The East Omaha Swing Bridge

The East Omaha Swing Bridge

by | Mar 3, 2026 | Omaha Local History

The historic East Omaha Bridge is among the most unique bridges in the country. Built in 1893 by the Omaha Bridge and Terminal Railway Company, it connected Omaha and Council Bluffs for rail service. Constructed of wrought iron, it was originally a single swing...
The History of Omaha’s Oldest Park

The History of Omaha’s Oldest Park

by | Feb 24, 2026 | Omaha Local History

Omaha’s oldest park was founded more than 150 years ago. Prior to that, the city had only one other park, Jefferson Square at 16th & Chicago Street, which consisted of a single block. Noting the lack of green space in the rapidly growing 18-year-old city, Andrew...
The Christian Specht Building

The Christian Specht Building

by | Feb 18, 2026 | Omaha Local History

One of Omaha’s most well-known historic buildings bears the name Specht. Located across from the Gene Leahy Mall, the building was constructed by Christian Specht for his Western Cornice Works. Born in Germany in 1847, Christian Specht arrived in Baltimore at...
The Cornish Mansion in Little Italy

The Cornish Mansion in Little Italy

by | Feb 5, 2026 | Omaha Local History

One of Omaha’s most recognizable residences belonged to Colonel Joel Northrup Cornish, a man whose grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War and who was himself commissioned as a colonel by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Born in New York in 1828,...