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124-617: Located just north of Downtown Omaha , the community includes some of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, including the Near North Side , Bemis Park , Saratoga and Florence . It is the site of the Mormon Pioneers' Winter Quarters and the Mormon Temple, a center of European immigration as well as the historically significant African-American community , and the birthplace of Malcolm X . Important landmarks in

248-499: A Bowie knife . Rively, the store's owner, rushed Cody to get treatment, but he never fully recovered from his injuries. In Kansas, the family was frequently persecuted by pro-slavery supporters. Cody's father spent time away from home for his safety. His enemies learned of a planned visit to his family and plotted to kill him on the way. Bill, despite his youth and being ill at the time, rode thirty miles (48   km) to warn his father. Isaac Cody went to Cleveland , Ohio , to organize

372-399: A Cheyenne warrior. In 1883, in the area of North Platte, Nebraska , Cody founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West , a circus-like attraction that toured annually. (Contrary to the popular misconception, the word Show was not a part of the title.) In 1886, Cody and Nate Salsbury, his theatrical manager, entered into partnership with Evelyn Booth (1860–1901), a big-game hunter and scion of

496-477: A hotel manager , but historians have had difficulty documenting them. He may have fabricated some for publicity. Namely, it is argued that in contrast to Cody's claims, he never rode for the Pony Express, but as a boy, he did work for its parent company, the transport firm of Russell, Majors, and Waddell. In contrast to the adventurous rides, hundreds of miles long, that he recounted in the press, his real job

620-644: A teamster with the rank of private in Company H, 7th Kansas Cavalry , and served until discharged in 1865. In 1866, he reunited with his old friend Wild Bill Hickok in Junction City, Kansas , then serving as a scout. Cody enlisted as a scout himself at Fort Ellsworth and scouted between there and Fort Fletcher (later renamed and moved to Fort Hays ). He was attached as a scout, variously, to Captain George Augustus Armes ( Battle of

744-660: A touring show which traveled around the United States, Great Britain, and Continental Europe. Audiences were enthusiastic about seeing a piece of the American West . Emilio Salgari , a noted Italian writer of adventure stories, met Buffalo Bill when he came to Italy and saw his show; Salgari later featured Cody as a hero in some of his novels. In December 1872, Cody traveled to Chicago to make his stage debut with his friend Texas Jack Omohundro in The Scouts of

868-586: A "boy extra". On horseback, he would ride up and down the length of a wagon train and deliver messages between the drivers and workmen. Next, he joined Johnston's Army as an unofficial member of the scouts assigned to guide the United States Army to Utah , to put down a rumored rebellion by the Mormon population of Salt Lake City . According to Cody's account in Buffalo Bill's Own Story ,

992-459: A group of thirty families to bring back to Kansas, to add to the antislavery population. During his return trip, he caught a respiratory infection which, compounded by the lingering effects of his stabbing and complications from kidney disease, led to his death in April 1857. After his death, the family suffered financially. At age 11, Bill worked for the freight carrier Russel, Major, and Waddel as

1116-533: A highly qualified status that treated them as valuable military assets without the designation or retirement benefits of officers. Nevertheless, they were treated as high-ranking military officials and had status of officers alongside their native American brethren. The brief argued for retroactive restoration of the Medal of Honor to Buffalo Bill, and the Department of Defense required the appeal to be adjudicated by

1240-535: A house in which a policeman was killed. Contention spread throughout the 1970s, when, according to one government agency, "Construction of the North Omaha Freeway , coupled with social unrest in the 1970s, greatly impacted the North Omaha area. One neighborhood experienced a 30 percent housing loss and major increase in crime." However, North Omaha has not seen another riot since 1970. In the 1990s

1364-403: A lone dispatch courier from Fort Larned to Fort Zarah (escaping brief capture), Fort Zarah to Fort Hays, Fort Hays to Fort Dodge , Fort Dodge to Fort Larned, and, finally, Fort Larned to Fort Hays, a total of 350 miles in 58 hours through hostile territory, covering the last 35 miles on foot. In response, General Philip Sheridan assigned him Chief of Scouts for the 5th Cavalry Regiment . He

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1488-462: A noted hunter, scout, and interpreter, used a fast-shooting Henry repeating rifle , while Cody competed with a larger-caliber Springfield Model 1866 , which he called Lucretia Borgia , after the notorious Italian noblewoman, the subject of a popular contemporary Gaetano Donizetti opera Lucrezia Borgia , based on Victor Hugo 's play of the same name. Cody explained that while his formidable opponent, Comstock, chased after his buffalo, engaging from

1612-434: A number of distinct events throughout the history of North Omaha that were caused by racial tension between African Americans and Caucasians throughout the city. Omaha had events in common with other high-growth, major industrial cities that attracted many new immigrants and migrants, including lynchings and a race riot in 1919, a period known as Red Summer because of riots of whites against blacks in numerous cities across

1736-430: A popular area radio DJ parodied a recent North Omaha tourism promotion campaign, reportedly saying on air, "Discover miles of mayhem, discover drive-bys , discover gang violence, discover North Omaha." The City Council fought against this portrayal, with North Omaha city councilman Frank Brown demanding an apology from the radio station because "the spoof paints all residents of north Omaha as criminals." There have been

1860-407: A range of important community-based organizations and government programs conducting community development , educational assistance and low-income housing . Additionally, a series of private and public ventures are developing local businesses in the community. Path Concept Homes is a project that concentrates on urban development in the residential area between 25th and Parker; it is funded by

1984-597: A school year in 1947-48. From 1908 to 1968, Duchesne College was located there. Several nursing schools were located in North Omaha as well, including the Immanuel Deaconess Institute School of Nursing that operated from 1891 to 1974, and the Evangelical Covenant Hospital nursing school graduated nurses from 1906 to 1937. Today, education institutions remaining in North Omaha include Creighton University and

2108-796: A visit from King Edward VII and the future King George V. The Wild West traveled throughout Great Britain in a tour in 1902 and 1903 and a tour in 1904, performing in nearly every city large enough to support it. The 1905 tour began in April with a two-month run in Paris, after which the show traveled around France, performing mostly one-night stands, concluding in December. The final tour, in 1906, began in France on March 4 and quickly moved to Italy for two months. The show then traveled east, performing in Austro-Hungarian territories of Bohemia (now

2232-544: Is "a joint effort of the Omaha Chamber and the City of Omaha ... [It is] a 15 acre development on the former Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects site." It is home to several businesses, including Wes & Willy's, Cintas Corporation , Jobosh, Inc., and Armored Knights Company. Longtime employers in the community include Lozier Corporation , a manufacturer of store fixtures with a large factory on Pershing Drive, and

2356-668: Is Nebraska's only African American Lutheran congregation. The Holy Family Catholic Church is the oldest surviving Catholic church in Omaha. St. Cecilia Cathedral , designed by Thomas Rogers Kimball , took more than fifty years to build. Evidence of the community's Jewish history can also been seen at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery or the Golden Hill Cemetery , while Christian burials have long been held at Prospect Hill Cemetery , Forest Lawn Memorial Park and

2480-781: Is a biennial North Omaha cultural tradition, reuniting members of the city's African-American community. The Days are commemorated with a variety of events, including the Evergreen Reunion, named after a town in Alabama from where many families' ancestors migrated. Other annual activities include the Juneteenth Parade, to mark Emancipation; the Fort Omaha Intertribal Powwow; the Omaha Blues, Jazz & Gospel Festival , Florence Days, and

2604-481: Is a project of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce designed to "bring... business and community leaders together to find ways to positively impact the economic growth of the North Omaha community." It seeks to leverage city, federal and private sector funding to support public infrastructure and economic development. The North Omaha Business Park is located at 24th and Clark Streets the business park

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2728-671: Is also an Anglican church in North Omaha, as well as Mennonite, Church of Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventists, and others. Historic former religious institutions located in North Omaha include a Catholic St. Clare’s Monastery, the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary , schools, hospitals and others. Today, the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection on 30th Street by Miller Park is an integrated Episcopal parish. Hope Lutheran Church

2852-657: Is at at 2920 Bondesson Street. There are also libraries at Creighton University and Metro Community College at Fort Omaha. North Omaha has several main arterials. The major routes running north and south are Abbott Drive, North 16th Street (also called Sherman Avenue), North 24th Street (locally called "The Deuce"), North 30th Street, North 42nd Street, North 52nd Street, North 60th Street and North 72nd Street. Fontenelle Boulevard, Northwest Radial Highway , Military Road , Happy Hollow Boulevard , Country Club Avenue, John A. Creighton Boulevard and Saddle Creek Road each run north, south, east and west. Other important streets in

2976-463: Is from North Omaha. The community was also the native home of several sports stars, including Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson , football player Johnny Rodgers , Pro Football Hall of Famer, Chicago Bears Gale Sayers , Houston Texans starting running back Ahman Green , Former lightweight, Former unified Super lightweight and current WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford and basketball player Bob Boozer . Due to its diverse history, North Omaha

3100-713: Is home to numerous historical and modern landmarks. There are many buildings listed on the Registered Historic Places and designated Omaha Landmarks within its boundaries. These include the 1856 Bank of Florence , which is the oldest standing building in Omaha; the 1892 Florence Boulevard , part of H.W.W. Cleveland 's grand boulevard scheme for Omaha , and; the 1897 the Sherman , the oldest standing apartment building in Omaha. African-American community leader Jack Broomfield commissioned noted African-American architect Clarence W. Wigington to design

3224-514: The Omaha Star , which has long been a source of employment and positive news for citizens in North Omaha. North Omaha is home to a wide variety of cultural institutions, events and activities that anchor the community. In the 20th century, North Omaha was home to several important cultural venues. They included the Druid Hall on Ames Avenue, where Maceo Pinkard performed frequently, and

3348-675: The Broomfield Rowhouse in 1913 after the Easter Sunday Tornado ravaged much of North Omaha. This building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. There are more than 50 defined historic neighborhoods in North Omaha today. The oldest neighborhoods in North Omaha were established between 1856 and 1900. They include Bemis Park , Gifford Park , Gold Coast , Kountze Place , Miller Park , Walnut Hill and Orchard Hill . Some of

3472-602: The Czech Republic ) and Croatia-Slavonia , before returning west to tour in Galicia (now part of Poland ), then Germany, and Belgium. The show was enormously successful in Europe, making Cody an international celebrity and an American icon. Mark Twain commented, "It is often said on the other side of the water that none of the exhibitions which we send to England are purely and distinctly American. If you will take

3596-483: The Dreamland Ballroom was a historic venue that featured a wide range of national jazz talent, as well as local legends including saxophonist Preston Love . He said, "North Omaha used to be a hub for black jazz musicians, 'the triple-A league' where national bands would go to find a player to fill out their ensemble." Early North Omaha jazz bands included Dan Desdunes Band, Simon Harrold's Melody Boys,

3720-523: The Metropolitan Community College (Omaha) located at Fort Omaha . The community continues to be served by Omaha Public Schools , including the local feeder high school, Omaha North High School as well as Benson High . The Omaha Public Library has several branches located in North Omaha. The Charles B. Washington Branch is located at 2868 Ames Avenue. The Benson Branch is located at 6015 Binney Street, and Florence Branch

3844-731: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Urban League . The early years of noted Harlem Renaissance writer Wallace Thurman were spent in the Near North Side, and Jewish feminist author Tillie Olsen grew up in the neighborhood. During this period Malcolm X was born in the neighborhood. After restructuring of railroads and the meatpacking industries, massive job loss resulted in poverty and social unrest. In

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3968-815: The National Register of Historic Places as historic districts including the 24th and Lake Historic District, Benson Downtown Historic District , Country Club Historic District , Dundee–Happy Hollow Historic District , Florence Main Street Historic District , Fairacres Historic District , Fort Omaha Historic District , Minne Lusa Residential Historic District , and the Nicholas Street Historic District . Houses built in Queen Anne , Arts and Crafts , Romanesque Revival and Classical Revival styles in

4092-722: The Omaha Housing Authority demolished the Logan Fontenelle Housing Project in North Omaha. Built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration as improved housing for working families, by the late 20th century, the project was called "Little Vietnam" because of its association with gangs, violence and drug dealing. North Omaha has been the birthplace and home of many figures of national and local import. They include Jewish-American author Tillie Olsen , who

4216-621: The Omaha North High School Homecoming, which includes a parade for the community. The Stone Soul Picnic is also an important annual event in the community. With its long history of migration from other regions and immigration from other countries, North Omaha has developed a rich religious tapestry representing the range of faith in Nebraska today. The diversity includes its Mormon roots in Florence, as well as

4340-485: The Omaha Police Department . Since the late 1980s, there have been a number of gang -related clashes, as well. The early phase of the civil rights movement in North Omaha goes back to at least 1912, when residents founded a local chapter of the newly established National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1928 the first Urban League chapter in the western United States

4464-788: The Superfund National Priorities List by the Environmental Protection Agency . As of 2003, 290 acres (117 ha) were cleaned. Today North Omaha is the focus of the Lead-Safe Omaha Coalition. As is usual in older homes, there are sources of lead in older paints and other products which have been found to be harmful. The Coalition offers lead screenings and workshops on hazards of lead poisoning , safe home evaluations, lead-safe practices workshops, environmental certification training, HEPA vacuum rental, and

4588-568: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development . The PCH plan will serve as a template for other development projects to follow, providing homes which are good for the consumer-friendly and the environmentally conscious. These homes are required to be sold to low-income and minority families. Other organizations providing housing in North Omaha include Holy Name Housing Corporation, Family Housing Advisory Services, Inc. and Rebuilding Together Omaha. A number of youth organizations and programs serve North Omaha children and youth . They include

4712-699: The U.S. state of Iowa ), but he lived for several years in his father's hometown in modern-day Mississauga , Ontario , before the family returned to the Midwest and settled in the Kansas Territory . Buffalo Bill started working at the age of 11, after his father's death, and became a rider for the Pony Express at age 15. During the American Civil War , he served the Union from 1863 to

4836-550: The Utah War was where he began his career as an "Indian fighter": Presently the moon rose, dead ahead of me; and painted boldly across its face was the figure of an Indian. He wore this war-bonnet of the Sioux , at his shoulder was a rifle pointed at someone in the river-bottom 30 feet [9   meters] below; in another second he would drop one of my friends. I raised my old muzzle-loader and fired. The figure collapsed, tumbled down

4960-553: The Wild West show over there you can remove that reproach." The Wild West brought an exotic foreign world to life for its European audiences, allowing a last glimpse at the fading American frontier. Several members of the Wild West show died of accidents or disease during these tours in Europe: In 1895, Cody was instrumental in the founding of the town of Cody , the seat of Park County , in northwestern Wyoming . Today

5084-485: The aristocratic Booth family . It was at this time Buffalo Bill's Cowboy Band was organized. The band was directed by William Sweeney, a cornet player who served as leader of the Cowboy Band from 1883 until 1913. Sweeney handled all of the musical arrangements and wrote a majority of the music performed by the Cowboy Band. In 1893, Cody changed the title to Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of

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5208-452: The racial tension which had been driving white flight from the community for the two previous decades. That film portrayed a young Ernie Chambers . A barber who later earned a law degree, in 1970 Chambers started his service as the longest serving State Senator in the history of Nebraska . That year's Rice/Poindexter Case proved controversial as two leaders of Omaha's Black Panther Party were sentenced to life in prison for bombing

5332-407: The 1870s through the early part of the twenty first century. Playwright Frederick G. Maeder adapted Buntline's novel into the hit play Buffalo Bill which premiered at Niblo's Garden in 1872 with J. B. Studley in the title role. Cody attended this play while visiting New York which gave him the idea to portray himself on the stage. He later became world-famous for Buffalo Bill's Wild West ,

5456-609: The 1880s. Fort Omaha was a U.S. Army installation that was built starting in 1878, and was home to the Department of the Platte . Growth in North Omaha was spurred by the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad and railyards to the east. The grand Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition was a world's fair held in North Omaha from June through November 1898. It attracted more than 1,000,000 visitors to

5580-652: The 1940s was Anna Mae Winburn . As the leader of North Omaha's Cotton Club Boys , which included guitarist Charlie Christian , Winburn traveled the local region as a typical territorial band . Upon the advice of Jimmie Jewell, owner of the Jewel Building, Winburn left Omaha and hit the "big time" with the International Sweethearts of Rhythm . North Omaha's musical culture also gave rise to several nationally and internationally reputable African-American musicians. Influential drummer Buddy Miles

5704-616: The 1960s and 70s three major riots tore apart the North 24th Street corridor. One broke out after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968. With lower tax revenue because of job losses, the city had neglected many of the neighborhoods, leading to decreased police response times, decreased funding for education in the community , decreased support for youth and community programs, and other problems. A 1966 documentary film entitled A Time for Burning highlighted

5828-607: The 23-year-old Cody met Ned Buntline , who later published a story based on Cody's adventures (largely invented by the writer) in Street and Smith's New York Weekly and then published a highly successful novel, Buffalo Bill, King of the Bordermen , which was first serialized on the front page of the Chicago Tribune , beginn ing that December 15. Many other sequels followed by Buntline, Prentiss Ingraham and others from

5952-606: The American Exhibition, which coincided with the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria . The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII , requested a private preview of the Wild West performance; he was impressed enough to arrange a command performance for Queen Victoria . The Queen enjoyed the show and meeting the performers, setting the stage for another command performance on June 20, 1887, for her Jubilee guests. Royalty from all over Europe attended, including

6076-559: The Army Board for Correction of Military Records. After months of deliberation, the Board agreed with the persuasive legal brief and made the decision to restore the Medal of Honor, not only to Buffalo Bill but also several other civilian scouts whose medals had also been rescinded. Long after the medal was restored, the decision was thought to be controversial for several reasons. Some people interpreted Simpson's submission as arguing that

6200-574: The Black Association for Nationalism Through Unity (BANTU), popular through the 1960s. In the summer of 1963, the Citizens Civic Committee for Civil Liberties rallied to demand change and equal rights for all African Americans in Omaha. While the Omaha civil rights movement did not reach its stated goals of gaining a state law ensuring equal housing opportunities or a separate state law ensuring equal job opportunities, it

6324-630: The East End Exhibition Building, and George C. Crager sold The Ghost Shirt to the Kelvingrove Museum . The show's 1892 tour was confined to Great Britain; it featured another command performance for Queen Victoria. The tour finished with a six-month run in London before leaving Europe for nearly a decade. Buffalo Bill's Wild West returned to Europe in December 1902 with a fourteen-week run in London, capped by

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6448-608: The Indians; and John Shangren, a native interpreter. In 1891, Buffalo Bill performed in Karlsruhe , Germany, in the Südstadt Quarter. The inhabitants of Südstadt are nicknamed Indianer (German for "American Indians") to this day, and the most accepted theory says that this is due to Buffalo Bill's show. In October Cody brought the show to Dennistoun , Glasgow , where it ran from November 16 until February 27, 1892, in

6572-581: The Information Resource Center on Lead to residents through North Omaha. Past industries have included housing component manufacturers, household products manufacturers, railroad industry companies, food manufacturers, and vehicle makers. Companies in these sectors included the Carter White Lead Company, Tip Top Products Company, Tidy House Company, Union Pacific , Missouri Pacific Railroad , Storz Brewery , Uncle Sam Breakfast Cereal , Stroud Company, Douglas Motors Corporation, Overland Tire Rubber Company , and several others. The North Omaha Development Project

6696-566: The North Omaha B.E.A.R.S. Youth and Sports club. BEARS is an acronym which stands for Building Esteem and Responsibility Systematically and the program combines sports with academics and social enhancement. The Hope Center and Hope Skate are programs aimed at meeting the recreational and social needs of the community's young people. The Safe Haven Community Center is a youth center located at 2895 Binney Street. The North Omaha Boys & Girls Club Jaguars Football Team, North Omaha Christ Child Center, YEP! (Youth Empowerment Program) and Girls Inc. serve

6820-412: The North Omaha community as violent, poor, and drug-riddled. A recent local news report stated the area was "71 percent Black". Despite positive activities directed at improving North Omaha over the years, including those listed above, local media tend to focus on dramatic stories of racial and economic strife within the community. Controversy arose from a 2006 spoof aired by a local radio station in which

6944-459: The Old Trail Town museum is at the center of the community and commemorates the traditions of Western life. Cody first passed through the region in the 1870s. He was so impressed by the development possibilities from irrigation, rich soil, grand scenery, hunting, and proximity to Yellowstone Park that he returned in the mid-1890s to start a town. Streets in the town were named after his associates: Beck, Alger, Rumsey, Bleistein, and Salsbury. The town

7068-453: The Prairie , one of the original Wild West shows produced by Ned Buntline . The effort was panned by critics – one critic compared Cody's acting to a "diffident schoolboy" – but the performer was a hit with the sold-out crowds. In 1873, Cody invited "Wild Bill" Hickok to join the group in a new play called Scouts of the Plains . Hickok did not enjoy acting and often hid behind scenery; in one show, he shot at

7192-454: The Revolutionary War, when Congress decided to create a hierarchy of medals, designating the "Medal of Honor" as the highest military honor it could bestow. Subsequent regulations authorized the War Department to revoke prior Medal of Honor awards it considered not meeting requirements since the introduction of strict regulations promulgated under the 1917 law. Those regulations required the medal to be awarded for acts of bravery above and beyond

7316-671: The Saline River ) and Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (guide and impromptu horse race to Fort Larned ). It was during this service at Fort Ellsworth that he met William Rose, with whom he would found the short-lived settlement of Rome . In 1867, with the construction of the Kansas Pacific Railway completing through Hays City and Rome, Cody was granted a leave of absence to hunt buffalo to supply railroad construction workers with meat. This endeavor continued into 1868, which saw his hunting contest with William Comstock. Cody returned to Army service in 1868. From his post in Fort Larned , he performed an exceptional feat of riding as

7440-432: The Sam Turner Orchestra, the Ted Adams Orchestra, and the Omaha Night Owls, as well as Red Perkins and His Original Dixie Ramblers. In 1931 Lloyd Hunter 's Serenaders became the first Omaha band to record their music. A Lloyd Hunter concert poster can be seen on display at the Community Center in nearby Mineola, Iowa . Nat Towles was a renowned territory band leader based in Omaha. One of Omaha's most notable musicians of

7564-403: The South of France and Barcelona , Spain, then on to Italy. While in Rome, a Wild West delegation was received by Pope Leo XIII . Buffalo Bill was disappointed that the condition of the Colosseum did not allow it to be a venue; however, at Verona , the Wild West did perform in the ancient Roman amphitheater . The tour finished with stops in Austria-Hungary and Germany . In 1891

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7688-402: The United States in May 1888 for a short summer tour. Buffalo Bill's Wild West returned to Europe in May 1889 as part of the Exposition Universelle in Paris, an event that commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille and featured the debut of the Eiffel Tower . On this tour, his portrait was painted by Europe's leading female painter Rosa Bonheur . The tour moved to

7812-436: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.133 via cp1102 cp1102, Varnish XID 552371812 Upstream caches: cp1102 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:39:09 GMT Buffalo Bill William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917), known as Buffalo Bill , was an American soldier, bison hunter , and showman . One of

7936-472: The World . The show began with a parade on horseback, with participants from horse-culture groups that included the US and another military, cowboys , American Indians , and performers from all over the world in their best attire. Turks , gauchos , Arabs , Mongols and Georgians displayed their distinctive horses and colorful costumes. Visitors would see main events, feats of skill, staged races, and sideshows. Many historical western figures participated in

8060-438: The area as well. The NorthStar Foundation directs its efforts toward young males. North Omaha is home to several medical institutions. They include Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy , the University of Nebraska Medical Center , and Immanuel Medical Center . Charles Drew Health Center also provides a variety of social services to low-income community members, as do many community development programs, such as

8184-408: The area in and surrounding Kountze Park , which won the location over other areas, including the Miller Park neighborhood . The Expo featured many events in the community, including performances by Buffalo Bill 's Wild West Show at the Omaha Driving Park , where it was founded several years prior. In 1909 Omaha University opened in the Redick Mansion in the Kountze Place neighborhood. Perhaps

8308-523: The area include Burt and then Cuming Streets, which are the same street, and eventually earn the designation as Nebraska Highway 64 from North 27th Street west. Hamilton Street, Bedford Avenue, Sprague Street, Ames Avenue , Sorenson Parkway , Fort Street, Martin Avenue, Forest Lawn Avenue and McKinley Street are all important, as well. Lake Street eventually becomes Maple Street, which also spurs off as Military Avenue, all in North Omaha. Downtown Omaha Too Many Requests If you report this error to

8432-428: The assistance of the artist and rancher Abraham Archibald Anderson . Cody established the TE Ranch , located on the south fork of the Shoshone River about thirty-five miles from Cody. When he acquired the TE property, he stocked it with cattle sent from Nebraska and South Dakota. The new herd carried the TE brand. The late 1890s were relatively prosperous years for the Wild West show, and he bought more land to add to

8556-489: The authority to reinstate the medal directly, and so decided to return the case to the board for reconsideration. As a result, the board amended Cody's record to make him an enlisted soldier – aligning it with the legal argument that civilian scouts were the equivalent to officers or enlisted soldiers – so that he would fall within the legal requirements and did the same for four other civilian guides who had also had their medals rescinded. In doing so,

8680-410: The bank and landed with a splash in the water. "What is it?" called McCarthy, as he hurried back. "It's over there in the water." "Hi!" he cried. "Little Billy's killed an Indian all by himself!" So began my career as an Indian fighter. At the age of 14, in 1860, Cody was caught up in the "gold fever", with news of gold at Fort Colville and the Holcomb Valley Gold Rush in California . On his way to

8804-542: The board overlooked the fact that Cody was a civilian guide with far greater employment flexibility than a soldier, including the ability to resign at will. Nevertheless the Board did recognize the value that all scouts provided, whether Native American or otherwise, and how they volunteered to put themselves in harm's way (in the case of Buffalo Bill, saving the lives of several soldiers by rushing onto an active battlefield and pulling them to safety while under fire) instead of pursuing less demanding civilian jobs. Cody received

8928-528: The cabinet level, the legal brief was written in conformance with the statutes. Modern Medal of Honor cases originating from the board, such as the recent case of Garlin Conner , required both executive action as well as a statutory waiver from Congress, which underscores the point that some cases might be in conflict with statutes. In the Cody case, the board's governing assistant secretary recognized that it lacked

9052-402: The call of duty by officers or enlisted soldiers. The law was enacted days before Buffalo Bill died, so he never knew a law might rescind the medal awarded to him. All civilian scout medals were rescinded since they did not appear to meet the basic criterion of being officers or enlisted soldiers, which had been expressly listed in every authorizing statute ever enacted for the Medal of Honor. Cody

9176-406: The cause in 1989. The legal brief he drafted and submitted to the Department of Defense on behalf of the relatives of Buffalo Bill argued that civilian scouts were technically officers, as their native American counterparts were nominally scouts. However, they were given the rank and pay of officers – both for retention purposes. Also, scouts were the equivalent of "reconnaissance" for

9300-530: The centers of important commercial and social activity. From the 1920s through the 1950s North 24th Street was seen as a "Street of Dreams" where the city's African-American culture thrived. It was home to such important locations at the Dreamland Ballroom , and fostered a variety of social and political developments, including the founding of the Hamitic League of the World . Omaha had early chapters of

9424-609: The community include the Bank of Florence , Prospect Hill Cemetery and the Fort Omaha Historical District . In 2006, North Omaha became the focus of national attention after local State Senator Ernie Chambers introduced an amendment to divide the Omaha school system into three, which some observers suggested would have created de facto segregated school systems based on residential patterns. The measure

9548-476: The competition. Augusto Imperiali became a local hero after the event: a street and a monument were dedicated to him in his hometown, Cisterna di Latina , and he was featured as the hero in a series of comic strips in the 1920s and 1930s. Cody set up an independent exhibition near the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 , which greatly contributed to his popularity in the United States. It vexed the promoters of

9672-403: The country, due to social tensions after World War I, including competition for jobs and housing. These took place most often between ethnic whites and blacks. Community members have been activists for civil rights from the 1920s through the 1970s; during the 1960s and 1970s, mass protests and grassroots activism became typical. Several bloody and destructive riots within the community took place in

9796-625: The end of the war in 1865. Later he served as a civilian scout for the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars . While he was initially awarded the Medal of Honor in 1872 for his actions in the Indian Wars, he was among 910 recipients to have the award rescinded in 1917. Congress reinstated the medals for Cody and four other civilian scouts in 1989. Cody was born on February 26, 1846, on a farm just outside Le Claire, Iowa . His father, Isaac Cody,

9920-443: The entire show train had passed, not realizing it was three units, and returned to the tracks; 110 horses, including his mounts Old Pap and Old Eagle, were killed in the crash or had to be killed later. Three young Native Americans were killed in the train accident and many others injured. Annie Oakley's injuries were so severe that she was told she would never walk again. She did recover and continued performing later. The incident put

10044-421: The fair, who had rejected his request to participate. In 1894, Edison Studios invited Buffalo Bill and his show to be filmed in an early silent film , Buffalo Bill . On October 29, 1901, outside Lexington, North Carolina , a freight train crashed into one unit of the train carrying Buffalo Bill's show from Charlotte, North Carolina , to Danville, Virginia . The freight train's engineer had thought that

10168-521: The family moved to Fort Leavenworth , Kansas Territory . In the years before the Civil War, Kansas was overtaken by political and physical conflict over the slavery question. Isaac Cody was against slavery. He was invited to speak at Rively's store, a local trading post where pro-slavery men often held meetings. His antislavery speech so angered the crowd that they threatened to kill him if he did not step down. A man jumped up and stabbed him twice with

10292-439: The future Kaiser Wilhelm II and the future King George V . These royal encounters provided Buffalo Bill's Wild West an endorsement and publicity that ensured its success. Also, at this time, Buffalo Bill was presented with written accolades from several of America's high ranking generals including William T. Sherman , Philip H. Sheridan and William H. Emory testifying to his service, bravery, and character. Among

10416-469: The goldfields, however, he met an agent for the Pony Express . He signed with them, and after building several stations and corrals, Cody was given a job as a rider. He worked at this until he was called home to his sick mother's bedside. Cody claimed to have had many jobs, including trapper , bullwhacker , " Fifty-Niner " in Colorado , Pony Express rider in 1860, wagonmaster, stagecoach driver, and

10540-687: The historic Urban League of Nebraska; Heartland Family Services-FAST; New Community Development; and the Benson-Ames Alliance Community Plan, which is community-driven planning process for neighborhood revitalization. North Omaha was affected by pollution and harmful emissions from the American Smelting and Refining Company (which later changed its name to official name to its acronym, Asarco ). The windfall from their downtown Omaha plant led to more than 8,000 acres (3,237 ha) in North Omaha being placed on

10664-687: The historic locations of Jewish synagogues established by European immigrants in the Near North Side. Several African-American congregations are located in the area, including the historic St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church , St.Benedict the Moor Catholic Church, and Salem Baptist Church . Historic Christian denominations once or currently represented in the community include Methodists, Baptists, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Church of God in Christ, and Lutherans, as well as non-denominational congregations and others. There

10788-652: The historic poor cemetery called Potter's Field . Education has been a key to the community for several generations. The first public school in Omaha was opened in Jefferson Square Park at the heart of the Near North Side neighborhood when it opened in 1867. According to a local historian, the community has been home to more than 100 schools throughout its history. Some of the former public schools in Omaha include Webster Grade School, Pershing Grade School, Beechwood Grade School, Lake Grade School, Long Grade School, Nathan Hale Junior High, and Tech High , once

10912-477: The initial period of Omaha history there were a number of outlying towns surrounding it, many of which were located in present-day North Omaha, including Florence , East Omaha , and Saratoga , all of which were settled within a few years of Omaha. Scriptown was a land grab by early legislators of the Nebraska Territory who sought to award themselves for working for the new territory. Casey's Row

11036-547: The largest technical education high school in the Western United States . Each of these buildings and many others are closed, and some have been repurposed while others have been demolished. The North Omaha community has played host to several institutions of higher education. After an early proposal to establish the first University of Nebraska in 1863 in the Saratoga neighborhood, in 1909 Omaha University

11160-546: The late 1960s. In the 20th century, some of this tension has been expressed in city policies and relations with the police force. In June 1968, the shooting of a black 14-yr. old teenager named Vivian Strong by a white Omaha police officer in the Logan Fontenelle Projects marked the first of a number of incidents between individual members of the African-American community in North Omaha and

11284-457: The late 19th century and early 20th century occupy several neighborhoods throughout Omaha. Greek Revival commercial buildings and a Spanish Renaissance Revival church represent the reverence many architects held for history. Buildings in the 20th century Prairie School and work by Thomas Rogers Kimball represented a more modern perspective. The area is also home to many modern developments. Because of its troubles, many residents of Omaha view

11408-401: The law had never required Cody to be a soldier. However, this was never a key element of Simpson's brief. According to these interpretations, Simpson's submission cited a book, Above and Beyond , to illustrate the lack of requirement to be a soldier. However, it was recognized in the legal brief that Medal of Honor recipients had to be an officer or enlisted soldier. Another problem cited by some

11532-518: The law, but rather conforming the status of civilian scouts to that of other scouts similarly situated (source: copy of the actual legal brief, by the author). Since the Board of Correction is merely a delegation of the Secretary of the Army 's authority, some suggest a separation of powers conflict, since even the president cannot contravene a clear statute and, although Cody's case was dealt with below

11656-408: The military and thus provided highly valued services. In addition, a practical reason was to avoid mistaking them for opponents in skirmishes. Moreover, although civilian scouts might have normally been officers because of their highly valued skills, the military drawdown and related budget cuts after the Civil War left no billets available for the civilian scouts to fill, and thus they were relegated to

11780-557: The most famous and well-known figures of the American Old West , Cody started his legend at the young age of 23. Shortly thereafter he started performing in shows that displayed cowboy themes and episodes from the frontier and Indian Wars. He founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West in 1883, taking his large company on tours in the United States and, beginning in 1887, in Europe. He was born in Le Claire , Iowa Territory (now

11904-492: The most important community, if not the most visible, in all of North Omaha was the Near North Side . This neighborhood was one of the first in Omaha, emerging in the 1860s as a home to the city's influx of German and Irish . In the later 19th century, they were joined by eastern European Jewish immigrants and African American migrants from the South. The bustling corridors of North 24th Street and North 16th Street were long

12028-535: The nickname "Buffalo Bill" after the American Civil War, when he had a contract to supply Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo (American bison) meat. Cody is purported to have killed 4,282 buffalo in eighteen months in 1867 and 1868. Cody and another hunter, Bill Comstock, competed in an eight-hour buffalo-shooting match over the exclusive right to use the name, which Cody won by killing 68 animals to Comstock's 48. Comstock, part Cheyenne and

12152-533: The oldest neighborhoods in North Omaha today were originally hamlets, villages or towns of their own. They include Saratoga , established by real estate speculators and abandoned by 1857; Briggs, a whistle stop on the Omaha Road heading north to Blair, Nebraska ; Florence , once a contender for the Nebraska Territorial capital; and others. There are several North Omaha neighborhoods listed on

12276-752: The presentations was a document signed by Governor John M. Thayer of Nebraska appointing Cody as aide-de-camp on the Governor's staff with the rank of colonel dated March 8, 1887. The rank had little official authority but the English press quickly capitalized on the new title of "Colonel Cody". Buffalo Bill's Wild West closed its successful London run in October 1887 after more than 300 performances, with more than 2.5 million tickets sold. The tour made stops in Birmingham and Manchester before returning to

12400-447: The rear of the herd and leaving a trail of killed buffalo "scattered over a distance of three miles", Cody – likening his strategy to a billiards player "nursing" his billiard balls during "a big run" – first rode his horse to the front of the herd to target the leaders, forcing the followers to one side, eventually causing them to circle and create an easy target, and dropping them close together. In 1869,

12524-491: The short film, a series of adventures presented in flashback as Buffalo Bill's dreams. The film had two other directors before it was successfully completed by John B. O'Brien . The film is in the collection of the Library of Congress. Buffalo Bill's Wild West toured Europe eight times, the first four tours between 1887 and 1892, and the last four from 1902 to 1906. The Wild West first went to London in 1887 as part of

12648-623: The show out of business for a while, and this disruption may have led to its eventual demise. In 1908, Pawnee Bill and Buffalo Bill joined forces and created the Two Bills show. That show was foreclosed on when it was playing in Denver, Colorado. The Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film Company, based in New York City, produced a three-reel motion picture in 1912 titled The Life of Buffalo Bill . Cody himself appears in scenes that bookend

12772-883: The show to Great Britain in celebration of the Jubilee year of Queen Victoria , who attended a performance. It played in London and then in Birmingham and Salford , near Manchester , where it stayed for five months. In 1889, the show toured Europe, and, in 1890, Cody met Pope Leo XIII . On March 8, 1890, a competition took place. Buffalo Bill had met some Italian butteri (a less-well-known sort of Italian equivalent of cowboys) and said his men were more skilled at roping calves and performing other similar actions. A group of Buffalo Bill's men challenged nine butteri , led by Augusto Imperiali  [ it ] , at Prati di Castello neighbourhood in Rome. The butteri easily won

12896-633: The show toured cities in Belgium and the Netherlands before returning to Great Britain to close the season. Cody depended on several staffs to manage arrangements for touring with the large and complex show: in 1891 Major Arizona John Burke was the general manager for the Buffalo Bill Wild West Company; William Laugan [ sic ], supply agent; George C. Crager, Sioux interpreter, considered leader of relations with

13020-556: The show was Calamity Jane , as a storyteller as of 1893. The show influenced many 20th-century portrayals of the West in cinema and literature. With his profits, Cody purchased a 4,000-acre (16-km²) ranch near North Platte , Nebraska, in 1886. The Scout's Rest Ranch included an eighteen-room mansion and a large barn for winter storage of the show's livestock. In 1887, invited by the British businessman John Robinson Whitley , Cody took

13144-402: The show. For example, Sitting Bull appeared with a band of 20 of his soldiers. Cody's headline performers were well-known in their own right. Annie Oakley and her husband, Frank Butler , were sharpshooters, together with the likes of Gabriel Dumont and Lillian Smith . Performers re-enacted the riding of the Pony Express , Indian attacks on wagon trains, and stagecoach robberies. The show

13268-479: The spotlight when it focused on him. He was therefore released from the group after a few months. Cody founded the Buffalo Bill Combination in 1874, in which he performed for part of the year while scouting on the prairies the rest of the year. The troupe toured for ten years. Cody's part typically included a reenactment of an 1876 incident at Warbonnet Creek , where he claimed to have scalped

13392-498: Was Lomie Washburn. Born in North Omaha, she went on to write songs and sing backup with such legends as Chaka Khan , Rufus , Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin . She and many of the musicians from North Omaha have been inducted in the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame . North Omaha is home to several important annual events that help define and celebrate the community, its history, and its future. Native Omaha Days

13516-699: Was a labor organizer in a packinghouse and wrote about women and the poor working class; Whitney Young , an important civil rights leader and later national director of the Urban League; the Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers ; actor John Beasley ; and actress Gabrielle Union . Malcolm X was born there in the early 1920s but his family moved away before he was a year old. Singer Wynonie Harris , saxophonist Preston Love , Jack Coleman Jr., and drummer Buddy Miles all called North Omaha home. Businesswoman Cathy Hughes

13640-605: Was a small neighborhood of Black porters who worked for the local railroads . Squatter's Row was an area between North 11th and North 13th Streets, from Nicholas to Locust Streets, behind the Storz Brewery . For more than 75 years this area was inhabited solely by squatters . Before the city of Omaha extended north beyond Lake Street, mostly Irish settlers inhabited an area known as Gophertown, located north of Saratoga and south of Florence. The towns of Benson and Dundee , both in North Omaha, were suburbs of Omaha founded in

13764-656: Was also Chief of Scouts for the Third Cavalry in later campaigns of the Plains Wars . In January 1872, Cody was a scout for the highly publicized hunting expedition of the Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia . Cody was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1872 for documented gallantry above and beyond the call of duty as an Army scout in the Indian Wars. It was revoked in 1917, along with medals of 910 other recipients dating back to

13888-612: Was born on September 5, 1811, in Toronto Township , Upper Canada , now part of Mississauga , Ontario , directly west of Toronto . Mary Ann Bonsell Laycock, Bill's mother, was born about 1817 in Trenton, New Jersey . She moved to Cincinnati to teach school, and there she met and married Isaac. She was a descendant of Josiah Bunting, a Quaker who had settled in Pennsylvania . There is no evidence to indicate Buffalo Bill

14012-429: Was eventually repealed. North Omaha has a recorded history extending to 1812 with the founding of Fort Lisa by Manuel Lisa. The area was home to Cabanne's Trading Post from the 1820s through the 40s, and in 1846 became home to two encampments that were some 3½ miles apart from one another: Cutler's Park and Winter Quarters . This whole area became part of what is now the city of Omaha, Nebraska . When Omaha City

14136-401: Was founded in 1854 the boundaries were around the present-day downtown core . Prospect Hill Cemetery , a North Omaha landmark, was founded on a high hill on the outskirts of Omaha in 1856, and with more than 15,000 burials it included many of the founding figures of Omaha , as well as soldiers from nearby Fort Omaha , immigrants, and many black people who worked throughout the city. During

14260-473: Was founded nearby along North 24th Street, and their football team once played on the field at Saratoga School. Several other higher education institutions were started in North Omaha too, including the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary , once located in the heart of the Kountze Place neighborhood. It closed permanently in 1947. Grace University , which closed in 2018, was opened in North Omaha for

14384-523: Was friends with Love while they grew up and played together. They collaborated throughout their lives, and while they were playing with the greatest names in Rock and Roll, Jazz, R&B and Fund. Funk band leader Lester Abrams is also from North Omaha. Omaha-born Wynonie Harris , one of the founders of rock and roll , got his start at the North Omaha clubs and for a time lived in the now-demolished Logan Fontenelle Housing Project. Another notable local musician

14508-632: Was incorporated in 1901. In November 1902, Cody opened the Irma Hotel , named after his daughter. He envisioned a growing number of tourists coming to Cody on the recently opened Burlington rail line. He expected that they would proceed up Cody Road, along the north fork of the Shoshone River, to visit Yellowstone Park. To accommodate travelers, Cody completed the construction of the Wapiti Inn and Pahaska Tepee in 1905 along Cody Road with

14632-527: Was one of five scouts affected. Their medals were stripped shortly after Cody died in 1917. Cody's relatives objected, and, for over 72 years, they wrote repeatedly to the US Congress seeking reconsideration. All efforts failed, until a 1988 letter to the Senate from Cody's grandson received by the office of senator Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming, when a newly assigned legislative assistant (K. Yale) took up

14756-704: Was raised as a Quaker. In 1847 the couple moved to Ontario, having their son baptized in 1847, as William Cody, at the Dixie Union Chapel in Peel County (present-day Peel Region , of which Mississauga is a part), not far from the farm of his father's family. The chapel was built with Cody money, and the land was donated by Philip Cody of Toronto Township. They lived in Ontario for several years. In 1853, Isaac Cody sold his land in rural Scott County, Iowa , for $ 2,000 (equivalent to $ 73,248 in 2023) , and

14880-452: Was said to end with a re-enactment of Custer's Last Stand , in which Cody portrayed General Custer, but this is more legend than fact. The finale was typically a portrayal of an Indian attack on a settler's cabin. Cody would ride in with an entourage of cowboys to defend a settler and his family. This finale was featured predominantly as early as 1886 but was not performed after 1907; it was used in 23 of 33 tours. Another celebrity appearing on

15004-547: Was started in North Omaha . Both of these organizations continue today. Some industrial unions in Omaha became forces of change, after having excluded blacks in a discriminatory way. Many blacks had worked at the stockyards and other industries in South Omaha. In the 1940s student and youth activism in North Omaha led to the creation of two unique groups: Creighton University 's DePorres Club , started in 1947, and

15128-406: Was successful for raising awareness of the inequities facing African Americans in Omaha. From the film A Time for Burning to Senator Ernie Chambers ' recent legislative action, the civil rights movement has had a significant legacy in Omaha. For instance, hiring practices were changed within the police department and city government, where African Americans have gained positions. North Omaha has

15252-408: Was the authority of the Board to contravene several federal statutes because the Medal of Honor revocation had been expressly authorized by Congress, meaning that the restoration went against the law in force in 1872, the law requiring the revocation in 1916, and the modern statute enacted in 1918 that remains substantially unmodified today. However, the legal brief clearly did not suggest overturning of

15376-535: Was to carry messages on horseback from the firm's office in Leavenworth to the telegraph station three miles away. After his mother recovered, Cody wanted to enlist as a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War but was refused because of his young age. He began working with a freight caravan that delivered supplies to Fort Laramie in present-day Wyoming. In 1863, at age 17, he enlisted as

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