Midtown Omaha
Encyclopedia
Midtown is a geographic area of Omaha, Nebraska
that is a culturally, socially and economically important area of the city. It is home to major research centers, national corporations, several historic district
s, and a number of historic residences.
. Midtown has several places of local, regional and national importance, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center
and Creighton University
. The Walnut Hill Reservoir is a 125-year-old water supply source for the city. There are several historic places of worship, including St. Cecilia Cathedral
at 701 North 40th Street, the ninth largest cathedral in the United States, and; the Beth El Synagogue at 119 South 49th Avenue, which is the oldest active synagogue in Omaha. The Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens
at 3202 Woolworth Avenue was dedicated in 1977 to celebrate the birth and presidency of Gerald Ford
. First Unitarian Church of Omaha
was built in 1917 and is located at 3114 Harney Street. The Blackstone Hotel
built in 1916 is located at 302 South 36th Street.
Other buildings in the area include the Mutual of Omaha
headquarters
and the Masonic Manor, which is the third tallest skyscraper
in Omaha. Berkshire Hathaway
and Kiewit Corporation also have their corporate headquarters in Midtown.
neighborhood has a long history, first as a suburb of Omaha reachable only via trolley
, and now as a historically significant urban neighborhood, including Omaha's Duchesne Academy
. The Joslyn Castle neighborhood is home to the Castle
itself, while the Walnut Hill
, Field Club
and Country Club
neighborhoods are some of the oldest upscale areas in the city. The Hanscom Park
neighborhood is called a "vibrant, front porch neighborhood" with homes dating to the 1880s.
A new neighborhood development in the area is called "Midtown Crossing at Turner Park
." Being developed by Mutual of Omaha, this new community will include condominiums, apartments, hotel, movie theater, grocery store, restaurants and a health club. It will also renovate and expand Turner Park, one of Midtown’s public parks.
The Morton Meadows Neighborhood is located in between Saddle Creek Road to the west, South 42nd Street to the east, Leavenworth Street to the north and Center Street to the south. With approximately 500 single family homes in the neighborhood, Morton Meadows is best known for its charming older houses built mostly in the early 1900s and the large tree lined boulevard running through the center of the neighborhood. The Morton Meadows Neighborhood Association officers include Michael Terry as president and Kathy Callahan as secretary.
Midtown Omaha property values have on a whole consistently improved over the past four years. The City of Omaha's efforts at revitalization through economic development, rising gas prices and Midtown Omaha's close proximity to large employers have all played an important role in the Midtown Omaha's appreciating home values.
s and other places that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. They include the Drake Court Apartments and the Dartmore Apartments Historic District
, the Gold Coast Historic District
, the Field Club Historic District and the Bemis Park Historic District. The Omaha Quartermaster Depot Historic District
is just outside of the formal Midtown boundaries.
at 26th and Farnam, Harvest Community Church at 3903 Cuming Street, First Presbyterian Church at 216 S 34th St, one block west of Midtown Crossing, First Central Congregational Church at 421 South 36th Street, First Unitarian Church of Omaha at 3114 Harney Street, First Baptist Church at 421 Park Avenue, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 602 Park Avenue, First Lutheran Church at 542 South 31st Street, Westminster Presbyterian Church of Omaha at 5416 Woolworth Avenue, Bethel Lutheran Church at 1312 South 45th Street, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church at 1326 South 26th Street, and Pella Lutheran Church
at 303 South 41st Street.
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
that is a culturally, socially and economically important area of the city. It is home to major research centers, national corporations, several historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
s, and a number of historic residences.
About
Midtown comprises 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) and is bordered on the north by Cuming Street, the south by Center Street, the east by 24th Street and the west by Saddle Creek Road. The area is home to approximately 28,000 residents and 43,000 employees. It is densely populated with 7,800 residents per square mile, and is known for its tree-lined streets, historic architecture and economic and racial diversity.Significant places
Many buildings in Midtown Omaha are listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Midtown has several places of local, regional and national importance, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is a public academic health sciences center located on 42nd and Emile Streets in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. UNMC is the only public academic health science center in Nebraska.-Academics and rankings:...
and Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
. The Walnut Hill Reservoir is a 125-year-old water supply source for the city. There are several historic places of worship, including St. Cecilia Cathedral
St. Cecilia Cathedral
St. Cecilia Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha. Located at 701 North 40th Street in the Gold Coast Historic District, the Cathedral was ranked as one of the ten largest in the United States when it was completed in 1959...
at 701 North 40th Street, the ninth largest cathedral in the United States, and; the Beth El Synagogue at 119 South 49th Avenue, which is the oldest active synagogue in Omaha. The Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens
The Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska marks the location of the house at 3202 Woolworth Avenue where U.S. President Gerald R. Ford lived for a couple of weeks after his birth in July 1913...
at 3202 Woolworth Avenue was dedicated in 1977 to celebrate the birth and presidency of Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
. First Unitarian Church of Omaha
First Unitarian Church of Omaha
The First Unitarian Church of Omaha, Nebraska is a Unitarian Universalist Church located at 3114 Harney Street in the Midtown area.- History :...
was built in 1917 and is located at 3114 Harney Street. The Blackstone Hotel
Blackstone Hotel (Omaha)
The Blackstone Hotel, currently known as the Blackstone Center, is located at 302 South 36th Street in the Blackstone neighborhood of the Midtown area in Omaha, Nebraska...
built in 1916 is located at 302 South 36th Street.
Other buildings in the area include the Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha is a Fortune 500 mutual insurance and financial services company based in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was founded in 1909 as Mutual Benefit Health and Accident Association.- History :...
headquarters
Mutual of Omaha Building
The Mutual of Omaha Building is a 285-ft , 14-story skyscraper in midtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Built in 1970, it is currently the sixth tallest building in Omaha...
and the Masonic Manor, which is the third tallest skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
in Omaha. Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. The company averaged an annual growth in book value of 20.3% to its shareholders for the last 44 years,...
and Kiewit Corporation also have their corporate headquarters in Midtown.
Neighborhoods
Midtown is home to several historic neighborhoods, as well as modern developments. The Gifford ParkGifford Park
Gifford Park is a historic neighborhood in midtown Omaha, Nebraska. It is roughly bounded by the North Freeway on the east, North 38th Street on the west, Dodge Street on the south and Cuming Street on the north. Its namesake park was added to the City parks network in 1916...
neighborhood has a long history, first as a suburb of Omaha reachable only via trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
, and now as a historically significant urban neighborhood, including Omaha's Duchesne Academy
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Omaha
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, located at 3601 Burt Street in the Midtown area of Omaha, Nebraska is an independent, Catholic, college-preparatory high school for girls run by the Religious of the Sacred Heart. The institution previously included a college which was operated from 1908-1968,...
. The Joslyn Castle neighborhood is home to the Castle
Joslyn Castle
The George and Sarah Joslyn Home , is a folly located at 3902 Davenport Street in the Gold Coast Historic District of Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Built in the Scottish Baronial style in 1903, the Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972...
itself, while the Walnut Hill
Walnut Hill (Omaha)
Walnut Hill is a historic neighborhood located in north Omaha, Nebraska. It is bounded by North 40th Street on the east, Cuming Street on the south, Northwest Radial Highway and Saddle Creek Road on the west and Hamilton Street on the north.-History:Dr...
, Field Club
Field Club
Field Club is a neighborhood located in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. Roughly bounded by Pacific Street, 32nd Avenue, Center St., and 36th Street, the neighborhood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district on November 15, 2000. Field Club is the location of dozens of...
and Country Club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
neighborhoods are some of the oldest upscale areas in the city. The Hanscom Park
Hanscom Park
Hanscom Park is a historic neighborhood in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. Its namesake public park is one of the oldest parks in Omaha, donated to the City in 1872. U.S. President Gerald R. Ford was born in a house in the Hanscom Park neighborhood...
neighborhood is called a "vibrant, front porch neighborhood" with homes dating to the 1880s.
A new neighborhood development in the area is called "Midtown Crossing at Turner Park
Midtown Crossing at Turner Park
Midtown Crossing at Turner Park is a million square-foot, seven-building, mixed-use development located in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. Its borders are 31st to 33rd streets and Dodge to Harney streets...
." Being developed by Mutual of Omaha, this new community will include condominiums, apartments, hotel, movie theater, grocery store, restaurants and a health club. It will also renovate and expand Turner Park, one of Midtown’s public parks.
The Morton Meadows Neighborhood is located in between Saddle Creek Road to the west, South 42nd Street to the east, Leavenworth Street to the north and Center Street to the south. With approximately 500 single family homes in the neighborhood, Morton Meadows is best known for its charming older houses built mostly in the early 1900s and the large tree lined boulevard running through the center of the neighborhood. The Morton Meadows Neighborhood Association officers include Michael Terry as president and Kathy Callahan as secretary.
Midtown Omaha property values have on a whole consistently improved over the past four years. The City of Omaha's efforts at revitalization through economic development, rising gas prices and Midtown Omaha's close proximity to large employers have all played an important role in the Midtown Omaha's appreciating home values.
Historical significance
The area is also home to several historic districtHistoric district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
s and other places that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. They include the Drake Court Apartments and the Dartmore Apartments Historic District
Drake Court Apartments and the Dartmore Apartments Historic District
The Drake Court Apartments and the Dartmore Apartments Historic District, built between 1916 and 1921, is located at Jones Street from 20th to 23rd Streets in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska...
, the Gold Coast Historic District
Gold Coast Historic District (Omaha, Nebraska)
The Gold Coast Historic District is located in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, this historic district covers approximately a 30 block area roughly bounded by 36th, 40th, Jones, and Cuming Streets...
, the Field Club Historic District and the Bemis Park Historic District. The Omaha Quartermaster Depot Historic District
Omaha Quartermaster Depot Historic District
The Omaha Quartermaster Depot Historic District, including several brick structures built in Italianate and other styles, was built for the U.S. Army between 1881 and 1894...
is just outside of the formal Midtown boundaries.
Places of Worship
Aside from St. Cecilia's and Beth El, other places of worship in Midtown include Kountze Memorial Lutheran ChurchKountze Memorial Lutheran Church
Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church is located at 2650 Farnam Street in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. Organized on December 5, 1858 as Immanuel's Evangelical Lutheran Church, the church is thought to be the first Lutheran congregation organized west of the Missouri River...
at 26th and Farnam, Harvest Community Church at 3903 Cuming Street, First Presbyterian Church at 216 S 34th St, one block west of Midtown Crossing, First Central Congregational Church at 421 South 36th Street, First Unitarian Church of Omaha at 3114 Harney Street, First Baptist Church at 421 Park Avenue, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 602 Park Avenue, First Lutheran Church at 542 South 31st Street, Westminster Presbyterian Church of Omaha at 5416 Woolworth Avenue, Bethel Lutheran Church at 1312 South 45th Street, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church at 1326 South 26th Street, and Pella Lutheran Church
Pella Lutheran Church
Pella Lutheran Church is located at 303 South 41st Street between Farnam and Harney Streets in midtown Omaha, Nebraska, between Nebraska Medical Center and Mutual of Omaha's Midtown Crossing. Pella is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ....
at 303 South 41st Street.
External links
- Destination Midtown promotional video.
- Field Club Historic District website.
- Joslyn Castle website.
- Morton Meadows website.