This is a list of parks in Omaha, Nebraska. It includes cemeteries and golf courses. Most parks in Omaha are governed by the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department.[1]
History
editIn 1854 Alfred D. Jones 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.[2] 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.
Hanscom Park 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.) Levi Carter Park was its largest, at 220 acres (0.89 km2). Other parks in the system that year were Bemis, Deer, Kountze Park, Curtis Turner, Harold Gifford, Mercer, Jefferson Square, Hixenbaugh, Burt playground, Bluff View, Spring Lake, Highland, McKinley, Clear View and Morton.[3]
Omaha's boulevard system was designed to be part of the parks system in 1889 by renowned landscape architect Horace Cleveland.[4] The Omaha Park and Boulevard System was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.[5]
Administration
editThe Department of Parks, Recreation, and Public Property is the City of Omaha's agency responsible for administering public parks.[6]
Current parks
edit
| Parks in Omaha (alphabetical) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Notes | |
| 22nd and Willis Park | |||
| Adams Park | 3121 Bedford Avenue | Created in 1960, this park includes a playground, picnic area, an overlook, paths, restrooms, and open space. There are also ball fields, tennis courts and an outdoor tournament-quality basketball complex with glass backboards, scoreboards and fan seating. | |
| Albright Park | |||
| Andersen Park | 134th and Cottner streets, Millard | ||
| Applewood Heights Park | |||
| Armbrust Park | |||
| Athletic Park | |||
| Autumn Heights Park | |||
| Barrington Park, Omaha | 764 N. 164th Street | ||
| Bay Meadows Park | |||
| Bedford Place Park | |||
| Bemis Park | 3434 Cuming Street | Founded in 1891, this park includes 10 acres (40,000 m2) with a playground, tennis courts, walking paths, picnic area and shelter located in the Bemis Park Landmark Heritage District. | |
| Benson Lions Park | 2005 North 66th Street | 2 acres (8,100 m2) with a playground and ball field | |
| Benson Park | 7002 Military Avenue | Created in 1931, this 200 acres (0.81 km2) park offers a playground, football and soccer fields, horseshoe pits, basketball and tennis courts, fishing, walking paths, indoor ice rink, lagoon, and a pavilion.[7] | |
| Bent Creek Park | |||
| Bluestem Prairie Preserve | |||
| Bluff View Park | |||
| Bowling Green Park | 7065 Blondo Street | 7 acres (28,000 m2) with a playground, ball field, basketball court, football field and walking trails | |
| Boyd Park | 4201 North 16th Street | Location of Omaha Central High School's baseball field[8] | |
| Brookside Park | 2310 S. 105th Ave. | ||
| Brown Park | |||
| Bryan Park | |||
| Cancer Survivor Park | 1111 S. 105th St. | ||
| Candlewood II | |||
| Carol Gast Memorial Park | 3501 Ames Avenue | Located next to Butler-Gast YMCA[9] | |
| Levi Carter Park | 3100 Abbott Drive | Carter Lake has opportunities for water skiing, fishing and boating. The park has baseball fields, football fields, and basketball courts, as well as paths, picnic areas, shelters, restrooms, a pavilion and open space. It was founded in 1891. | |
| Christie Heights Park | |||
| Churchich Park | 50th and C streets | ||
| Clarkson Park | |||
| Cody Park | |||
| Colonial Acres Park | |||
| Columbus Park | |||
| Conagra Park | |||
| Conestoga Park | |||
| Conoco Park | |||
| Cottonwood Heights Park | |||
| Cottonwood Park | 728 S. 154th st | Paved walking and biking paths, playground, basketball courts | |
| Country Club Manor Park | |||
| Crosskey Villages Park | |||
| Cuming Corner Park | |||
| Deer Hollow Park | |||
| Democracy Park | |||
| Dewey Park | |||
| Discovery Park | |||
| Discovery Soccer Complex | |||
| Dorothy Patach Park | |||
| Dodge Park | 11001 John J. Pershing Drive | This park offers fishing, water skiing and boating on the Missouri River, as well as hiking, Baseball fields, soccer fields, horseshoe pits, tennis courts, a cricket field, a picnic area, pavilions, historical monuments and a campground.[10] It was founded in 1930. | |
| Elmwood Park | 802 S. 60th Street, adjacent to the University of Nebraska at Omaha | Created in 1889, this park has many walking and running trails and an 18-hole golf course. | |
| Englewood Park | |||
| Erskine Park | |||
| Escalante Hills Park | |||
| Essex Park | |||
| Esther Pilster Park | 4088 North 88th Avenue | The park is named after Esther Pilster, a former Omaha Public Schools principal and philanthropist.[11] It has a playground, a ballfield, a soccer field, trails, shelters, and a picnic area.[12] | |
| Eugene T. Mahoney State Park | This park offers hiking, tennis courts, a disc golf course, and horse riding trails. | ||
| Faye Boulevard Park | |||
| Filmore Park | |||
| Florence Park | 3015 State Street | Located in historic Florence, this park is 2.6 acres (11,000 m2) and includes a playground, walking paths, a historical monument and a shelter area. | |
| Fontenelle Park | 4575 Ames Avenue | Founded in 1893, currently has 108 acres (0.44 km2) with a lagoon, playground and paths, basketball courts, tennis courts, football fields, and a nine-hole golf course.[13] | |
| Forest Lawn Park | |||
| Freedom Park | 2497 Freedom Park Road | Home of the Nebraska Cricket Club, USS Hazard and the USS Marlin | |
| Gallagher Park | 2936 North 52nd Street | 18 acres (73,000 m2), including a playground, ball fields, a swimming pool and a historical monument to the former Krug Park | |
| Grace Young Park | 6317 Military Avenue | 2.4 acres (9,700 m2), including a playground, ball field and basketball court | |
| Gene Leahy Mall | 1302 Farnam on the Mall | ||
| Gifford Park | |||
| Gifford River Drive Park | |||
| Glenn Cunningham Lake | 8660 Lake Cunningham Road | Founded in 1977. This park offers hiking and biking trails, camping grounds, and a disc golf course. | |
| Grace Young Park | |||
| Graham Park | |||
| Greentree Park | |||
| H.H. Harper Park | |||
| Hanscom Park | 1899 South 32nd Avenue | Founded in 1889. This park has basketball courts, a dog park, tennis courts, and a disc golf course. | |
| Harrison Heights Park | |||
| Harvey Oaks Park | |||
| Hawthorne Park | S 177th St | ||
| Heartland of America Park | |||
| Hefflinger Park | |||
| Highland Park | 2512 D Street | ||
| Hillsborough Park | |||
| Hillside Little League Park | |||
| Himebaugh Park | |||
| Hitchcock Park | |||
| Hummel Park | 11808 John J. Pershing Drive | Created in 1930, this park is 202 acres (0.82 km2), including a historical monument for Fort Lisa. | |
| James F. Lynch Park | |||
| John P. Munnley Park | |||
| Karen Park | |||
| Kenefick Park | 100 Bancroft Street (next to the Lauritzen Gardens) | ||
| Kellom Greenbelt Park | |||
| Kellom Park | 2310 Nicholas Street | 6-acre (24,000 m2) | |
| Keystone Park | |||
| Kingswood Park | |||
| Kiwanis Park | |||
| Kountze Park | 1920 Pinkney Street | 10 acres (40,000 m2), including a playground, ball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, a community center, shelter area and restrooms | |
| Lake Forest Estates Park | |||
| Lake Forest Park | |||
| Lake James Park | |||
| Lamp Park | |||
| Lawrence Youngman Lake | 192nd and West Dodge Road | Includes a lake, playground, fishing, and boating | |
| Leavenworth Park | |||
| Lee Valley Park | |||
| Lewis & Clark Landing | |||
| Little Elmwood Park | |||
| Kenifick Park | 100 Bancroft Avenue | ||
| Mandan Park | |||
| Maple Village Park | |||
| McKinley Park | |||
| Meadow Lane Park | This park has walking trails, tennis courts, and pickleball courts. | ||
| Memorial Park | 6008 Underwood Avenue | This park was created in 1948 as a memorial for Douglas County's citizens who have served in the armed forces. | |
| Mercer Park | |||
| Metcalfe Park | 1700 Country Club Avenue | 3.1 acres, playground, trails, open space, named for former mayor of Omaha, Richard Lee Metcalfe | |
| Miami Playground | |||
| Michael Thell NEA Park | |||
| Miguel Keith Park | |||
| Millard Heights Park | |||
| Millard Highlands Park | |||
| Miller Park | 6201 North 30th Street | Founded in 1891, the park includes a lake, artesian well fountain, golf course, trails, picnic areas, pavilion, playground, baseball fields, pickleball courts, and soccer fields. | |
| Miller's Landing Park | |||
| Mockingbird Heights Park | |||
| Montclair/Westbrook Park | |||
| Morton Park | |||
| Mount Vernon Garden | |||
| Myott Park | |||
| Neale Woods | 14323 Edith Marie Avenue | 600-acre nature preserve; prairie and forest hiking trails; Millard Observatory (astronomy); operated by Fontenelle Forest | |
| North Oaks Park | |||
| Northwest Park | |||
| Norwick Park | |||
| Oak Heights Park | |||
| Oakbrook Park | |||
| Oaks Park, Omaha | |||
| Omaha Botanical Gardens (aka Lauritzen Gardens) | 2001 South 6th Street | 1982 | |
| One Pacific Place Park | |||
| Orchard Park | |||
| Pacific Meadows Park | |||
| Palomino Hills Park | |||
| Park East Park | |||
| Parkside Park | |||
| Peterson Park | |||
| Pheasant Run Park | |||
| Pinewood Park | |||
| Pipal Park | 7802 Hascall St | ||
| Prairie Lane Park | |||
| Pulaski Park | |||
| Rambleridge Park | 11424 Fort Street | ||
| Raven Oaks Park | 7901 Raven Oaks Drive | ||
| Regency Park | |||
| Ridgefield Park | |||
| Riverview Park | |||
| Roanoke Park | |||
| Rock Glen Park | |||
| Rockbrook Park | |||
| Roxbury Park | |||
| Ruser's Park | 53rd and Center Street | Privately owned German Summer Garden, with shooting range, athletic fields, bowling, picnic area and dance hall. | |
| Saddle Hills Park | |||
| Sandoz Park | |||
| Schroeder-Vogel Park | |||
| Seymour Smith Park | 6802 Harrison Street | Founded in 1962, this park has a skeet range, baseball fields, playground, pavilion, tennis courts, and Omaha's most popular disc golf course. | |
| Signal Hill Park | |||
| Somerset Park | Wenninghoff Road and North 86th Street | 1994 | |
| Spaulding Park | |||
| Spring Lake Park | |||
| Standing Bear Lake | 6404 N. 132nd st | 1977 | |
| Stillmeadow Park | |||
| Storz Rugby Complex | North 16th and Storz Expressway | ||
| Sunny Slope Park | |||
| Swanson Park | |||
| Templeton Mini-Park | |||
| Timber Creek Park | |||
| Tomahawk Hills Park | |||
| Towl Park | |||
| Tranquility Park | |||
| Trendwood Park | |||
| Turner Park | |||
| Unity Park | |||
| Upland Park | |||
| Walnut Grove Park | This park offers a playground, walking and running trails, and has hosted temporary disc golf courses for disc golf tournaments. | ||
| Walnut Hill Park | |||
| Wentworth Park | |||
| West Fairacres Park | |||
| Westchester Park | |||
| Western Trails Park | |||
| Westgate Park | |||
| Westroads Parkway | |||
| Westwood Heights Park | |||
| Woodhaven Park | |||
| Yale Park | 3377 Lake street | ||
| Young Park | 411½ N. Elmwood Road | ||
| Youngman Connector Park | 163rd and Farnam Streets | ||
| Zorinsky Lake Park | 156th and F streets | Created in 1993, this park includes over seven miles of paved trails, biking, fishing, boating, playgrounds, covered seating, public restrooms, and soccer fields. | |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Omaha Parks and Recreation. City of Omaha. retrieved 8/22/07.
- ^ City of Omaha Board of Park Commissioners. (1912) Annual Report. City of Omaha. p 4.
- ^ Morton, J.S. and Watkins, A. "Chapter XXXV: Greater Omaha," Archived 2007-09-21 at the Wayback Machine History of Nebraska: From the Earliest Explorations of the Trans-Mississippi Region. Lincoln, NE: Western Publishing and Engraving Company. p. 831.
- ^ Morton, J.S. and Watkins, A. (1918) "Chapter XXXV: Greater Omaha," Archived 2007-09-21 at the Wayback Machine History of Nebraska: From the Earliest Explorations of the Trans-Mississippi Region. Lincoln, NE: Western Publishing and Engraving Company. p. 831.
- ^ Omaha Park and Boulevard System, National Park Service.
- ^ "Parks, Recreation, and Public Property", City of Omaha. Retrieved 8/24/08.
- ^ Benson Park. City of Omaha. Retrieved 10/5/07.
- ^ Boyd Park. Central Baseball. Retrieved 10/5/07.
- ^ Butler-Gast Branch. Metro Omaha YMCAs. Retrieved 10/5/07.
- ^ (nd) "N.P. Dodge Memorial Park". City of Omaha. Retrieved 7/4/07.
- ^ "Former Omaha principal Esther Pilster dies at 97". omaha.com. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Esther Pilster Park". ohranger.com. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Fontenelle Park," City of Omaha. Retrieved 9/25/07.
External links
edit- Parks in Omaha – info about parks and public places in Omaha