Omaha, situated along the Missouri River near the Iowa border and stretching to the Elkhorn River, has a rich history dating back to humble beginnings. Here are some interesting facts about Omaha's early days!
Informally established on July 4, 1854, at a picnic on Capital Hill (which is now the site of Omaha Central High School), Omaha later became the starting point for the transcontinental railroad, as decided by President Lincoln in 1862. This led to the formation of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Although the territorial capital was Omaha, it was moved to Lancaster (later renamed Lincoln) after Nebraska became the 37th state in the union on March 1, 1867. Omaha's Union Stockyard Company was founded in 1883 and became a revival of Chicago's Union Stock Yards, dominating the nation's largest livestock market and meat packing industry until the 1990s.
Dubbed "The Gateway to the West," Omaha hosted The World's Fair in 1898 and became a crucial transportation hub due to its central location. Today, it is the largest city in Nebraska and home to four Fortune 500 companies: Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, Kiewit Corporation, and Union Pacific Corporation.
If you're looking for things to do in Omaha, there are plenty of options to choose from! Check out some of the city's top attractions, including the famous Henry Doorly Zoo, Lauritzen Botanical Gardens, The Durham Museum, Joslyn Art Museum, and Kaneko. The dining scene is also diverse, with many talented chefs serving up almost every kind of cuisine across the city. For recommendations, we suggest following the Omaha Food Lovers page on Facebook.
Omaha is also home to many local businesses across all industries. Some of our favorites that serve the Omaha Metro Area include Badger Custom Construction, Omaha Blue Waves Martial Arts & Fitness, Pat Zimmer with Heritage Financial Services, West Mortgage Group with Fairway Mortgage, Omaha National Title, DnTree, The Lantern Boutique, Castle and Associates with American Family Insurance, Signature Property Inspections, Eshelman Chiropractic, and Allied Heating and Cooling.
Additionally, Omaha features many parks and recreation areas, such as golf courses, pools and spraygrounds, dog parks, skate parks, and pickleball courts. For entertainment, check out The Steelhouse, The Rose Theater, The Omaha Community Playhouse, The Orpheum Theater, and The Holland Performing Arts Center. Lastly, the city is home to several public school districts, including Omaha Public Schools, Westside Community Schools (also known as District 66), Millard Public Schools, and Elkhorn Public Schools.
Such a great team! Thank you for letting us help you celebrate!