevue at the beginning of World War II, the relocation of the Strategic Air Command to the Omaha suburb in 1948 provided a major economic boost to the area. From the 1950s through the 1960s, more than 40 insurance companies were headquartered in Omaha, including Woodmen of the World and Mutual of Omaha . By

9265-707: The north and south banks of the Platte and North Platte River were the Oregon (1843–1869), California (1843–1869), Mormon (1847–1869) and the Bozeman (1863–68) trails. This network of trails, sometimes called the Emigrant Trails or the Great Platte River Road , all went west along both sides of the Platte River. The route along the Platte River included all these emigration trails and was developed as an important trail route used by migrant wagon trains for westward United States expansion after 1841. The settlement of

9374-419: The numbers have declined. Canada geese have adapted to the farm fields and scavenge a large part of their fare from unharvested grain. Many have taken up residence at suburban office parks and stopped seasonal migrations. The Platte River flowing through an arid part of the mid-west has been widely overused. The claims on the Platte River water have exceeded the supply of water in drier years. Under Nebraska law,

9483-519: The principal source of water for arid eastern Colorado. The South Platte River valley provided a major emigration path to Denver. The wagon trails followed the south side of the Platte/North Platte River. Wagon trains were ferried or waded in low water years across the swampy-bottomed South Platte River in several places to stay on the south side of the North Platte River where the trails were located. Miners who later went on to Denver followed

9592-584: The redevelopment of the Gene Leahy Mall , a large park near Omaha's Riverfront, and the Omaha Streetcar , a nearly $ 500 million system of public transit. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 130.58 sq mi (338.20 km ), of which 127.09 sq mi (329.16 km ) is land and 3.49 sq mi (9.04 km ) is water. Situated in

9701-516: The son of founder Bertha Calloway, failed to get what he thought was the needed level of funding from the City of Omaha and Douglas County after relying on that funding since the beginning of the museum. The building needs renovation and the museum may consider moving to another facility, or running exhibits for some time in other venues. It has arranged to have the Nebraska State Historical Society take temporary custodial care of

9810-467: The start of the 20th 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 the Dahlman and Burlington Road neighborhoods . From its first annexation in 1857 (of East Omaha) to its controversial annexation of Elkhorn in 2007, Omaha has continually had an eye towards growth. Starting in

9919-548: The summers of 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021 the United States Olympic Team swimming trials were held in Omaha, at the Qwest/Century Link Center. These events were highlights in the city's sports community , as well as a showcase for redevelopment in the downtown area. In the 2020s, a number of large projects have been either completed or planned in an attempt to revitalize downtown Omaha. These include

10028-590: The trail. On their return trip, the fur traders carried out furs destined for eastern markets. The fur trade route was used to about 1840. By about 1832, the fur traders had improved the trail along the Platte, North Platte, and Sweetwater rivers to a rough wagon trail from the Missouri River to the Green River in Wyoming, where most of the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous were held. In 1834 Benjamin Bonneville ,

10137-530: The trails along the Platte. The Pony Express , operational from 1860–61, and the First Transcontinental Telegraph , completed in 1861, both followed the earlier emigrant trails along the Platte. The completion of the telegraph put the Pony Express out of business as it could provide much faster east–west communication. In 1866 the Union Pacific portion of the first Transcontinental Railroad

10246-422: The vibrant Near North Side. Musicians created their own world in Omaha, and also joined national bands and groups that toured and appeared in the city. After the tumultuous Great Depression of the 1930s, Omaha rebounded with the development of Offutt Air Force Base just south of the city. The Glenn L. Martin Company operated a factory there in the 1940s that produced 521 B-29 Superfortresses , including

10355-413: The winter, and the return in the spring. The Central Flyway bird species include trumpeter swans , tundra swans , over one million Canada geese , greater white-fronted geese , sandhill cranes, canvasback ducks and others. Other species such as bald eagles , herons and several species of ducks migrate through the Platte River area but over shorter distances. The whooping crane, piping plover , and

10464-663: Was completed in 2002 and is the tallest building in Omaha and the state , surpassing the Woodmen Tower as the tallest in both at 634 ft (193 m). The creation of the city's new North Downtown included the construction of the CenturyLink Center and the Slowdown / Film Streams development at North 14th and Webster Streets. Construction of the new TD Ameritrade Park , also in the North Downtown area, began in 2009 and

10573-605: Was completed in 2011. TD Ameritrade Park is now the home of the College World Series , an event tourists flock to each year. The Union Pacific Center and the Holland Performing Arts Center opened in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Important retail and office developments occurred in West Omaha, such as the Village Pointe shopping center and several business parks. The site of the former Ak-Sar-Ben arena

10682-574: Was constructed along the Platte River as it started west from Omaha. In the 20th century, the Lincoln Highway and later Interstate 80 were constructed through the Platte valley. The highways parallel the Platte and the North Platte through much of Nebraska. Many of Nebraska’s larger cities originated on or near the Platte River, as it was the first path of transportation. These include Omaha (est. 1854), Fort Kearny (est. 1848), Grand Island (est. 1857) and North Platte (est. 1869). In 1859 settlers built

10791-573: Was converted to multi-use and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A historic preservation movement in Omaha has led to a number of historic structures and districts being designated Omaha Landmarks or listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Much of the push toward preservation came after Omaha gained the notorious designation of having, in 1989, demolished the largest-ever National Register historic district in

10900-454: Was during that same year that future United States President Gerald R. Ford was born in Omaha. Today, there is a museum dedicated to his birthplace. Six years later, in 1919, the city was caught up in the Red Summer riots when thousands of whites marched from South Omaha to the courthouse to lynch a black worker, Willy Brown, a suspect in an alleged rape of a white woman. The mob burned

11009-462: Was fierce competition among fur traders until John Jacob Astor created the monopoly of the American Fur Company . The Mormons built a town called Cutler's Park in the area in 1846. While it was temporary, the settlement provided the basis for further development. Through 26 separate treaties with the United States federal government, Native American tribes in Nebraska gradually ceded

11118-673: Was formerly referred to only as the Omaha Metropolitan Statistical Area and consisted of only five counties: Pottawattamie in Iowa, and Washington, Douglas, Cass, and Sarpy in Nebraska. The Omaha-Council Bluffs combined statistical area comprises 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

11227-632: Was founded in Omaha in 1969; as of 2009, its headquarters are in Atlanta. Inacom , founded in Omaha in 1991, was a technology company that customized computer systems for large businesses, and was on the Fortune 500 list from 1997 until 2000, when it filed for bankruptcy. Northwestern Bell , the Bell System affiliate for Northwestern states, had its headquarters in Omaha from its founding in 1896 until it moved to Denver in 1991 as US West . Level 3 Communications ,

11336-479: Was little used and nearly forgotten. In 1823 Jedediah Smith and several trappers "rediscovered" the route. The trail along the Platte, North Platte and Sweetwater rivers became a major route of fur traders to their summer Rocky Mountain Rendezvous . In 1824 fur trappers and traders directing mule trains carrying trade goods and supplies for the mountain men were some of the first European-American parties to use

11445-635: Was redeveloped into a mixed-use development Aksarben Village . In January 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska announced plans to build a 10 story, $ 98 million headquarters in the Aksarben Village which it completed in Spring 2011. Another major mixed-use development to come to Omaha was Midtown Crossing at Turner Park . Developed by Mutual of Omaha , the development includes several condominium towers and retail businesses built around Omaha's Turner Park. There have also been several developments along

11554-794: Was relocated to Lincoln , 53 mi (85 km) southwest of Omaha. The U.S. Supreme Court later ruled against numerous landowners whose violent actions were condemned in Baker v. Morton . Many of Omaha's founding figures stayed at the Douglas House or the Cozzens House Hotel . Dodge Street was important early in the city's early commercial history; North 24th Street and South 24th Street also developed independently as business districts. Early pioneers were buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery and Cedar Hill Cemetery. Cedar Hill closed in

11663-524: Was silty and bad tasting, but it was usable if no other water was available. Emigrants learned to let it sit in a bucket for an hour or so to settle most of the silt. The trail(s) through the Platte River Valley extended about 450 miles (720 km) in the present state of Nebraska. Nearly all the trails from the Missouri converged on the Platte River at or before Fort Kearny in mid-state Nebraska. Historians have estimated about 400,000 emigrants followed

11772-434: Was that the Platte was "a mile wide at the mouth, but only six inches deep." 49ers said it was "too thick to drink, too thin to plow". In western Nebraska, the banks and riverbed of the Platte provide a green oasis amid an otherwise semi-arid region of North America. The central Platte River valley is an important stopover for migratory water birds, such as the whooping crane and sandhill crane , in their yearly traversal of

11881-665: Was there until 2017 when the museum moved to a bigger space on the first floor of North Omaha's historic Jewell Building, 2221 N. 24th St. It hosts multiple exhibitions each year as well as public programs. [1] In 2022,the museum donated the Webster Telephone Exchange Building to the Bertha Calloway Foundation. 41°16′53″N 95°56′44″W  /  41.28139°N 95.94556°W  / 41.28139; -95.94556 Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( / ˈ oʊ m ə h ɑː / OH -mə-hah )

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