Tag Archives: Omaha

How to Impress a Tourist: The 1909 Glidden Auto Tour

In late July, 1909, Nebraska newspapers were abuzz with news of the Glidden Auto Tour. “Glidden Tourists Pass Through Omaha,” “Glidden Tourists Will Go at Top Speed Through Fremont,” “Thousands Welcome Glidden Tourists,” and “Glidden Tour Makes Kearney the Mecca … Continue reading

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Saving the Present at the Cost of the Past?

In the Summer 2012 issue of Nebraska History, Daniel Spegel explains the circumstances and powers that resulted in the largest ever demolition of a district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The fate of Omaha’s Jobbers Canyon district … Continue reading

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Todd Storz: Radio for a New Era

Todd Storz, owner of Omaha’s KOWH, saw music as opportunity. He showed the world how to harness music and make it profitable in a world more interested in visual stimulation than audio. Largely because of his invention and business efficiency, … Continue reading

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Superman Comes to Omaha . . .er, Lincoln

The Nebraska State Historical Society collects and cares for hundreds of thousands of items.  Not surprisingly, many are quite old.  We aren’t, however, neglecting the present.  Although it can be difficult to determine today what will have historical relevance one … Continue reading

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An Ice Union of Two Cities

January 12, 1888, marked not only the famous blizzard but a happier event–what the Omaha Daily Bee on January 13 called “An Ice Union of Two Cities.” Despite the inclement weather, a sleighing carnival in Council Bluffs attracted many Omahans … Continue reading

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A Midsummer Christmas Eve

Freakish weather is not unique to the twenty-first century. The Christmas of 1889 in Omaha was memorable chiefly for the record high temperatures recorded there. The Omaha Daily Bee on December 25, under the headline “Mid-Summer Christmas Eve,” reflected the … Continue reading

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The Shoemaker’s Ashes

“Edward Kuehl, one of the most peculiar characters that ever lived in Omaha, or anywhere else, was found dead in his bed last night in the back room of his place of business at 319 South Tenth street,” said the … Continue reading

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Rev. Russel Taylor and the Struggle for Civil Rights in 1920s Omaha.

There are certain names we instantly recognize as those who passionately loved and strove for equality. Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony and many others have a permanent place in history textbooks as heroes of social justice. There … Continue reading

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Souvenir Spoons

Collecting souvenir spoons became a popular hobby for Americans in the late 1800s. Wealthy tourists visiting Europe brought home these mementos marked with the names of foreign cities and famous landmarks they had seen. The Omaha Daily Bee on May … Continue reading

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Dan Desdunes and the Birth of Omaha Jazz

Dan Desdunes lived a remarkable life as a bandleader, educator, and civil rights activist. In his native New Orleans, he played a key role in an unsuccessful legal challenge to railway segregation that led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s infamous … Continue reading

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