Old Market (Omaha, Nebraska)

Last updated

Old Market Historic District
Old Market Neighborhood, Omaha.jpg
Howard Street in the heart of the Old Market
Location Flag of Nebraska.svg Omaha, Nebraska
Coordinates 41°15′20″N95°55′50″W / 41.25556°N 95.93056°W / 41.25556; -95.93056
ArchitectMultiple
NRHP reference No. 79001441 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMarch 23, 1979
Designated OMALJanuary 22, 1985 [2]

The Old Market is a neighborhood located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States, and is bordered by South 10th Street to the east, 13th Street to the west, Farnam Street to the north and Jackson Street to the South. The neighborhood has many restaurants, art galleries and upscale shopping. The area retains its brick paved streets from the turn of the 20th century, horse-drawn carriages, and covered sidewalks in some areas. It is not uncommon to see a variety of street performers, artists, and other vendors.

Contents

Historic designation

The area is on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, and borders the former site of the Jobbers Canyon Historic District, as well as the extant Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District and the Warehouses in Omaha MPS. There is a walking tour of historic buildings available from the Omaha Chamber of Commerce. There are also several specifically noted historic buildings within the district.

Historic buildings

Buildings within the Old Market have served a variety of purposes, and were built during various eras. Originally built to sell groceries wholesale and retail to the city of Omaha and beyond, the Old Market district was preceded by the Market House in Omaha's Jefferson Square.

The Old Market district was formed when the Market House still stood. The buildings and businesses included: [3]

Construction

Most of the buildings in the Old Market are brick, and the streets throughout are covered with bricked surfaces, cobblestone and asphalt. There were also cast-iron fronts, metal cornices, stone trim, and metal sidewalk coverings shelters attached to many of the buildings around the turn of the 20th century.

Building details

NameBuiltLocation NRHP? [4] Notes
Windsor Hotel1885, 1889520-524 South 10th StreetYes
Omaha Fire Station Number One1902-04514 South 11th StreetYes
P.E. Iler Block1900-011113-1117 Howard StreetYes
Millard Block Number Two18871109-1111 Harney StreetYesDesigned by the architecture firm Isaac Hodgson and Son.
Mercer Hotel - Gahm Block1890–92, 19001202-1208 Howard Street; 414-418 South 12th StreetYesOriginally designed by architect Charles F. Beindorff, and completely renovated in 1900 by architect Charles Cleves.
Millard Block1881-821101-1107 Harney StreetYes
W.J. Broatch Building1880, 18871209-1211 Harney StreetYes
Steele, Johnson and Company / Baum Iron Company Building18811219-21-23 Harney StreetYesToday, Baum continues to operate at this location as the Baum Hydraulic Company.
Poppleton Block1886413-423 South 11th StreetYes
Ernest Myer Building19121015 Howard StreetYes
Hotel Howard19091002-06 Howard StreetYes
Lehman Building19051008-1012 Howard StreetYes
19341014 Howard StreetYes
Mercer Block Number Two1887501-509 South 11th StreetYesDesigned by architect Henry Voss.
Rocco Brothers / Craftsmen Guild 1895511 South 11th StreetYes
Kosters / Gilinsky / French Cafe Building18911013-1017 Howard StreetYes
Metz Block1890s508-10-12 South 10th StreetYes
Public Market1905NE corner of 11th and Jackson
Ames Block18891101-1111 Howard StreetYesDesigned by the architectural firm of VanBrunt and Howe from Kansas City, Missouri
Mercer Block Number Three19051102-1112 Howard Street and 414-424 South 11th StreetYesDesigned by architect Charles Cleves.
Woolworth Building18871114-24 Howard StreetYesDesigned by the firm of Mendelssohn and Lawrie.
A.I. Root Building1904, 19091210-12-14-16 Howard StreetYesDesigned by architect F. A. Henninger.
Morse-Coe Shoe Company Building18941119-23 Howard StreetYes
George H. Lee Building19031115-17 Harney StreetYesDesigned by architect John Latenser.
1901 (est)1205-07 Harney StreetYes
George Warren Smith Building18801213-15 Harney StreetYes
18801113 Harney StreetYes
National Building1915406 South 12th StreetYes
Baker-Corey-McKenzie Building19191120-24 Harney StreetYesDesigned by the architectural firm of John Latenser & Sons.
P.E. Iler Block18811108-10-12 Harney StreetYes
Millard-Kirkendall and Jones Building18871102-06 Harney StreetYes
Omaha Crockery Building19181116-20 Harney StreetYesDesigned by architect J. Christ Jensen
Smith Building18771113 Farnam StreetYes
Dewey and Stone Building18761115-17 Farnam StreetYes
Clark and French Building18791119 Farnam StreetYes

Redevelopment

ConAgra Foods relocated their headquarters to neighbor the Old Market in 1991, after a contentious battle with local advocates after the City of Omaha demolished the Jobbers Canyon Historic District. On October 1, 2015, ConAgra announced that it would cut about 1,500 jobs and relocate its headquarters to Chicago as part of a restructuring plan. [5]

2016 Old Market explosion

Many of the original warehouses in the Old Market have been converted into lofts. The building on the right was damaged by the January 2016 fire. Old Market Omaha NE 2010.jpg
Many of the original warehouses in the Old Market have been converted into lofts. The building on the right was damaged by the January 2016 fire.

On January 9, 2016, at 2:51 pm local time, a large explosion occurred at M's Pub on the northwest corner of 11th and Howard streets causing a large fire to break out. The fire and subsequent efforts to extinguish it caused a total loss of the 100-year-old building as firefighters worked through the night and following morning. Temperatures at the time were in the sub-zero range causing large-scale freezing of the water from the fire fighting efforts. The explosion is believed to have been caused by a gas line that was accidentally ruptured by contractors on behalf of Verizon installing fiber-optic cables. Although several people were injured during the explosion, there were no fatalities. Eyewitnesses reported injuries sustained by multiple people within the immediate vicinity of the explosion, although these were not broadcast by local media outlets. [6]

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. "Omaha Landmarks". Omaha Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  3. "Tax incentive program projects in Douglas County," [usurped] Nebraska State Historical Society. Retrieved 1/17/08.
  4. (2007) National Register of Historic Places - Nebraska, Douglas County. National Park Service. Retrieved 6/7/07.
  5. "ConAgra to Cut 1,500 Jobs, Move Headquarters to Chicago". The Wall Street Journal . October 1, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  6. "Relentless fire destroys Old Market landmark". KETV News. Retrieved January 10, 2016.