This is a list of
park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
s in
Omaha, Nebraska. It includes cemeteries and golf courses. Most parks in Omaha are governed by the
City of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department.
History
In 1854
Alfred D. Jones
Alfred D. Jones (January 13, 1814 – August 30, 1902) was a late 19th-century lawyer, surveyor and politician in the Midwestern United States. In 1846 he platted Fort Des Moines, Iowa,Gue, B.F. (1903) ''History of Iowa from the Earliest Times ...
drew four parks on the original map of Omaha City. They were called
Jefferson Square, which was paved over by
I-480; Washington Park, which is where the
Paxton Block currently sits at North 16th and Farnam Streets; Capitol Square, where
Omaha Central High School is now located, and; an unnamed tract overlooking the river with Davenport Street on the north, Jackson Street on the south, North 8th on the east and North 9th Street on the west. Jefferson Square lasted until 1969, when it was razed to make way for a new interstate in
downtown Omaha. The riverfront from the interstate south to the headquarters of
ConAgra Foods is now the
Heartland of America Park
Heartland of America Park is a public park located at 800 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. After partially closing in 2020 due to extensive renovations, the park reopened to the public on August 18, 2023. The park is situated between I ...
.
Hanscom Park
Hanscom Park is a historic neighborhood in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. Its namesake public park is one of the oldest parks in Omaha, donated to the City in 1872. U.S. President Gerald R. Ford was born in a house in the Hanscom Park neighborhood. Its ...
became Omaha's first park.
Miller,
Fontenelle,
Elmwood and Riverview were Omaha's largest parks in 1920. (Riverview Park Zoo eventually became
Henry Doorly Zoo
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Its mission is conservation, research, recreation, and educ ...
.)
Levi Carter Park
Levi Carter Park is located at 3100 Abbott Drive in East Omaha, Nebraska. It was named after one of Omaha's original industrialists, Levi Carter, who ran a white lead smelter in the area.
History
As recently as 1876, Levi Carter Park was the west ...
was its largest, at . Other parks in the system that year were
Bemis,
Deer,
Kountze Park, Curtis Turner, Harold Gifford,
Mercer
Mercer may refer to:
Business
* Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925)
* Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City
* Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader ...
, Jefferson Square, Hixenbaugh, Burt playground, Bluff View,
Spring Lake, Highland, McKinley, Clear View and Morton.
Omaha's boulevard system was designed to be part of the parks system in 1889 by renowned landscape architect
Horace Cleveland
Horace William Shaler Cleveland (December 16, 1814 – December 5, 1900) was an American landscape architect. His approach to natural landscape design can be seen in projects such as the Grand Rounds in Minneapolis; Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Con ...
. The Omaha Park and Boulevard System was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
Administration
The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Public Property is the
City of Omaha's agency responsible for administering
public parks.
"Parks, Recreation, and Public Property"
City of Omaha. Retrieved 8/24/08.
Current parks
See also
* List of cemeteries in Omaha
The following is a list of cemeteries in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska in the United States.
The earliest cemetery in Omaha is the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery, established in 1846 for residents of Culter's Park.
Cemeteries
See also
* History ...
* Culture in Omaha
The culture of Omaha, Nebraska, has been partially defined by music and college sports, and by local cuisine and community theatre. The city has a long history of improving and expanding on its cultural offerings. In the 1920s, the ''Omaha Bee'' n ...
* Sports in Omaha
Sports in Omaha, Nebraska are supported by a high attendance at events and tax support from the City of Omaha. Omaha, Nebraska is home to several professional sports teams and modern sports venues.
The city has hosted a number of important sporti ...
References
External links
Parks in Omaha
– info about parks and public places in Omaha
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parks In Omaha, Nebraska
Government of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...
Omaha, Nebraska-related lists