Omaha: The Crossroads of America

ORIENTATION

Omaha is situated in America's Midwest near the geographic center of the country, almost equally distant from New York, New York—1,269 mi (2,042 km) to the east—as it is from Los Angeles, California—1,563 mi (2515 km) to the west. Located right on the border with Iowa, the city is separated from the historic town of Council Bluffs by the Missouri River. Other major metropolitan centers nearby are Kansas City, Missouri, 188 mi (303 km) to the south, and Des Moines, Iowa, 135 mi (217 km) to the east.

HISTORY

Omaha itself was founded in 1854 by a ferry company operating between Iowa and Nebraska. Just a few years later in 1863, the city became the eastern terminus of the first transcontinental railroad. The Union Pacific Railroad company eventually located their headquarters here. By 1867, Omaha already had a horse-drawn streetcar system and by 1870 the population of the fledgling community had grown to more than 16,000.

Although Omaha had already established itself as an important metropolitan center in the Midwest, the city really came into its own in 1898 when it hosted its very own world's fair, known as the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition and National Indian Congress of 1898. Over the course of the five month exposition about 2.5 million people visited the city, bringing national attention to the community. Acts from Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, which featured mock battles and ceremonial dances, drew crowds to the fair and helped establish Omaha's reputation as a center for live entertainment. By 1900, just two years after the exposition, the population of Omaha climbed to more than 100,000 people.

In the 20th century, Omaha made its mark as a center of military, telecommunications and agricultural importance. The U.S. Strategic Command was established at nearby Offutt Air Force Base in 1946, providing intelligence and planning expertise for the United States government. Omaha's Union Stock Yards became the largest livestock market in the country in 1955. Since that time, the city has become known as a telecommunications hub, with more than two dozen telecommunications centers employing over 20,000 residents.

CLIMATE

Omaha has a moderate climate, with daily summer high temperatures around 85°F (29°C) and daily winter highs around 35°F (2°C). Winters tend to be mainly dry, with most precipitation falling in the summer months as evening showers and thunderstorms. There are four distinct seasons in Omaha and the weather can change rapidly, so visitors are advised to come prepared for a variety of conditions.

TRANSPORTATION

As a major transportation hub in the Midwest from the days of the first trans-continental railroad to today, Omaha is well-serviced by land and air transport. The Eppley Airfield is conveniently located five minutes northeast of downtown Omaha and provides over two hundred flights daily to destinations across the country, including Chicago, Houston, Newark and Washington, D.C.

Omaha is also easy to access by car, sitting as it does at the convergence of two Interstates, four U.S. highways and eight state highways. Interstate-29 (I-29) is a major north-south corridor leading from Kansas City in the south all the way to the border with Canada in the north. Interstate-80 (I-80) connects Omaha with major points to the east and west, including San Francisco and New Jersey.

The city is serviced by bus, with Greyhound Lines traveling to points throughout North America. Rail transport is also available in this historic railroad town, with Amtrak offering passenger service on the California Zephyr line, servicing points in Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California.

Getting around Omaha is facilitated by Metro Area Transit (MAT), the local public transit system. MAT provides transportation to many of the tourist attractions throughout the city of Omaha, as well as nearby cities like Council Bluffs. Of course, cars can be rented at area car rental locations at the airport and throughout the city. Visitors can also take an Old Market Historic Trolley Tour as a way of getting their bearings and seeing the city's sights and historic places.

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

Outdoor Attractions
A number of outdoor attractions are waiting to be explored in the Omaha area. One must-see diversion is Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, found along the banks of the Missouri River on the city's south side. This world-class zoo is known for its immersive natural habitats, including the world's largest indoor desert habitat, the world's largest indoor rainforest and an aquarium with underwater pedestrian tunnels. Some of the animals to be seen here include Goliath herons, Sumatran orangutans and king penguins.

The Omaha Old Market shopping district in the city's downtown is a nice place to buy souvenirs, sip a coffee and browse the wares of local artisans. This 12-block shopping oasis consists of cobblestone streets, quaint antique shops, art galleries, independent music and clothing stores, restaurants and cafes. Various events are held in the market throughout the year, such as the Old Market Summer Block Party in June and Dickens in the Market in December.

After an afternoon soaking in the sights and sounds of the Old Market, visitors may want to head to the Heartland of America Park, a 31-acre park slightly east of the Old Market with a lake and two fountains . The park makes a pleasant place for a stroll, with fountain displays that shoot 300 ft (91 m) in the air and nighttime light shows. There are concerts in the park during the summer season and visitors can also take a gondola ride on the lake with Heartland Gondolas.

Cultural Venues
A center for the arts in the Midwest, Omaha has been home to some of America's most famous entertainers from Fred Astaire to Johnny Carson. Omaha's proud performing arts tradition includes the acting debut of Henry Fonda at the Omaha Community Playhouse in 1925. A favorite among locals, the playhouse still presents a full season of live theater each year, becoming the most-attended community theater in the country in 1997.

Omaha's Performing Arts Society operates two venues in the city. The Orpheum Theater was constructed as a vaudeville house in 1927 and was renovated in 2002 to include larger seats, mechanical system upgrades and acoustic improvements. Today, the 2,600-seat theater hosts Broadway musical, dance, ballet and opera performances on a year-round basis. The Holland Performing Arts Center is the society's other venue, having been newly constructed in 2005. A 2,000-seat concert hall and a 450-seat recital hall can be found in the center, which presents classical and popular music, cabaret artists and public lectures.

Not to be outdone, Omaha's visual arts community boasts the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, a unique combination of studio space, exhibition galleries and artists' residences. Visitors to the center are treated to an ongoing exhibition schedule featuring the works of local, regional, national and international artists. Another magnet for the arts in Omaha is the Hot Shops Art Center, providing almost 100,000 sq ft (9290 sq m) of studio, showroom and gallery space. Artists can take advantage of the studio spaces while visitors can take in the ongoing exhibitions, workshops and art classes.

Day Trips
A number of nearby attractions make for enjoyable day trips from Omaha. Just 23 mi (37 km) down the I-80 toward the state capital, Lincoln, is Ashland, a small community with a surprising number of tourist attractions. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo operates a Wildlife Safari here where visitors can drive through fields inhabited by native animals like elk, cranes, bison and antelope. Facilities on the safari grounds include a visitor center, a walk-through aviary and hiking trails. Educational programs and special events are held here on an ongoing basis.

Also in Ashland, the Strategic Air & Space Museum provides visitors with a chance to see a number of authentically-restored historic aircraft and missiles. The museum features a glass atrium and two aircraft hangars displaying an SR-71 Blackbird, an F102 Delta Dagger, an Avro Hawker Vulcan and more. An interactive children's exhibit, a 200-seat theater, an aircraft restoration gallery and a museum store round out this 300,000 sq ft (27,871 sq m) building.

Council Bluffs is another nearby town with plenty to offer to visitors. Diversions worth seeing in this historic city include the Union Pacific Railroad Museum. This museum showcases numerous railroad artifacts and details the importance of the Omaha-Council Bluffs area as the historical terminus of the first transcontinental railroad. Other historical attractions here include the General Dodge House. Constructed by famed Civil War General and United States Congressman Grenville Dodge in 1869, the house is on the National Register of Historic Places and boasts many original architectural and decorative features, such as parquet floors and butternut woodwork. The house is open to the general public, with group tours available by appointment.