South 10th Street

Last updated
South 10th Street
North endCuming Street
41°16′06″N95°55′48″W / 41.26833°N 95.93000°W / 41.26833; -95.93000
South endHugo Street
41°13′13″N95°55′46″W / 41.22028°N 95.92944°W / 41.22028; -95.92944

South 10th Street is a two-way street that runs south-north from Downtown into South Omaha, Nebraska. Beginning at Dodge Street, South 10th Street passes Gene Leahy Mall and borders the ConAgra Campus and the Old Market. Its southern reaches are widely regarded as the heart of Little Italy, and further south it was the center of the Old Gold Coast neighborhood. There were several other historically ethnic communities, as well. [1]

Downtown Omaha

Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, U.S. state of Nebraska. The boundaries are Omaha's 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline of Chicago Street on the north, also including the CHI Health Center Omaha. Downtown sits on the Missouri River, with commanding views from the tallest skyscrapers.

Omaha, Nebraska City in Nebraska, United States

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 10 miles (15 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 40th-largest city, Omaha's 2018 estimated population was 466,061.

Dodge Street is the main east–west street in Omaha, Nebraska. Numbered as U.S. Route 6 (US 6), the street starts in Downtown Omaha and connects to West Dodge Road around 78th Street. From there, it continues westward through the remainder of Douglas County.

Contents

Background

Angie's Restaurant OmahaAngies.jpg
Angie's Restaurant
Cascio's Restaurant OmahaCascios.jpg
Cascio's Restaurant

Italian immigrants settled in the neighborhood in the late 1800s, quickly earning the nickname "Little Italy". Today it is home to Latinos[ who? ], Europeans[ which? ] and other people. However, there are still several Italian restaurants and bakeries along the strip, including the notable Cascio's Steak House and Angie's Restaurant. Angie's Restaurant closed in 2007, and was replaced by Lucky's Lounge, which promptly closed also.

Little Italy ethnic enclave

Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian culture. There are shops selling Italian goods as well as Italian restaurants lining the streets. A "Little Italy" strives essentially to have a version of the country of Italy placed in the middle of a big non-Italian city. This sort of enclave is often the result of periods of immigration in the past, during which people of the same culture settled together in certain areas. As cities modernized and grew, these areas became known for their ethnic associations, and towns like "Little Italy" blossomed, becoming the icons they are today.

South 10th Street and the area around it have been a business corridor for many years. Located within downtown, the eastern border of the Old Market is South 10th. Further south, Lauritzen Gardens is bordered by the street, as well. The Sons of Italy Hall at 1238 South 10th Street is a longstanding cultural institution, and the Durham Western Heritage Museum and the Henry Doorly Zoo are equally significant. [2] The Bancroft Street Farmers Market is also located along South 10th. [3]

Old Market (Omaha, Nebraska) neighborhood located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States, and is bordered by South 10th Street

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 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.

Lauritzen Gardens botanical garden

Lauritzen Gardens are a botanical gardens and arboretum located at 100 Bancroft Street in the South Omaha neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. The gardens are open daily during business hours; an admission fee is charged.

Historical places

As the home of Old Gold Coast, South 10th has many sites and a few buildings that were central to the early growth of Omaha in the pioneer era and immediately afterwards. As the neighborhood developed, it lost its luster but gained working-class roots.

Old Gold Coast human settlement in Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America

Old Gold Coast is the name of a historic district in south Omaha, Nebraska. With South 10th Street as the central artery, the area was home to neighborhoods such as Little Italy and Forest Hill. The area is referred to as "old" because it was replaced in prominence in the late 19th century when a new district usurped its importance. This area south of downtown was generally bounded by Leavenworth Street on the north, Bancroft Street on the south, the Missouri River on the east, and South 16th Street on the west.

Omaha's pioneer elite and first generation of successful businessmen built many large homes along South 10th Street. The first was Herman Kountze, who built a fortune in banking in Omaha and Denver. Building a mansion at his estate called Forest Hill, Kountze established the area as Omaha's first Gold Coast and many other wealthy people followed suit. His brother Charles Kountze also had a large mansion in the neighborhood, and another brother, Augustus Kountze, lived there, too. All were wealthy bankers, and built grand mansions fitting their owners' largess. None of the Kountze Brothers' mansions remain standing.

Herman Kountze American businessman

Herman Kountze was a powerful and influential pioneer banker in Omaha, Nebraska, during the late 19th century. After organizing the Kountze Brothers Bank in 1857 as the second bank in Omaha, Herman and his brothers Augustus, Charles and Luther changed the charter in 1863, opening the First National Bank of Omaha that year. Kountze was involved in a number of influential ventures around Omaha, including the development of the Omaha Stockyards and the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition of 1898. Immediately after his death Kountze was regarded as one of Omaha's "old settlers". Today Kountze's First National Bank is the oldest bank west of the Mississippi River, and continues as a privately held company in its sixth generation of family ownership.

Augustus Kountze was an American businessman based in Omaha, Nebraska, Kountze, Texas and New York City. He founded a late 19th-century national banking dynasty along with his brothers Charles, Herman and Luther.

After the Kountzes moved away, the St. Catherine's Hospital moved into the former estate. Much of the area was influenced by Bishop George Worthington, an Episcopal-era leader in Omaha. The Episcopalian Brownell-Talbot School was located in the Old Gold Coast, and Dietz Memorial United Methodist Church, which was originally St. Matthias Episcopal church. Worthington Street in the neighborhood was named for him, as was the former Worthington Hospital. His personal mansion, the Bishop Worthington Residence at 1240 South 10th, is currently under consideration for historically accurate restoration and preservation.

George Worthington (bishop) bishop of Nebraska

George Worthington was the second bishop of Nebraska in The Episcopal Church.

Brownell Talbot School is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory day school located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It serves students from preschool through grade 12.

Bishop Worthington Residence

The Bishop Worthington Residence was built at 1240 South 10th Street in Omaha, Nebraska in 1885. The personal home of Bishop George Worthington of the Episcopal Church, the Worthington Mansion was a place of high social and religious importance during the pioneer era of Omaha history. During its history, the mansion also served as the second Presbyterian Hospital and as the White House Apartments.

One fine home in the Old Gold Coast that still stands is the Joel N. Cornish House. Colonel Cornish was a wealthy retired military officer who brought his wealth to Omaha. Today, the home is designated as an Omaha Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located at 1404 South 10th Street.

Other NRHP listings along South 10th include Burlington Station, Hospe Music Warehouse, Union Station, Dietz Memorial United Methodist Church, the Neble House, St. Matthias' Episcopal Church and St. Philomena's Cathedral and Rectory. The Parlin, Orendorff and Martin Plow Company Building, part of the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District, is on South 10th, as well.

Related Research Articles

The history of North Omaha, Nebraska includes wildcat banks, ethnic enclaves, race riots and social change spanning over 200 years. With a recorded history that pre-dates the rest of the city, North Omaha has roots back to 1812 with the founding of Fort Lisa. It includes the Mormon settlement of Cutler's Park and Winter Quarters in 1846, a lynching before the turn-of-the-twentieth-century, the thriving 24th Street community of the 1920s, the bustling development of the African-American community through the 1950s, a series of riots in the 1960s, and redevelopment in the late 20th and early 21st century.

Significant events in the history of North Omaha, Nebraska include the Pawnee, Otoe and Sioux nations; the African American community; Irish, Czech, and other European immigrants, and; several other populations. Several important settlements and towns were built in the area, as well as important social events that shaped the future of Omaha and the history of the nation. The timeline of North Omaha history extends to present, including recent controversy over schools.

Saratoga Springs, Nebraska Territory, or Saratoga, was a boom and bust town founded in 1856 that throve for several years. During its short period of influence the town grew quickly, outpacing other local settlements in the area including Omaha and Florence, and briefly considered as a candidate for the Nebraska Territorial capitol. Saratoga was annexed into Omaha in 1887, and has been regarded a neighborhood in North Omaha since then.

Education in Omaha, Nebraska is provided by many private and public institutions. The first high school graduates in the Omaha area came from Brownell-Talbot School, which was founded in the town of Saratoga in 1863. The oldest school building in continuous usage is Omaha Central High School.

The neighborhoods of Omaha are a diverse collection of community areas and specific enclaves. They are spread throughout the Omaha metro area, and are all on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River.

Kountze Park is an urban public park located at 1920 Pinkney Street in the Kountze Place neighborhood of North Omaha, Nebraska, in the United States. The Park is historically significant as the site of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition of 1898.

Gold Coast Historic District (Omaha, Nebraska) historic district in 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 neighborhood housed many of Omaha's cultural and financial leaders between 1900 and 1920, taking over from Omaha's original Gold Coast in prominence.

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 Kountze Place neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska is a historically significant community on the city's north end. Today the neighborhood is home to several buildings and homes listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located between North 16th Avenue on the east to North 30th Street on the west; Locust Street on the south to Pratt Street on the north. Kountze Place was annexed into Omaha in 1887. The neighborhood was built as a suburban middle and upper middle class enclave for doctors, lawyers, successful businessmen and other professional workers.

Little Italy is a neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. Historically the home to the city's Italian population, Little Italy was the source for much of Omaha's bootlegging during Prohibition, many laborers for the Union Pacific railroad, and the Santa Lucia Procession, which started in 1924 and continues annually.

The Dahlman neighborhood is located south of downtown Omaha, Nebraska. One of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, it was originally platted in 1856. It was later named after "Cowboy" James Dahlman, an eight-term mayor of Omaha.

Old North Columbus human settlement in Columbus, Ohio, United States of America

Old North Columbus is a neighborhood located just north of the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 1847 where, at the time, it was a stand-alone city out of the confines of Columbus until it was incorporated into the City of Columbus in 1871. In its early years the city was a popular stagecoach stop with people traveling from Worthington to Columbus. Today Old North Columbus is popular for its local music and its unique "untouched architecture" which is reminiscent of its old roots.

Joel N. Cornish House

The Joel N. Cornish House is located at 1404 South 10th Street in South Omaha, Nebraska. The 1886 construction is considered an "excellent example of the French Second Empire style." The house was converted into apartments after the Cornish family moved out in 1911.

North 24th Street is a two-way street that runs south-north in the North Omaha area of Omaha, Nebraska. With the street beginning at Dodge Street, the historically significant section of the street runs from Cuming Street to Ames Avenue. A portion of North 24th is considered the "Main Street" of the Near North Side, and was historically referred to as "The Street of Dreams." The corridor is widely considered the heart of Omaha's African-American community.

Mansion Historic District historic district in the United States

The Mansion Historic District, sometimes referred to as Mansion Hill, is located south of Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York, United States. It takes its name from the nearby New York State Executive Mansion, which overlooks it. It is a 45-acre (18 ha), 16-block area with almost 500 buildings. Many of them are rowhouses and townhouses built in the middle and late 19th century that remain mostly intact today.

Nob Hill, San Francisco Neighborhood in San Francisco, California, United States

Nob Hill is a neighborhood of San Francisco, California that is known for the numerous luxury hotels and historic mansions, Nob Hill has historically served as a center of San Francisco's upper class. Nob Hill is among the highest-income neighborhoods in the United States, as well as one of the most desirable and expensive real estate markets in the country.

References

  1. Roberts-Gudeman, K. (September 23, 2004) "South 10th Street is a breeze", Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved 9/1/08.
  2. Bahney, Anna. "Journeys; 36 Hours - Omaha", The New York Times . October 24, 2003. Retrieved 10/12/08.
  3. "Farmers Market Brings New Life to South 10th Street" Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine , Omaha By Design. Retrieved 10/12/08.