216:; an 1878 proposed joint city/county building; the proposed market house, which came up repeatedly from 1884 to 1901; a proposed public library in 1887; a proposed city hall in 1889; an 1894 proposed auditorium; a proposed federal post office in 1897; a proposed armory in 1906; a proposed museum in 1910; a 1915 proposed fire station; a public bathhouse built in 1918 and demolished in 1945; a gymnasium proposed in 1918; and the
211:
In addition to the market house, there were several other public structures proposed for the park. They included a school, which was built in 1863 and moved in 1878; an 1876 proposed military headquarters that eventually became
227:
people. The city erected public baths which became very popular. By the end of that decade, the park was regarded as "less than desirable" and "disreputable" and was the target of city planners for redevelopment.
165:, were 264 by 280 feet (85 m). After being platted in 1856, the park was formally opened in 1865. It was one of three parks originally platted for the downtown area. Early settlers reported finding
180:
in Omaha was built on the southwest corner of
Jefferson Square in September 1863. It was a small, one-room wooden structure, and was moved in 1865. In 1875, the park hosted the launching of the
208:, as well. Eventually, the Omaha Market House was built at North 12th and Capitol Avenue, and stood from 1904 until 1910. It the 1910s the park was said to host "thousands of people daily."
60:
137:. Bounded by North 15th, 16th, Chicago and Cass Streets, the park was dedicated on November 25, 1865. It was razed by the city March 18, 1969 to make way for the construction of
942:
775:
200:
drew a lawsuit from a local citizen when they began constructing the Omaha Market House at the park. The case quickly veered public sentiment and legal favor, with a
378:
952:
362:
700:
784:
779:
770:
685:
577:
339:
406:
937:
957:
932:
592:
502:
538:
35:
840:
529:
322:
239:, it was the focus of intense preservation efforts led by Omaha citizens. However, their efforts failed, and the park was lost.
901:
572:
204:
ruling effectively preventing the city from building on the land "in perpetuity." The park hosted some events for the 1898
217:
947:
927:
177:
896:
422:
489:
447:
138:
861:
805:
359:
205:
53:
336:
522:
145:. Before that time it was the site of Omaha's first school, and considered for the location of the first
906:
876:
232:
735:
582:
403:
891:
725:
630:
605:
248:
193:. The balloon was the first in the city, and caused a stir when it was launched across the city.
515:
201:
886:
557:
253:
236:
871:
866:
835:
830:
146:
8:
789:
600:
552:
197:
166:
815:
295:
150:
730:
665:
655:
625:
881:
856:
755:
720:
675:
640:
620:
610:
190:
810:
750:
660:
410:
392:
The
American State Reports: Containing the Cases of General Value. Vols. 139-140.
366:
186:
162:
134:
765:
760:
740:
710:
680:
670:
645:
635:
263:
258:
231:
By the late 1950s, the park was targeted for demolition to accommodate the new
142:
46:
921:
705:
650:
615:
562:
343:
76:
62:
715:
130:
825:
745:
695:
213:
474:
The
Changing Image of the City: Planning for Downtown Omaha, 1945-1973
820:
690:
182:
492:
by Adam
Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com (August 13, 2022).
450:
by Adam
Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com (August 13, 2022).
425:
by Adam
Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com (October 6, 2017).
224:
507:
170:
223:
By the 1930s, the park had become a congregation place for
235:. When the park was demolished in 1969 to make room for
381:. Nebraska State Historical Society. Retrieved 9/25/07.
169:
at the park, and later complained when there were no
161:
The original dimensions of the park, as surveyed by
943:Former buildings and structures in Omaha, Nebraska
919:
523:
320:Omaha, Neb Park and Recreation Dept. (1899)
530:
516:
369:, Omaha Public Library. Retrieved 9/25/07.
220:, built in 1966 and still standing today.
953:1856 establishments in Nebraska Territory
434:Grant, A.H. and Buttenheim, H.S. (1922)
309:Annual Report of the Board of Directors.
413:Omaha Public Library. Retrieved 9/25/07
920:
902:First Nebraska Territorial Legislature
189:, an advertising stunt by businessman
511:
476:. University of Nebraska Press. p 77.
423:"A History of the Omaha Market House"
298:Nebraska Memories. Retrieved 3/29/08.
490:"A History of Jefferson Square Park"
448:"A History of Jefferson Square Park"
284:The New International Encyclopaedia.
938:History of Downtown Omaha, Nebraska
496:
296:"Jefferson Square, Omaha, Nebraska"
16:Former public park in Nebraska, USA
13:
958:1969 disestablishments in Nebraska
933:Pioneer history of Omaha, Nebraska
282:Peck, H.T. and Colby, F.M. (1906)
14:
969:
537:
483:
459:Federal Writers Project. (1939)
335:Griswold, S. (October 4, 1891).
466:
453:
441:
428:
416:
129:was the last of three original
897:Nebraska Territory Legislature
397:
384:
372:
353:
329:
314:
301:
289:
286:Dodd, Mead and Company. p 803.
276:
1:
307:Omaha Public Library. (1910)
269:
206:Trans-Mississippi Exposition
7:
438:Buttenheim Pub. Corp. p 34.
394:Bancroft-Whitney Co. p 711.
242:
10:
974:
799:Nearby pioneer settlements
156:
862:Old Settlers' Association
849:
798:
591:
545:
472:Bednarek , J.R.D. (1992)
337:"Sports of Indian Summer"
233:Interstate Highway System
116:
108:
104:61 acres (250,000 m)
100:
52:
42:
30:
26:
21:
948:Sporting District, Omaha
928:Parks in Omaha, Nebraska
583:Douglas County Poor Farm
907:Potter's Field Cemetery
606:George Robert Armstrong
249:Old Post Office (Omaha)
877:Cabanne's Trading Post
578:Prospect Hill Cemetery
390:Freeman, A.C. (1890)
360:"Omaha's First School"
202:Nebraska Supreme Court
887:Moses Merrill Mission
254:Old City Hall (Omaha)
77:41.26333°N 95.93639°W
147:Omaha Public Library
553:Cozzens House Hotel
379:"Omaha Bee Balloon"
198:Government of Omaha
82:41.26333; -95.93639
72: /
636:Harry Porter Deuel
626:John A. Creighton
573:St. Nicholas Hotel
436:The American City.
409:2006-09-26 at the
365:2007-08-02 at the
151:Omaha Market House
915:
914:
867:Fontenelle's Post
731:William A. Paxton
726:James C. Mitchell
666:Canada Bill Jones
656:Andrew J. Hanscom
124:
123:
965:
857:Omaha Claim Club
836:Kanesville, Iowa
756:Edward Rosewater
721:George L. Miller
706:James G. Megeath
676:Augustus Kountze
641:Logan Fontenelle
621:Edward Creighton
611:William D. Brown
593:Founding figures
568:Jefferson Square
532:
525:
518:
509:
508:
503:Historical photo
477:
470:
464:
457:
451:
445:
439:
432:
426:
420:
414:
401:
395:
388:
382:
376:
370:
357:
351:
348:Omaha Sunday Bee
333:
327:
318:
312:
305:
299:
293:
287:
280:
191:Edward Rosewater
127:Jefferson Square
96:
95:
93:
92:
91:
89:
88:Jefferson Square
84:
83:
78:
73:
70:
69:
68:
65:
22:Jefferson Square
19:
18:
973:
972:
968:
967:
966:
964:
963:
962:
918:
917:
916:
911:
892:Military Avenue
845:
841:Winter Quarters
794:
751:Elizabeth Ryves
736:A. J. Poppleton
701:John L. McCague
686:George B. Lake
661:Alfred D. Jones
646:Reuben Gaylord
587:
546:Early buildings
541:
536:
499:
486:
481:
480:
471:
467:
458:
454:
446:
442:
433:
429:
421:
417:
411:Wayback Machine
402:
398:
389:
385:
377:
373:
367:Wayback Machine
358:
354:
334:
330:
319:
315:
306:
302:
294:
290:
281:
277:
272:
245:
187:hot air balloon
173:there to hunt.
163:Alfred D. Jones
159:
135:Omaha, Nebraska
87:
85:
81:
79:
75:
74:
71:
66:
63:
61:
59:
58:
17:
12:
11:
5:
971:
961:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
913:
912:
910:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
853:
851:
850:Related topics
847:
846:
844:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
802:
800:
796:
795:
793:
792:
787:
785:Josie Washburn
782:
780:Rachel Snowden
773:
771:John A. Smiley
768:
766:Moses F. Shinn
763:
761:Peter A. Sarpy
758:
753:
748:
743:
741:John I. Redick
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
711:Frederick Metz
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
681:Herman Kountze
678:
673:
671:Thomas Kennard
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
643:
638:
633:
631:Mary Creighton
628:
623:
618:
613:
608:
603:
597:
595:
589:
588:
586:
585:
580:
575:
570:
565:
560:
555:
549:
547:
543:
542:
535:
534:
527:
520:
512:
506:
505:
498:
497:External links
495:
494:
493:
485:
484:External links
482:
479:
478:
465:
452:
440:
427:
415:
404:"Exploitation"
396:
383:
371:
352:
342:2007-08-04 at
328:
323:Annual Report.
313:
300:
288:
274:
273:
271:
268:
267:
266:
264:Parks in Omaha
261:
259:Jobbers Canyon
256:
251:
244:
241:
237:Interstate 480
218:Interstate 480
158:
155:
143:Downtown Omaha
139:Interstate 480
122:
121:
118:
114:
113:
110:
106:
105:
102:
98:
97:
56:
50:
49:
47:Downtown Omaha
44:
40:
39:
32:
28:
27:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
970:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
925:
923:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
882:Cutler's Park
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
854:
852:
848:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
803:
801:
797:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
652:
651:Augustus Hall
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
616:William Byers
614:
612:
609:
607:
604:
602:
599:
598:
596:
594:
590:
584:
581:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
563:Herndon House
561:
559:
558:Douglas House
556:
554:
551:
550:
548:
544:
540:
539:Pioneer Omaha
533:
528:
526:
521:
519:
514:
513:
510:
504:
501:
500:
491:
488:
487:
475:
469:
462:
456:
449:
444:
437:
431:
424:
419:
412:
408:
405:
400:
393:
387:
380:
375:
368:
364:
361:
356:
349:
345:
344:archive.today
341:
338:
332:
325:
324:
317:
310:
304:
297:
292:
285:
279:
275:
265:
262:
260:
257:
255:
252:
250:
247:
246:
240:
238:
234:
229:
226:
221:
219:
215:
209:
207:
203:
199:
196:In 1893, the
194:
192:
188:
185:
184:
179:
178:public school
174:
172:
168:
164:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
120:Razed in 1969
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
94:
57:
55:
51:
48:
45:
41:
37:
33:
29:
25:
20:
716:Ezra Millard
567:
473:
468:
460:
455:
443:
435:
430:
418:
399:
391:
386:
374:
355:
350:21(108): 13.
347:
331:
321:
316:
308:
303:
291:
283:
278:
230:
222:
210:
195:
181:
175:
160:
131:public parks
126:
125:
790:Anna Wilson
167:black bears
80: /
54:Coordinates
34:Municipal (
922:Categories
831:East Omaha
826:Train Town
746:Byron Reed
696:Jesse Lowe
270:References
214:Fort Omaha
176:The first
133:extant in
86: (
67:95°56′11″W
64:41°15′48″N
872:Fort Lisa
821:Scriptown
691:Enos Lowe
601:Dan Allen
461:Nebraska.
183:Omaha Bee
816:Bellevue
811:Florence
806:Saratoga
407:Archived
363:Archived
340:Archived
243:See also
225:homeless
149:and the
43:Location
776:William
157:History
109:Created
463:p 242.
326:p. 10.
117:Status
171:bison
36:Omaha
778:and
311:p 6.
112:1856
101:Area
31:Type
141:in
924::
346:,
153:.
531:e
524:t
517:v
90:)
38:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.