Memorial Park is a 65-acre park located at 6005 Underwood Avenue near the

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

neighborhood of

Omaha, Nebraska 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 cit ...

. The park was created as a memorial for all of the men and women from Douglas County who have served in the

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

History

On March 3, 1943, before the idea of a war memorial had been proposed, the defunct Dundee Golf Course property wasn't being used. A local

Kiwanis Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizatio ...

Club suggested (and property owner Dundee Realty Company agreed) that two hundred apportioned

Victory Gardens ''Victory Gardens'' (1991) is the debut album from John & Mary, recorded in 1990 just six months after the two met in December 1989 and immediately following their signing with Rykodisc. John Lombardo, former member of 10,000 Maniacs and respon ...

be sponsored and planted there. In a January 1944 letter to

Henry Doorly Henry Doorly (November 9, 1879 – June 21, 1961) was the chairman of the World Publishing Company and publisher of the ''Omaha World-Herald'' in Nebraska, founded by his father-in-law, U.S. Senator Gilbert Hitchcock. Doorly worked for the co ...

, publisher of the

Omaha World-Herald The ''Omaha World-Herald'' is a daily newspaper in the midwestern United States, the primary newspaper of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. It was locally owned from its founding in 1885 until 2020, when it was sold to the newspaper ch ...

Mrs. J W Broad
owner of the Gypsy Tea Shop noted that mothers and wives of those killed during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

would come into her shop “looking so sorrowful” She suggested that a monument be erected to honor the fallen. As a result, the World War II Memorial Association of Omaha was formed under the leadership of

Storz Brewery The Storz Brewing Company was located at 1807 North 16th Street in North Omaha, Nebraska. Established from a company started in 1863, Storz Brewing began in 1876 by Gottlieb Storz and was owned by the Storz family until 1966; the brewery ceased op ...

owner Robert H. Storz and many other prominent citizens of Omaha. He lamented a twelve-year struggle the American War Mothers experienced trying to raise money for a

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

monument in Omaha. In 1925 a $250,000 structure of Bedford limestone designed by famed war memorial sculptor

Lorado Taft Lorado Zadok Taft (April 29, 1860, in Elmwood, Illinois – October 30, 1936, in Chicago) was an American sculptor, writer and educator. His 1903 book, ''The History of American Sculpture,'' was the first survey of the subject and stood for decad ...

, was proposed for a prominent point in Elmwood Park. A scaled-back monument was eventually dedicated on November 1, 1937 at Turner Park. Robert Storz was intent that a permanent and suitable World War II monument should be achieved. After years of zoning and legal disputes related to redevelopment plans, in August 1944, the World War II Memorial Association of Omaha executive committee and the Omaha City Council reached an agreement on the 22.91 acres of condemned Dundee Golf Course property (former Happy Hollow Country Club) near 60th Street and

US Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...

(Dodge Street). The remaining 42 acres of property were purchased from the Dundee Realty Company and the City of Omaha agreed to accept and maintain this ground for memorial park purposes. After owne
Mary George King
(daughter o
Charles Carlton George
handed over the land, Dundee Realty Company folded. Shortly afterward, Mary George King and her husban
H. Stephen King
moved to La Jolla, California. More than 3,000 individuals, patriot organizations, and business organizations, voluntarily contributed $233,732.59 for the purchase of land, architectural services, construction, and landscaping. In 1945 the

Leo A Daly LEO A DALY, established by Leo A. Daly, Sr. in 1915, is an American architecture, planning, engineering, interior design and program management firm. The firm's portfolio includes projects in 91 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of C ...

Company of Omaha was chosen as the chief architect for the planned war memorial.

John Caspar Wister John Caspar Wister (March 19, 1887 – December 27, 1982) was one of the United States' most highly honored horticulturists. Early life A member of Philadelphia's prominent Wister family, John was the youngest of five children born to William Ro ...

of Philadelphia was named landscaper and horticulturist. On Friday, June 4, 1948, President

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

arrived in Omaha for the annual reunion of the 35th Infantry Division for which he served as officer Captain Harry Truman, commander of Battery D of the 129th Field Artillery Regiment. The following day at 2:30pm the president placed a wreath dedicating the new World War II Memorial Park. Truman then visited Boys Town and placed a wreath at the sarcophagus of Fr. Edward J Flanagan in the Dowd Memorial Chapel. In 1959 the Omaha Rose Society added a rose garden, and in 1990

Woodmen of the World WoodmenLife (officially Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society) is a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society founded in 1890, based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members. ...

added flagpoles and flags along the driveway coming into memorial park. A

pedestrian bridge A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...

over

Dodge Street 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 just west of 78th Street. From there, it continues westward through the ...

called the Memorial Park Pedestrian Bridge was completed in 1968. The park was the site of several curfew and anti-

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

protest A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

s by youth activists in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Volunteers continue to tend to over 1,000 rose bushes during the growing season.

Events

On the last Friday in June, there is a concert in the park along with a fireworks show in commemoration of the

Independence Day (United States) Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...

holiday. Originally, the show was sponsored by Commercial Federal Bank. Later, the event was sponsored by Bank of the West. Currently, the event is called
The City of Omaha Celebrates America
" The event attracts over 50,000 people each year to picnic, listen to music and watch an amazing fireworks presentation with friends and family. Many stake out large spots every year, like this patriotic display affectionately referred to as "The World's Largest American Flag Blanket!" Some claim it can be seen from space. Memorial Park Blanket.jpg, Is this the World's Largest American Flag Blanket? Here are the musical acts who have performed there: 1987 - The Lettermen 1988 - Bobby Vinton 1993 - Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, The Drifters 1994 - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas,

Bobby Vee Robert Thomas Velline (April 30, 1943 – October 24, 2016), known professionally as Bobby Vee, was an American singer who was a teen idol in the early 1960s and also appeared in films. According to '' Billboard'' magazine, he had thirty-e ...

1995 - Frankie Avalon, Sha Na Na 1996 - The Temptations 1997 - The Four Tops, America 1998 - Neil Sedaka, The Shirelles 1999 - Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Drifters 2000 - The Righteous Brothers, The Supremes 2001 - The Beach Boys, Gary Puckett 2002 - Creedence Clearwater Revisited, The Spinners 2003 - The Village People, The Pointers 2004 - (rained out) The

Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...

Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael Allsup ...

Also in 2004,

311 311 may refer to: * 311 (number), a natural number * AD 311, a year of the Julian calendar, in the fourth century AD * 311 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar * 311 (band), an American band ** ''311'' (album), band 311's self-titled album ...

played at Memorial Park for free in celebration of Omaha's 150th Anniversary. There were over 40,000 people there to celebrate. 2005 - The

, Mulberry Lane 2006 -

REO Speedwagon REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The ...

, The Fifth Dimension 2007 - KC & the Sunshine Band, Little River Band 2008 - (rained out) Kool & The Gang, .38 Special 2009 -

The Guess Who The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1965. The band originated in 1962 and achieved an international hit single with a cover of "Shakin' All Over" in 1965 under the name Chad Allan and the Expressions. After c ...

Grand Funk Railroad Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in 1968 in Flint, Michigan, by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar), Don Brewer (drums, vocals), and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved peak popularity and succes ...

2010 - The Bank of the West Celebrates America concert marked its 20th year in Omaha in 2010 by bringing the national “United In Rock” tour of Foreigner, Styx, and

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

to the annual free live concert and fireworks show in Memorial Park on Friday, July 2, 2010. Officials estimated attendance reached a record 80,000 attendees.
Bank of the west. Retrieved 6/07/10. 2011 -

Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and ...

.38 Special The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & ...

, Take Me to Vegas. The stage moved (permanently) to the

side of the Park for the 2011 concert. 2012 -

Huey Lewis and the News Huey Lewis and the News are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Adult Contempora ...

, Mockingbird Sun, Scarlett Drive. 2013 - Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Loverboy 2014 - Smash Mouth, Blues Traveler, Sugar Ray, Uncle Kracker 2015 - Joan Jett,

Eddie Money Edward Joseph Mahoney (March 21, 1949 – September 13, 2019), known professionally as Eddie Money, was an American singer and songwriter who, in the 1970s and 1980s, had eleven Top 40 songs, including "Baby Hold On", "Two Tickets to Parad ...

2016 - Kenny Loggins 2017 - Kool & the Gang 2018 – Starship featuring Marty Balin 2019 – Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul 2020 – (event cancelled due to Covid Pandemic concerns) 2021 –
event scheduled for 8/28/21

References

{{reflist Parks in Omaha, Nebraska 1948 establishments in Nebraska

History

Events

See also

References