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109-741: The Nebraska Territorial Legislature was held from January 16, 1855, until February 18, 1867, in Omaha City , Nebraska Territory . In 1854 the Kansas–Nebraska Act created the Nebraska Territory, overturning the Missouri Compromise by allowing legislatures of the Nebraska and Kansas territories to determine whether to permit or abolish slavery. Slavery was a contentious issue for the territorial legislature between

218-541: A Greek man for supposedly being involved with a " white " woman. After their efforts were thwarted, the mob grew and swarmed into Greek Town, where they destroyed homes, businesses and a school; beat Greek immigrants; and destroyed the area by burning it. No person was indicted for any aspect of the riot. In 1913 a devastating tornado ripped through Omaha, becoming known as the Easter Sunday tornado. It killed more than 100 people, destroyed hundreds of homes, and cut

327-470: A land grab a group of businessmen formed the Omaha Land Company and platted Scriptown to reward Nebraska Territory legislators for their votes for statehood. After Baker v. Morton in 1857, this type of land baron -like behavior was made illegal; by that time lots had been developed and Scriptown quickly became part of several neighborhoods, including Gifford Park , Prospect Hill and

436-563: A "pay-as-you-go" basis. The State of Nebraska funded the capitol under the same principles, and the final cost, $ 9,800,449.07, was completely paid when the Capitol Commission dissolved in 1935. One of the Capitol Commission's first actions was to hire Omaha architect Thomas Rogers Kimball to serve as the commission's professional advisor. Kimball, who was president of the American Institute of Architects , devised

545-504: A downtown district of brick warehouses called Jobbers Canyon, listed in the National Register of Historic Places . The delisting and demolition of Jobbers Canyon made way for the campus headquarters of ConAgra Foods and the city's Heartland of America Park. The loss of the buildings also galvanized citizens to pay more attention to the historic fabric of the city. Nebraska State Capitol The Nebraska State Capitol

654-588: A long swathe through the city, including the heart of North Omaha's Jewish and African-American commercial district, which suffered the most damage. Social tensions simmered in the postwar years, as the nation adjusted to returning veterans, competition for jobs, and fears about labor unrest. After a summer of race riots in numerous industrial cities across the country, Omaha was tense, too. The newspaper had inflamed feelings with sensational stories accusing black men of crimes. The black population increased dramatically from 1910-1920 when they were recruited to work by

763-553: A muralist, designed the marble mosaic panels of the floors and the ceramic tile panels of the vaults. On January 20, 1922, the Capitol Commission requested Goodhue to consult with Hartley Burr Alexander , of the University of Nebraska's department of philosophy, "to work out the inscriptions to be used on the Capitol Building." In addition to the inscriptions, Alexander began to work closely with Goodhue and Lawrie on

872-419: A two-stage competition for the selection of a capitol architect. In the preliminary stage, the commission invited Nebraska architects to submit capitol designs and hired Irving Kane Pond to serve as judge. Together, Pond and the commission selected Ellery L. Davis (Lincoln), John Latenser & Sons (Omaha), and John McDonald and Alan McDonald (Omaha) to compete in the final stage. Next the commission opened

981-574: A violent outburst at the State Capitol in Omaha. After repeatedly being dogged out of voting on the removal of the Capitol from Omaha, a skirmish pitted representatives from Nebraska City , Florence, and other communities to convene outside of Omaha. Despite having a majority of members present for the vote to remove the Capitol and all agreeing, the "Florence Legislature" did not succeed in swaying

1090-523: A young white woman from South Omaha. A mob of mostly white ethnic young men marched from South Omaha (rallied and led by a henchman of Dennison's) and converged on the Douglas County Courthouse , where the jail was. In the evening the crowd grew larger and set the courthouse on fire, forcing police to turn Brown over to them. They lynched him, hanging him from a lamppost on the south side of the courthouse, then dragging his body through

1199-529: Is Eppley Airfield today. The expedition stopped at a point about 20 miles (30  km) north of present-day Omaha, at which point they first met with the Otoe. They had a council meeting with members of the tribal leadership on the west side of the Missouri River. The first recorded instance of a black person in the Omaha area was " York ", an enslaved African American who accompanied William Clark on

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1308-758: Is anchored by a three-story, 437-foot (133 m) square base. This square base houses offices most frequently visited by the public. The second floor (main floor) is home to the office of the Governor of Nebraska , the Nebraska Supreme Court , the Nebraska Court of Appeals , and the Nebraska Legislature . From the center of the base, a tower rises 362 feet (110 m), crowned by a gold-tiled dome. The finial — The Sower and its pedestal—add an additional 32 feet (9.8 m) to

1417-489: Is engaged within the building's limestone in bas-relief , pierced, and buttress form. After Lawrie finalized his designs in plaster maquettes , the Edward Ardolino stone carving contractor employed Alessandro Beretta to execute the carving in situ . Beretta would take as long as ten weeks per panel, and use as many as 70 different tools. He finished the carving on November 19, 1934. The main portal introduces

1526-574: Is the seat of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska and is located in downtown Lincoln . Designed by New York architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue in 1920, it was constructed of Indiana limestone from 1922 to 1932. The capitol houses the primary executive and judicial offices of Nebraska and is home to the Nebraska Legislature —the only unicameral state legislature in the United States . The Nebraska State Capitol's 400-foot (120 m) tower can be seen twenty miles (32 km) away. It

1635-536: The American Fur Company in 1822. In 1825 a fur trader named J.B. Royce built a stockade and trading post on a plateau near the present-day block formed by Dodge Street and Capitol Avenue, Ninth and Tenth Streets. That establishment was abandoned and decayed within the next 20 years. In the 1840s the Mormons built a town called Cutler's Park in the area before resuming their westward migration on

1744-576: The Bank of Florence , which failed three years later. On February 11 the territorial legislature gave permission to a group of citizens to found the University of Nebraska at Saratoga, Nebraska . However, when they did not complete the task of meeting in Saratoga and establishing a campus within one year they lost their permission to charter. In January, 1858 a group of representatives illegally moved

1853-462: The Jobber's Canyon playing an important role. Other efforts including the market house and various hotels weren't as successful. Towns founded during this period include Benson , founded 1887; Chalco , founded ?; Dundee , founded 1880; Elkhorn , founded 1865; Papillion , founded 1870; Ralston , founded 1888; South Omaha , founded 1886, and; Millard , which was founded in 1871. In 1856

1962-684: The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed by the riverbanks that would later become the city of Omaha. On July 22 the Corps of Discovery established a camp near present-day Bellevue for five nights, naming it "Camp White Catfish." On the 27th, William Clark and Reuben Fields investigated mysterious earthen mounds close to where 8th and Douglas Streets and the Heartland of America Park are today in Downtown Omaha . That night they camped in an area that

2071-674: The Lone Tree Ferry to shuttle California Gold Rush prospectors and Oregon Trail settlers across the river between Kanesville, Iowa and the Nebraska Territory . The Lone Tree Ferry eventually became the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company. "Omaha City" was organized by the owners of the Council Bluffs & Nebraska Ferry Company to lure the proposed transcontinental railroad to Council Bluffs . Alfred D. Jones , Omaha City's first postmaster , platted

2180-690: The Mormon Trail . In 1854 Logan Fontenelle and the Omaha Tribe sold the majority of their tribal land, four million acres (16,000 km ), to the United States for less than 22 cents an acre. This allowed the settlement of Nebraska Territory and the founding of Omaha City. That year the formation of the Territory in the Kansas–Nebraska Act was based on the condition that it remain slave-free . In 1853 William D. Brown operated

2289-705: The NCAA moved the College World Series (CWS) to Rosenblatt Stadium , (then known as Omaha Municipal Stadium). Started in 1947, the tournament was held at Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1947 and 1948, and Wichita, Kansas in 1949. Since 1950 the series has been held annually at the Rosenblatt, despite bids from several cities to move the CWS to another venue. More than 6,000,000 fans have attended CWS games in Omaha. The City of Omaha has regularly expanded and renovated

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2398-559: The Near North Side . The small city suffered greatly in the economic Panic of 1857 ; however, the presence of the capital is credited for keeping the town alive. For several years Omaha enjoyed its status as the capital of the Nebraska Territory , although not without contention. In January 1858 a group of representatives illegally moved the Nebraska Territorial Legislature to Florence following

2507-793: The Nebraska State Capitol to Lincoln in 1867, many business leaders rallied and created the Jobbers Canyon in downtown Omaha to outfit farmers in Nebraska , South Dakota , Wyoming and further west. Their entrepreneurial success allowed them to build mansions in Kountze Place and the Old Gold Coast neighborhoods. With the development of the Omaha Stockyards and neighboring packinghouses in

2616-528: The Nebraska State Library , and he planned for each of the 17-foot (5.2 m) tower floors to include glass-floored stacks for book storage. As early as November 1920, however, Goodhue indicated that the tower could serve any purpose, including office space. By September 1925, the Capitol Commission decided that the tower should be built for office space. Tower floors continue to house various offices today. In total, there are 15 stories in

2725-406: The Nebraska Territory governor, and the Capitol remained in Omaha until 1867 when Nebraska gained statehood . When Omaha eventually lost the capital to Lincoln in 1867, the city was by then strong enough to maintain economic growth for a period of time. While Council Bluffs was chosen as the eastern terminus of the United States' first transcontinental railroad in 1862 with the passage of

2834-584: The Omaha Claim Club donated two lots for the congregation to build a church, and soon after Baptists , Presbyterians , Congregationalists , Episcopalians and Roman Catholics followed. Catholics dedicated St. Philomena 's Cathedral in 1856, and the entire Creighton family, including Edward , his wife Mary , and his brother John greatly supported the Catholic Church. Pioneer banker Augustus Kountze called for and financially supported

2943-560: The Omaha National Bank , were Republicans from Lincoln and Omaha respectively. William H. Thompson, a prominent lawyer, was a Democrat from Grand Island. The three citizen members joined the ex officio members, Governor McKelvie and State Engineer George E. Johnson, to become the Nebraska Capitol Commission. House Roll 3 declared that the cost of the capitol was not to exceed $ 5 million and established

3052-597: The Pacific Railway Act , construction on the railroad began west from Omaha to avoid the difficulties of constructing a bridge across the Missouri River . This ensured that Omaha would become a major transportation center for the entire country in the years to come. The Omaha Cable Tramway Company was the only cable car company that operated in Omaha. Founded in 1884, it operated cars until 1894. The warehousing sector became predominant early on, with

3161-764: The Siena Cathedral after the two toured the cathedral in the summer of 1925. Meière also drew inspiration from Siena for her ceiling designs of the Vestibule, Great Hall, and Rotunda representing Nature, Man, and Society. In addition to her thematic consultation with Alexander, Meière collaborated closely with the Rafael Guastavino Company of New York to create decorative timbrel vaulting . The vaults are composed of two types of ceramic tiles: glazed polychrome tile and unglazed acoustical terracotta tile called Rumford. The Vestibule introduces

3270-564: The 1850s; and Saratoga , founded 1857. The town of Florence was platted by James C. Mitchell in 1854 and founded in 1855. The first minister in Omaha was Moses F. Shinn , a Methodist Episcopal Church leader from Council Bluffs . Most of Omaha's early pioneers, including Nebraska Territory politicians, soldiers from Fort Omaha and the early African-American community, were buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in North Omaha. Starting in 1887 Douglas County officials started recording

3379-551: The 1870s, several workers' housing areas, including Sheelytown , developed in South Omaha . Its growth happened so quickly that the town was nicknamed the "Magic City". The latter part of the 19th century also saw the formation of several fraternal organizations , including the formation of Knights of Aksarben . City leaders rallied for the creation of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in 1898. During

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3488-560: The 1930s and 1940s, the city became a meatpacking powerhouse. Several regional beer breweries developed, including Metz , Storz and Krug companies. The city's southern suburb became home to the Strategic Air Command in the late 1940s; in 1950 the Rosenblatt Stadium in South Omaha became home to the College World Series . Labor unrest in the 1930s resulted in organizing of the meatpacking plants by

3597-405: The 1950s through the 1970s. The historically ethnically diverse areas of North and South Omaha became more concentrated by economics, race, and class. These workers suffered dramatic job losses during the industrial restructuring that increased rapidly in the 1960s, and poverty became more widespread. Omaha's location near the confluence of the Missouri River and Platte River has long made

3706-510: The Board of Public Lands and Buildings to raze the old capitol and construct the central portion of the Willcox design, not to exceed $ 450,000. The State of Nebraska finally completed its new, second state capitol in 1888. The second state capitol began to experience structural issues, especially in its foundation, within a couple of decades of its completion. After the building was deemed unsafe,

3815-477: The CIO union in the meatpacking plants. Their successes led to the end of redlining and discriminatory neighborhood covenants , as well as the implementation of a school integration plan. In the late 1960s, the student-led Black Association for Nationalism Through Unity (BANTU) adopted a more militant posture and got into confrontations with police following the shooting of a youth in the housing project. In 1950,

3924-678: The CIO-FCW, which built an interracial partnership and achieved real gains for the workers for some decades. After World War II, blacks in Omaha as in other parts of the nation began to press harder for civil rights. Veterans believed they deserved full rights after fighting for the nation. Some organizations had already been formed, but they became more active, leading into the city's Civil Rights Movement . Suburbanization and highway expansion led to white flight to newer housing and development of middle and upper-class areas in West Omaha from

4033-455: The Capitol Commission built an electric railroad spur from Lincoln's Burlington yards. The state-owned line ran along H Street from 7th to 14th Streets and provided an easy means for delivery of construction materials. Then on April 15, 1922, Governor Samuel R. McKelvie ceremonially broke ground, thus beginning a ten-year construction process which occurred in four phases. Building in phases allowed construction to commence before demolition of

4142-518: The Capitol Commission hired Lincoln landscape architect Ernst Herminghaus to design the grounds. Bertram Goodhue employed two New York artists, Lee Lawrie and Hildreth Meière , in both the exterior and interior ornamentation of the Nebraska State Capitol. Lawrie, a sculptor, designed all of the engaged relief panels and buttress figures of the exterior, along with interior column capitals , doors, and fireplace surrounds. Meière,

4251-492: The Capitol Fund, which consisted of the proceeds of a special property tax. The Capitol Commission let the Capitol Fund accrue for two years before construction in order to have ample cash reserves. Throughout construction of the capitol, the legislature extended the levy and ultimately raised the spending limit to $ 10 million. The Nebraska State Constitution limits state indebtedness, so most state projects must be funded on

4360-468: The Everleigh House. Run by Ada and Minna Everleigh , the house continued operating until 1900, when the two women moved to Chicago . This period also saw the rise of formal crime in Omaha that presaged the arrival of Tom Dennison . The Sporting District was an area in downtown Omaha where many of the city's vice activities happened, including gambling, prostitution, and grafting. Anna Wilson

4469-487: The Expedition. The Astor Expedition came through in 1811. Stephen Long passed through the Omaha area in 1819 on his Platte River Expedition. A decade later, adventurers and fur traders were frequenting the region, trading at Fort Lisa , built by Manuel Lisa in 1806; Fort Atkinson , built in 1819 as a military outpost adjacent to the location of the earlier council meeting; and Cabanne's Trading Post , built by

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4578-549: The Expo, famous madames Anna Wilson and Ada Everleigh were making a good living from the crowds. At the same time, Boss Tom Dennison compounded the city's vices in the notorious Sporting District , with the full support of eight-term mayor "Cowboy" James Dahlman . Many of these early pioneers are buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery . City leaders created Omaha University in 1908. With reform administrations in

4687-636: The Midwest. In 1894 the Ladies Axillary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians , a nationalistic Irish-Catholic fraternal organization , was founded in Omaha. That year the city was also the site of the first African-American fair held in the United States. The following year the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben , a civic and philanthropic organization, was founded. The Trans-Mississippi Exposition

4796-621: The Nebraska Legislature made several attempts to fund the construction of a third state capitol. On February 20, 1919, the Nebraska Legislature passed House Roll 3 which established the Nebraska Capitol Commission to oversee construction of a new statehouse. The next day, Governor McKelvie signed the bill with its emergency clause and appointed the new commission. William E. Hardy, president of Hardy Furniture Company, and Walter W. Head , vice president of

4905-530: The Nebraska State Capitol in a roughly Classical architectural style, and he felt "impelled to produce something quite unlike the usual...thing of the sort, with its veneered order and invariable Roman dome." Goodhue employed Classical principles of geometric form and hierarchical arrangement but eliminated the traditional use of columns, pediments, and domes. In addition to the restrained Classical vocabulary, Goodhue mixed elements of Achaemenid , Assyrian, Byzantine, Gothic , and Romanesque architecture. Goodhue

5014-407: The Nebraska Territory governor. The capital remained at Omaha until 1867 when Nebraska gained statehood . In early 1860 the territorial legislature authorized a special election to consider forming a state constitution, which did not pass. The territorial legislature had a variety of powers, including granting every incorporated town or city its charter, which lasted through the 1864 session, when

5123-576: The Omaha Robin Hoods formed in 1936, but moved to Rock Island, Illinois late in the year. The team reformed shortly thereafter as the Omaha Cardinals , remaining as such for several years. New immigrants jostled for position with those who had arrived earlier and competition for jobs and place was intense. Many immigrant ethnic groups were intensely territorial. In 1909 a mob of 1,000 ethnic white men from South Omaha almost lynched

5232-641: The Pioneers . The relief sits directly atop Alexander's inscription: "The Salvation of the State is Watchfulness in the Citizen." Additionally, an inscription at the crown of the main portal reads: "Wisdom, Justice, Power, and Mercy, Constant Guardians of the Law." Four buttress figures flank the inscription representing the aforementioned guardians. The names of the ninety-three counties of Nebraska are inscribed along

5341-754: The Prohibition Era. He was closely allied with James Dahlman , Omaha's only eight-term mayor. Dennison was implicated in agitation of groups related to the Omaha Race Riot of 1919. In 1945 the Enola Gay and Bockscar were two of 536 B-29 Superfortresses manufactured at the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Factory (now Offutt Air Force Base ) in suburban Bellevue. That same year a Japanese fire balloon exploded over Dundee . The incident

5450-419: The State of Nebraska determined to replace its crumbling statehouse through piecemeal construction of a new capitol. Architect William H. Willcox designed a Renaissance Revival capitol, and the legislature appropriated $ 75,000 for construction of its west wing—finished in 1881. The same year, the legislature appropriated $ 100,000 for an east wing, which was finished in 1882. In 1883, the legislature authorized

5559-559: The State of Nebraska, and for the erection of public building thereat." The bill also created a commission (remembered as the Capital Commission) whose charge was to select a capital site somewhere within the boundaries of Seward County , the southern halves of Butler and Saunders counties, and the northern half of Lancaster County . On July 29, 1867, the Capital Commission selected the village of Lancaster as

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5668-771: The Vestibule and represents Life of Man . Three medallions— Traditions of the Past , Life of the Present , and Ideals of the Future —anchor the mosaic vaulting. Additionally, sixteen mosaic panels within the arches depict scenes of human activity, including an Architect , a Ball Player , and a Scientist . The Procession of Life begins in the Great Hall's floor with the mosaic Genius of Creative Energy —an Apollo -like figure—surrounded by Cosmic Energy , lightning, moons, orbs, etc. Three tondi (circular) mosaics follow, depicting

5777-442: The architects' names and plan numbers." Next, the Capitol Commission chose the first of three competition jurors, Waddy Butler Wood ; the competitors chose the second, James Gamble Rogers ; and Wood and Rogers chose the third, Willis Polk . On June 26, 1920, the jury chose the author of design "Number 4" as the architect of the Nebraska State Capitol. The author of design "Number 4" was Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue. Goodhue designed

5886-409: The blacks. Job's Daughters International , a Masonic youth organization for girls, was founded in Omaha in 1920. Aleph Zadik Aleph , the men's Order of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization , began in 1923 as a college fraternity . In 1925 Malcolm X was born (as Malcolm Little) at 3446 Pinkney Street in North Omaha. His minister father moved the family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin when Malcolm

5995-401: The building's height. Common measurements list the capitol at 400 feet (120 m), making it the second-tallest U.S. statehouse , surpassed only by the 450-foot (140 m) Louisiana State Capitol (then- Governor of Louisiana Huey Pierce Long insisted the new Louisiana capitol be built taller than Nebraska's. ). Goodhue originally envisioned much of the tower to house the collections of

6104-434: The burials of poor people and people without a known identity in Potter's Field . Located in far North Omaha , today Potter's Field is maintained by Forest Lawn Cemetery , which is located nearby. There is speculation that Mormon pioneers were buried there in the 1850s, as well. The Nebraska State Capitol was moved from Omaha in 1867. Late in 1854 Omaha was chosen as the territorial capital for Nebraska. In 1855 during

6213-444: The capital city and renamed it Lincoln. In Lincoln, two structures first served the State of Nebraska. On October 10, 1867, the Capital Commission contracted Chicago architect John Morris to build a statehouse in Lincoln on the newly platted Capitol Square (bounded by the streets of 14th and 16th, H and K). Morris designed the capitol with local limestones which began to deteriorate upon the building's completion in late 1868. By 1879,

6322-414: The capitol (three mechanical levels also exist within the tower between the 3rd and 4th floors). Memorial Chamber on the 14th floor—the highest publicly accessible level—has four observation decks that offer views of Lincoln from 245 feet (75 m) above the ground. Lincoln Municipal Code places height restrictions on structures within the designated Capitol Environs District. This code helps to maintain

6431-427: The capitol's gold-tiled dome—completes the vertical movement of the exterior symbolism representing agriculture and the "chief purpose in forming society, to sow nobler ideas of living." Lee Lawrie designed the principal exterior decoration, representing the history of Western law. The Sower, his best-known work at the capitol, is the only work there that is in the round, or free-standing. The remaining ornamentation

6540-415: The capitol's title as the tallest building in Lincoln. The capitol held the title of tallest building in Nebraska until 1969 with the completion of the 478-foot (146 m) Woodmen Tower in downtown Omaha . With the completion of Omaha's 634-foot (193 m) First National Bank Tower in 2002, the capitol became the third-tallest building in Nebraska. Congress officially opened Nebraska Territory with

6649-409: The capitol. The program did state, however, the commission's desire that the architect collaborate with "sculptor, painter, and landscapist" to create a unified design. Finally, Kimball organized the competition so that the jury was selected only after the ten competitors had submitted their designs to the Capitol Commission. The designs were identified by numbers and "separate sealed envelopes contained

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6758-585: The city, older immigrant populations became further assimilated into the city's culture, and growth was accommodated in neighborhoods built to the north and south of Downtown Omaha . The early 1910s saw the growth of the city's Automobile Row along Farnam Street. The city suffered greatly during the Great Depression . Federal intervention throughout the 1930s was critical for many residents. Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) projects employed many men in projects to build infrastructure of parks and community facilities. All of

6867-401: The coming years under the influence of local leaders Whitney Young , George Wells Parker and Harry Haywood . Other organizations formed such as the Citizens Civic Committee for Civil Liberties (4CL) and the DePorres Club at Creighton University in the 1940s. Mainstream organizations including the Omaha Urban League (now the Urban League of Nebraska ) also supported the movement, as did

6976-830: The court to recognize American Indians as persons. This was the first time this occurred in a U.S. Federal Court . In the 1880s, Omaha was said to be the fastest-growing city in the United States. After Irish-born James E. Boyd founded the first packing operation in Omaha in the 1870s, thousands of immigrants from central and southern Europe came to Omaha to work in the Union Stockyards and slaughterhouses of South Omaha . They created Omaha's original ethnic neighborhoods, with names such as Sheelytown , Greek Town , Little Italy , Little Bohemia and Little Poland . Other neighborhoods founded during this period included Bemis Park , Country Club , Dog Hollow and Field Club . The Near North Side also developed greatly during this period, with high concentrations of Jews and Germans, and

7085-417: The creation of the Territory in 1854 and the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. After serving as the territorial capital for ten years, Omaha City wanted to be the capital of the new state. In 1854 land speculators formed the Omaha Claim Club as part of a scheme to persuade territory legislators to keep the capital in Omaha. Their aggressive efforts to secure land to give away to legislators led to

7194-420: The current city core was surrounded by farms by this period, with buildings such as the Ackerhurst Dairy Barn indicative of that phase. Omaha University was founded at the Redick Mansion in the Kountze Place neighborhood in 1908, moving to their present campus in 1929. Their football team played on the Saratoga School field until 1952. The Omaha Omahogs was a baseball team started in 1900 as part of

7303-445: The decades before World War II , Omaha went through a prosperous period marked with rapid development, cultural growth and massive growth of population throughout the city. African Americans were recruited for work by the meatpacking industry and came North in the Great Migration in highest numbers after 1910. This was also the period of highest immigration by Polish workers. A number of new residents established communities throughout

7412-444: The final stage to nationally known architects including: Bliss & Faville (San Francisco), Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue (New York), H. Van Buren Magonigle (New York), McKim, Mead, and White (New York), John Russell Pope (New York), Tracy & Swartwout (New York), and Paul Cret and Zantzinger, Borie and Medary (Philadelphia). Kimball wrote an innovative competition program that did not dictate plan, style, or material for

7521-412: The first general incorporation act was passed and signed by the governor. Six years later, on January 9, 1866 the territorial Governor Alvin Saunders urged the Legislature to consider statehood. The territorial legislature had the sole power of incorporating every municipality throughout the territory until 1864. A number of incorporations existed only on paper and were never actually settled. In 1864,

7630-425: The first general incorporation act was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor which allowed county commissioners to incorporate towns. History of Omaha, Nebraska Surrounded by small towns and cities that competed for business from the hinterland 's farmers, the city suffered a major setback in the Panic of 1857 . Despite this, Omaha quickly emerged as the largest city in Nebraska. After losing

7739-518: The first groups of African Americans. Omaha's growth was accelerated in the 1880s by the rapid development of the Union Stockyards and the meat packing industry in South Omaha . The "Big Four" packers during this time were Armour , Wilson , Cudahy , and Swift . There were several breweries established throughout the city during this period. The "Big Four" breweries in Omaha were the Storz , Krug , Willow Springs and Metz breweries . Culture in Omaha grew extensively during this era. With

7848-434: The founding of the first Lutheran church west of the Missouri River , which was then called Immanuel Lutheran Church and was located downtown. It was renamed after Kountze's father in the 1880s. In 1871 Omaha's Jewish community bought land to create its first cemetery . In 1879 the trial of Standing Bear v. Crook was held at Fort Omaha . During the trial General Crook testified on behalf of Standing Bear , leading

7957-596: The increase in population, many social, fraternal and advocacy organizations formed in Omaha in the late 19th century. The city's premier newspapers, the Omaha Bee and the Omaha World-Herald , were founded in 1874 and 1885, respectively. Omaha was the location of the 1892 convention that formed the Populist Party , with its aptly titled Omaha Platform written by "radical farmers" from throughout

8066-428: The interior murals and the courtyard fountains incomplete. In 2017, the State of Nebraska installed the originally-planned fountains in cast-bronze in each of the Capitol's four courtyards. The interior of the Nebraska State Capitol's monumental corridor is architecturally composed of three rooms: Vestibule, Great Hall, and Rotunda. Decorations expanding upon themes of Nebraska are read in a specific sequence beginning at

8175-546: The interior ornamentation of the capitol and represents Gifts of Nature . The sun is the room's central motif and is prominently featured as a medallion within the dome. The dome also incorporates mosaic images of agriculture, flora, and fauna. The vaulting is supported by the largest columns in the capitol—four 25-foot-tall (7.6 m) monoliths of Red Verona marble . The columns' capitals, designed by Lee Lawrie, are vaguely Corinthian and feature bull motifs inspired from ancient Persepolis architecture. The Great Hall follows

8284-515: The land that became Omaha. The Pawnee and Otoe tribes had inhabited the region for hundreds of years by the time the Siouan -language Omaha tribe had arrived from the lower Ohio valley in the early 18th century. Translated, the word "Omaha" ( Omaha–Ponca : Umoⁿhoⁿ ) means "Dwellers on the Bluff". Usually, the word is translated "against the current," but in those cases no source is quoted. During

8393-667: The late 18th and early 19th centuries when they were the most powerful Indians along the stretch of the Missouri River north of the Platte, the Omaha nation moved on the western edge of present-day Bellevue, Nebraska . After a smallpox outbreak, cultural degradation, the elimination of the buffalo , and continued property loss, the Omaha sold the last of their claims in 1856 and relocated to their present reservation in Thurston County , in northeastern Nebraska. On July 21, 1804,

8502-594: The late 1950s. Organized labor's hard won gains came undone as the industry restructured in the 1980s and 1990s. Improved truck and boxcar refrigeration capabilities encouraged the slaughtering process to move closer to feedlots. Plants were moved to rural areas and hired non-union labor. All centralized stockyard activity declined and the Omaha Stockyards were closed in 1999. New generations of immigrants are employed in meatpacking; now they are mostly Hispanic from Mexico, and Central and South America. Weather

8611-684: The late 1950s. That team folded in 1959. In 1961-62 the Omaha Dodgers were the farm team for the Los Angeles Dodgers . After the city went six years without a professional team, the Omaha Royals started in 1969. The Omaha Royals become the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2011. By the 1960s, the Omaha Stockyards had become the world's largest livestock processing center. They surpassed Chicago's Union Stock Yards in

8720-584: The location a key point of transfer for both people and goods. Prior to European-American establishment of the city, numerous Indian tribes had inhabited the area, including the Pawnee , Otoe , Sioux , the Missouri and Ioway . They had developed a semi-nomadic lifestyle necessary for survival on the Great Plains . Since the 17th century, the Pawnee , Otoe , Sioux , and Ioway all variously occupied

8829-659: The main, north door. Monumental ornamentation is also found within the Governor's Suite, the Warner Legislative Chamber (former senate), the George W. Norris Legislative Chamber (unicameral), and Memorial Chamber (14th floor). Meière designed the black and white marble mosaic panels of the Great Hall and Rotunda representing the Procession of Life. Working with Alexander, Meière drew her inspiration from

8938-783: The new Western League . Their name changed to the Omaha Indians in 1902. In 1904 the team was fielded as the Omaha Packers, and in 1906 as the Omaha Rourkes. They kept that name until 1921 when the name changed to the Omaha Buffaloes, which stuck until 1928 when it changed to the Omaha Crickets. In 1930 the team changed its name back to the Omaha Packers and kept that name until 1935 when they moved to Council Bluffs and subsequently folded. A new team called

9047-515: The new city, generally focused on land -related issues. In the 1860s, ten years after the city's formation, early citizens also created the Old Settlers' Association to record the early history of the settlement. Aside from Omaha, other early settlements and towns in the area include Fontenelle's Post founded in 1806; Fort Lisa founded 1806; Culter's Park , founded 1846; Bellevue , settled in 1804 and founded 1853; East Omaha , founded in

9156-501: The north and six councilmen and twelve representatives to the south. The North Platters, with greater political power, confirmed Omaha as the capital. In Omaha, two structures served the Territory of Nebraska. The first was a two-story brick building donated by the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company. This building, formerly located on 9th Street between Douglas and Farnam, served the Territorial Legislature for

9265-410: The old statehouse. With completion of the capitol's Phase 1 in 1924, state operations moved into the new structure. The old capitol was subsequently razed. On April 23, 1924—just two years into the capitol's construction—Bertram Goodhue died, and his associates formed a firm, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue Associates , to finish the capitol and other ongoing Goodhue projects. After construction ended in 1932,

9374-660: The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 . Almost instantly a factional divide between North Platters (those living north of the Platte River ) and South Platters (those living south of the Platte) arose over the question of capital location. Much to the chagrin of the South Platters, Acting Governor Thomas B. Cuming selected the small northern village of Omaha City for the seat of government. Cuming

9483-600: The platting of Scriptown . However, their bid failed, and in 1865 the state capitol moved to Lincoln . The new legislature immediately passed the Free Public School Act of 1855 , which created free public schools for children across the territory. Positions for a territorial superintendent and county school superintendents to be elected by popular vote were also created. County superintendents were supposed to organize school districts and levy property taxes to support schools; however, not every locale levied

9592-647: The same period Peter was buying other German-language newspapers across the U.S. The NGAA folded in the late 1920s; Peter's business, the Interstate Publishing Company , still operates in Omaha today. The reign of Omaha political boss Tom Dennison ended in 1933. For more than thirty-five years, he controlled gambling, drinking, prostitution and other criminal interests throughout Omaha, particularly in his seedy Sporting District . He controlled bootlegging operations in Little Italy through

9701-424: The sculpted ornamentation representing the foundation of life on the Great Plains . Two parapets adorned with relief panels of bison flank the main stairs. The bison represent Plains Indians indigenous to Nebraska, and the principal nations are inscribed within the panels (alphabetically): 19th century European Americans are also represented above the main entrance with the gilded relief, Spirit of

9810-598: The sessions of 1855 and 1857. A second building, constructed in 1857–58 on the site of present-day Omaha Central High School , served the remaining sessions of the Territorial Legislature and the first sessions of the State Legislature beginning in 1867. In June 1867, the Third Session of the State Legislature passed Senate Bill Number 44 which "provid[ed] for the location of the Seat of Government of

9919-551: The stadium to accommodate fans, teams, and media covering the event. ESPN televised every game of the event from 1980 through 1987. ESPN started coverage again when the championship series went to a best-of-3 format in 2003. From 1988 through 2002, CBS televised the championship game: a winner-take-all single game. In 1955 the Omaha Cardinals joined the AAA American Association , and thrived until

10028-400: The stockyards. When many black men worked as strikebreakers, resentment by other working-class, ethnic white men rose against them. The "independent political boss" Tom Dennison was later implicated of contributing to racial tensions in an effort to turn out a reform mayor. The spark of the Omaha Race Riot of 1919 occurred when a black man named Will Brown was arrested and accused of raping

10137-542: The streets and burning it. The mob was mostly European-born immigrants and ethnic European Americans . The mayor attempted to intervene and was also hanged; he was saved only by a last-minute rescue by federal agents. The city had to ask for help from Federal troops to quell the disorder, and their arrival was delayed because of a series of communication problems. The commander stationed troops in South Omaha to prevent more mobs from forming, and in North Omaha to protect

10246-433: The taxes or built schools. The first incorporated city in Nebraska, Nebraska City , was granted its charter by a special act in 1855. In 1855, the Omaha Claim Club imposed their will on the territorial legislature, forcing the passage of a territorial law granting 320 acres (1.3 km) per settler, they doubled the federally imposed limit of 160 acres (0.6 km). In January 1856, the territorial legislature chartered

10355-450: The territorial legislature to Florence following a violent outburst at the capitol building. After repeatedly being dogged out of voting on the removal of the capital from Omaha, a skirmish pitted representatives from Nebraska City , Florence, and other communities to convene outside of Omaha. Despite having a majority of members present for the vote to remove the capital and all agreeing, the "Florence Legislature" did not succeed in swaying

10464-497: The themes of the exterior sculptures. When Goodhue died in 1924, Alexander feared that the thematic development in future portions of the capitol would be inconsistent with the established schemes. He therefore wrote an overarching thematic program, "Nebraska State Capitol: Synopsis of Decorations and Inscriptions," in July 1926. Alexander's synopsis thus served as a guide for the remaining interior and exterior decorations, and Alexander

10573-635: The top of the base of the capitol and are loosely grouped by number of letters per name. Directly above the county names, twenty-one panels (eighteen bas-reliefs, three pierced) represent the creation of law. The panels are best observed from the promenade, beginning on the northwest corner of the building: Hebrew Law : Northwest Greco-Roman Law : West Greco-Roman Law : Southwest Historical Documents : South (pierced panels) English Law : Southeast Freedom in America : East Nebraska Law : Northeast Ten buttress sculptures along

10682-403: The top of the capitol's south arm represent the great western lawgivers. The buttress figures are depicted in chronological order from west to east and are best observed from the south steps with the exception of the first and the last. The figures of Minos and Napoleon are best observed from the northwest and northeast courtyards respectively: Eight buttress sculptures around the base of

10791-481: The tower represent the ideals of culture. The buttress figures are best observed from within the four courtyards or at a distance from the sidewalk around the building: Northwest Southwest Southeast Northeast In May 1933, under ever-worsening economic conditions, the Nebraska Legislature re-appropriated the Capitol Commission's unexpended budget. With depleted funds, the commission resolved to terminate its own existence, leaving some projects like

10900-477: The town site early in 1854, months after the Kansas–Nebraska Act created the Nebraska Territory . The first black person in Omaha arrived in 1854. While the city was young, there were no formal police or sheriff , or at least one with any significant authority. Compensating for the absence of the law, many early Omaha pioneers formed a claim club to create and enforce a legal system to their advantage. The Omaha Claim Club took authority over many areas of

11009-686: Was a well-established church architect. He designed St. Bartholomew's Church (New York), the West Point Cadet Chapel , and the Church of the Intercession (New York) . The Nebraska State Capitol features similar church vocabulary. The plan is a modified cross-in-square plan enclosed by a 437-foot (133 m) square. Four arms radiate from a central domed rotunda , upon which rises the tower with its unarticulated windows and flat surfaces—much like an enlarged spire . In March 1922,

11118-681: Was a year old after threats on their lives from the Ku Klux Klan because of his father's activism. The Nebraska chapter of the National German-American Alliance (NGAA) was founded and led by Valentin J. Peter , the publisher and editor of the German language Omaha Tribune in 1907. By the 1920s the organization was working closely with breweries throughout the city to challenge the complete political and social assimilation of German immigrants in Nebraska. During

11227-459: Was an early madam who got her start in Omaha. She eventually opened a 25-room mansion brothel at Ninth and Douglas Streets. She was the longtime romantic partner of Dan Allen , a well-known and successful riverboat gambler in Omaha. The 1900 kidnapping of Edward Cudahy Jr. in the Old Gold Coast neighborhood caused a national uproar. The perpetrator, Pat Crowe , became a nationally renowned author and lecturer on criminal justice reforms. In

11336-544: Was bestowed with the title of Thematic Consultant. The exterior of the Nebraska State Capitol is architecturally composed of two parts: the three-story, 437-foot (133 m) square base and the 400-foot (120 m) tower. Alexander envisioned the base, with its inner cross, as an emblem of the quarters of the Earth representing the drama of human experience, and he envisioned the tower as Earth's gnomon representing human ideals. The Sower —the 19.5-foot (5.9 m) finial atop

11445-492: Was from Iowa, and as his political allies were investors in the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company, Omaha as capital would be beneficial to his personal political career. Results from the first territorial census, however, revealed 914 North Platters and 1,818 South Platters. The South Platters, with greater legislative representation, would be able to take the capital, but Cuming ignored proportional representation and assigned seven councilmen and fourteen representatives to

11554-459: Was held in North Omaha from June 1 to November 1, 1898. The exposition drew more than 2 million visitors. It required the construction of attractions spanning 100 city blocks, including a ship-worthy lagoon, bridges and magnificent (though temporary) buildings constructed of plaster and horsehair. The Exposition also featured a number of sideshows, including Buffalo Bill 's Wild West Show and

11663-650: Was part of a large World War II campaign by the Japanese military to cause mass chaos in American cities. The story was suppressed by the American military until after the war was over, as no one was hurt in the explosion. Civil rights activism in Omaha began in 1912 with the formation of a local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People . It continued through

11772-499: Was severe in 1975. In January, the city was paralyzed by a devastating blizzard that dumped eleven to nineteen inches of snow on the city. In May the city was hit by a tornado. The Omaha Tornado of 1975 was a F4 tornado that ripped through neighborhoods along 72nd Street on May 6, 1975, killing 3 and injuring 133. In terms of damage, it was the most costly tornado in American history to that date, with damage estimates between $ 250 million and $ 500 million. In 1988 Omaha demolished

11881-562: Was the first state capitol to incorporate a functional tower into its design. Goodhue stated that "Nebraska is a level country and its capitol should have some altitude or beacon effect." In 1976, the National Park Service designated the capitol a National Historic Landmark , and in 1997, the Park Service extended the designation to include the capitol grounds, which Ernst H. Herminghaus designed in 1932. The structure

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