Best Omaha Neighborhoods: A Weekly Neighborhood Feature
Welcome. I’m Nancy Heim-Berg, a proud Omaha resident who, with my husband Dan, raised 9 children in this great city. Over the years, I’ve seen a lot happen in Omaha. Today, while standing at the corner of North 40th and Ames Avenue, an intersection that’s been busy for over 130 years, I thought about how Omaha has transformed but kept its pioneer spirit intact.
Over the years, Omaha has evolved from a dusty railroad - cattle town to a vibrant city that continually reinvents itself. Omaha’s name, which is from the Native American, means “those going against the wild,” representing the rugged, tough nature of Omaha residents. The heritage of our Native Americans, Pioneers, Railroad Workers, Meat Packers, and immigrants has created a diverse, hard-working, versatile community. I remember the historic buildings in Jobbers Canyon, and now I watch as Omaha becomes a growing real estate darling for national investors. Through an innovative blend of public and private partnerships to transform Omaha into a great plains commerce center.
But you know, somehow, between the boom of Fortune 500 Companies and the Amazing growth downtown along the Missouri River, Omaha has managed to keep adding new ingredients and continue stirring the melting pot to create something more. We watch as historic buildings are replaced, but our history can never be replaced. The meat packing industry remains, but the faces of the workers have changed from pioneers to African Americans to Mexican to Latin American immigrants. Our past meets our present in diversity to continue Omaha’s fantastic culture. Historically, the city has benefitted from its legacy as a railroad town. Most recently, that legacy has allowed Omaha to benefit from laying communication lines along railroad property, like how we benefitted from constructing telegraph lines. Did you know Creighton and The University of Nebraska offer degrees in advanced communications?
I’ve watched the migration of businesses from downtown to the suburbs create a westward sprawl that brought malls and the retail development of peripheral neighborhoods. We then saw movement back to downtown with major new developments like the Century Link Center, TD Ameritrade Park, the KONEKO, and the Holland Performing Arts Center. We’ve also seen Benson and Blackstone challenging the Old Market for the top dog area for Omaha Nightlife.
All these changes have also impacted neighborhoods and family living. That’s why I’ve created this new weekly series featuring the best Omaha neighborhoods and suburbs today.
Come back each week to enjoy a walk through the best neighborhoods in Omaha, presented by the Nancy Heim-Berg Team.
For more information on local events or to chat about finding your dream home in Omaha, visit OmahaAreaLiving.com.
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