Sheelytown (Omaha)

Last updated

Sheelytown was a historic ethnic neighborhood in South Omaha, Nebraska, USA with populations of Irish, Polish and other first generation immigrants. Located north of the Union Stockyards, it was bounded by Edward Creighton Boulevard on the north, Vinton Street on the south, South 24th Street to the east, and 35th Street to the west. [1] [2] Sheelytown was named for the Sheely Brothers Packing Houses that were located in the area. Sheelytown was annexed by Omaha in 1887. [3] The Omaha Quartermaster Depot was built just east of the community across the Union Pacific tracks.

Contents

History

Joseph Sheely ran a meat packing plant near the railroad tracks southeast of Hanscom Park. Workers in his plant occupied a small company town immediately next to the plant that was named after their boss. [4] Sheelytown was first occupied by Irish, who came in the 1860s and 1870s to work in the stockyards and meatpacking plants. [5] Later when Polish [6] and Czech immigrants arrived, they also settled in Sheelytown and South Omaha. The community was a working class and poor area, often regarded as dirty and "uncivilized" by wealthier Omahans. [7] In the early decades of the 20th century, the community had ex-officio mayors for many years, including Nicodemus Dargaczewski, who was a close ally of political bosses "Cowboy" James Dahlman and Tom Dennison. [8]

Around the start of the 20th century, members of the Hanscom Park Methodist Episcopal Church became concerned with the "lawlessness and destitute behavior" of workers in the neighborhood. They organized dances to compete with the "loose establishments" in Sheelytown. The dances routinely caused a stir among local residents, but were continuously held for many years. [9]

Legacy

Adjacent to Sheelytown is the commercial area now called the Vinton Street Commercial Historic District. In 2006 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [10]

The Polonairs of Omaha is a polka band that recorded an album called Sheelytown On Parade on the Czech Records label. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Omaha, Nebraska</span> Nebraska city settled on west bank of Missouri River

The history of Omaha, Nebraska, began before the settlement of the city, with speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa staking land across the Missouri River illegally as early as the 1840s. When it was legal to claim land in Indian Country, William D. Brown was operating the Lone Tree Ferry to bring settlers from Council Bluffs to Omaha. A treaty with the Omaha Tribe allowed the creation of the Nebraska Territory, and Omaha City was founded on July 4, 1854. With early settlement came claim jumpers and squatters, and the formation of a vigilante law group called the Omaha Claim Club, which was one of many claim clubs across the Midwest. During this period many of the city's founding fathers received lots in Scriptown, which was made possible by the actions of the Omaha Claim Club. The club's violent actions were challenged successfully in a case ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, Baker v. Morton, which led to the end of the organization.

The Near North Side of Omaha, Nebraska is the neighborhood immediately north of downtown. It forms the nucleus of the city's African-American community, and its name is often synonymous with the entire North Omaha area. It is bordered by Cuming Street on the south, 30th on the west, 16th on the east, and Locust Street to the north.

The Sporting District was an area near 16th and Harney Streets in Omaha, Nebraska where city boss Tom Dennison kept the majority of his gambling, drinking and prostitution interests from the late 19th century until the end of his reign in 1933. "Cowboy" James Dahlman was reputedly voted to the first of eight terms as mayor of Omaha because he was more tolerant of the Dennison's "Sporting District" in the middle of the city.

The Union Stockyards of Omaha, Nebraska, were founded in 1883 in South Omaha by the Union Stock Yards Company of Omaha. A fierce rival of Chicago's Union Stock Yards, the Omaha Union Stockyards were third in the United States for production by 1890. In 1947 they were second to Chicago in the world. Omaha overtook Chicago as the nation's largest livestock market and meat packing industry center in 1955, a title which it held onto until 1971. The 116-year-old institution closed in 1999. The Livestock Exchange Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinton Street Commercial Historic District</span> Historic district in Nebraska, United States

The Vinton Street Commercial Historic District is located along Vinton Street between Elm Street on the west and South 17th Street on the east in south Omaha, Nebraska. This district is located adjacent to Sheelytown, a residential neighborhood that had historically significant populations of Irish, Poles, and Eastern European immigrants. It grew along with the success of the Union Stockyards and South Omaha. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.


Hanscom Park United Methodist Church is located at 4444 Frances Street in the Hanscom Park neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. Established in 1886, the congregation has long been a leader in Nebraska Conference of the United Methodist Church, and hosted at least one annual regional meeting. In 1953, the congregation's pastor gained national attention for forming a psychiatric support group for Methodist ministers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Omaha, Nebraska</span>

The economy of Omaha, Nebraska is linked to the city's status as a major commercial hub in the Midwestern United States since its founding in 1854. Dubbed the "Motor Mouth City" by The New York Times, Omaha is widely regarded as the telecommunications capital of the United States. The city's economy includes agriculture, food processing, insurance, transportation, healthcare and education. Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway has lived in Omaha all of his life, as have the ConAgra Foods, Union Pacific Railroad and Mutual of Omaha Companies, and Kiewit Corporation, all Fortune 500 corporations.

The Burnt District was the original red light district in Omaha, Nebraska in the late 19th century. The area was located east of Creighton University from Douglas Street six blocks north to Cass Street and from the Missouri River west to Sixteenth Street, centered around the area currently containing Pioneer Courage Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Ricketts</span> American politician

Matthew Oliver Ricketts was an American politician and physician. He was the first African-American member of the Nebraska Legislature, where he served two terms in the Nebraska House of Representatives from 1893 until 1897. He was also the first African American to graduate from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railroads in Omaha</span>

Railroads in Omaha, Nebraska, have been integral to the growth and development of the city, the state of Nebraska, the Western United States and the entire United States. The convergence of many railroad forces upon the city was by happenstance and synergy, as none of the Omaha leaders had a comprehensive strategy for bringing railroads to the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynching of Joe Coe</span> African American lynched in the U.S.

Joe Coe, also known as George Smith, was an African-American laborer who was lynched on October 10, 1891, in Omaha, Nebraska. Overwhelmed by a mob of one thousand at the Douglas County Courthouse, the twelve city police officers stood by without intervening. Afterward, the mayor called the lynching "the most deplorable thing that has ever happened in the history of the country."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packer's National Bank Building</span> United States historic place

Packer's National Bank Building is located at 4939 South 24th Street in the South Omaha Main Street Historic District in south Omaha, Nebraska. It was built in 1907. In 1984, it was designated an Omaha Landmark and, in 1985, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Poles in Omaha, Nebraska arrived relatively early in the city's history. The first Polish immigrants came in the 1870s, and the community grew past 1000 in the late 1890s. By the 1930s there were 10,000 of Polish descent, and Omaha claimed the largest such community of the Great Plains. According to the 2000 United States Census, Omaha had a total population of 390,112 residents, of whom 18,447 claimed Polish ancestry. The city's Polish community was historically based in several ethnic enclaves throughout South Omaha, including Little Poland and Sheelytown, first dominated by Irish immigrants.

Various ethnic groups in Omaha, Nebraska have lived in the city since its organization by Anglo-Americans in 1854. Native Americans of various nations lived in the Omaha territory for centuries before European arrival, and some stayed in the area. The city was founded by white Anglo-Saxon Protestants from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. However, since the first settlement, substantial immigration from all of Europe, migration by African Americans from the Deep South and various ethnic groups from the Eastern United States, and new waves of more recent immigrants from Mexico and Africa have added layers of complexity to the workforce, culture, religious and social fabric of the city.

The Swift Packing Plant was a division of Swift and Company located at South 27th and Q Streets in South Omaha, Nebraska. The plant was opened in 1887 and closed in 1969. It covered approximately eight square blocks and consisted of several brick and stone buildings, and was located in proximity to the Omaha Stockyards. It was located on the South Omaha Terminal Railway, and next to the Omaha Stockyards, making Swift one of the "Big Four" packing companies in Omaha.

The Armour Packing Plant was a division of Armour and Company located at South 29th and Q Streets in South Omaha, Nebraska. The plant opened in 1897 and closed in 1968. The plant included several buildings, including a remarkable red brick administrative building, and a large, tall wall which surrounded the facility. It was located on the South Omaha Terminal Railway, and next to the Omaha Stockyards, making Armour one of the "Big Four" packing companies in Omaha.

The Wilson Packing Plant was a division of the Wilson and Company meatpacking company located near South 27th and Y Streets in South Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in the 1890s, it closed in 1976. It occupied the area bounded by Washington Street, South 27th Street, W Street and South 30th Street. Located on the South Omaha Terminal Railway and next to the Omaha Stockyards, Wilson was regarded as one of the "Big Four" packing companies in Omaha.

The Sheely Packing Company was located at South 27th Avenue and Martha Street in South Omaha, Nebraska. The plant was the namesake of the surrounding Sheelytown neighborhood, which was predominantly Polish, with many other immigrants as well. It was the first substantial meatpacking operation in Omaha, which preceded the founding of the city's large meatpacking industry.

Significant events in the history of Omaha, Nebraska, include social, political, cultural, and economic activities.

References

  1. ↑ Lopez, D.A. (2001) The Latino experience in Omaha: a visual essay. p. 33.
  2. ↑ "Question Mark, Where is Sheelytown?". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. December 28, 1968. p. 14. The area, bordered approximately by Ed Creighton Boulevard, Vinton, 24th Street and 35th Streets, got its name from the Sheely Brother Packing House at 27th and Martha, according to World-Herald files.
  3. ↑ (nd) "Annexation-Growth Page," Archived 2007-09-12 at the Wayback Machine Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
  4. ↑ (n.d.) Prospect Cemetery Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
  5. ↑ (2002) "Naas group had hectic Omaha weekend," KidCareNet News. Retrieved 2007-07-16
  6. ↑ (nd) "The Alfred & Frances Riedmann, Sr. Family." Archived 2007-10-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2007-07-15.
  7. ↑ Menard, O.D. (1989) Political Bossism in Mid America: Tom Dennison's Omaha, 1900–1933. University Press of America. p. 11.
  8. ↑ Peattie, E.W. "How they live at Sheely: Pen picture of a strange settlement and its queer set of inhabitants," March 31, 1895. in (2005) Impertinences: Selected Writings of Elia Peattie, a Journalist in the Gilded Age. University of Nebraska Press. p. 31.
  9. ↑ Peattie, E.W. (2005) Impertinences: Selected Writings of Elia Peattie, a Journalist in the Gilded Age. University of Nebraska Press. p. 32.
  10. ↑ (2006) "New Listings" [Usurped!]. Nebraska State Historical Society. Retrieved 7/8/07.
  11. ↑ (nd) TK Frank's Polka Records Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 2007-07-16.

Bibliography

Coordinates: 41°14′01″N95°56′52″W / 41.23361°N 95.94778°W / 41.23361; -95.94778

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.