The Governor and the Guard in the Omaha Tram Strike of 1935
At the height of violence in the Omaha streetcar strike of 1935 Nebraska's new governor, Robert Leroy ("Roy") Cochran, called out the National Guard and declared martial ...
Omaha
What We Found
The Omaha Business Men’s Association and the Open Shop, 1903-1909
Socially prominent local businessmen led the anti-union movement in Omaha in the early twentieth century. Many unions survived, but the open shop principle promoted by ...
Gone to Horse Heaven
Dr. Enos Lowe was one of Omaha's pioneer settlers and its first mayor. He also owned a pair of horses, George and Jim, that were inseparable for 20 years. He wrote about ...
“It’s Going to be a Stunner”: Women’s Swimwear in 1887
Whether it was bloomers and black stockings or a blouse and trousers with a skirt attached, the women's swimsuits of the 19th century are a far cry from those of ...
Sarg Cole’s Sleepless Marathon Drive in Omaha
In May 1925, Sarg Cole had what modern scholars might call a Bad Idea. He was going to drive around Omaha for 5 days straight with no sleep and nothing to drink but ...
Jury Duty
It's safe to say that jury duty isn't the most enjoyable thing in the world. But for one Omaha jury in February 1893, things got so bad that they actually went on ...
“What’s happened to our teenagers?” Elvis in Nebraska
Why is this young man all shook up? Elvis Presley performed at the University of Nebraska Coliseum on May 19, 1956, and at the Omaha Civic Auditorium the next day. This ...
Trash to Treasure
This Great Depression Era hand-painted ad for Advo Coffee was in bad shape when it arrived at our Ford Conservation Center.
It was split into pieces, warped, and ...
What happened when a million Nebraskans drank Polio Punch
In 1962 Nebraskans organized the largest mass vaccination campaign in the state’s history. An estimated 1 million Nebraskans drank polio vaccine at a series of “Sabin ...
Can You Dig It?
The Ford Center is also currently treating some archeological objects that will be used in the Nebraska History Museum's upcoming exhibit on Nebraska archeology, ...
Omaha and the “Red Summer” of 1919
World War I was over, but the nation was not at peace. Omaha was “a city in ferment,” torn by strikes, food shortages, and racial resentment. By September the city was ...
Did Claude Nethaway murder his wife and frame an innocent man?
By David L. Bristow, Editor
Content Warning: This post quotes offensive, racist language and includes a detailed depiction of a murder scene.
His business card ...
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