Take a journey back in time and explore the fascinating history of trolley rides in Omaha Nebraska. Your streetcar tour will take you to classically beautiful neighborhoods north of Dodge Street in downtown Omaha, where you'll be able to admire iconic landmarks such as the Mercer Mansion, Joslyn Castle, and Louis Nash's residence. You'll also get to experience the city's first curved street, where you can observe several stately homes in the original “West Omaha”.The history of trolley rides in Omaha dates back to the late 19th century. In 1898, the city hosted the Trans-Mississippi International Exposition, an event that drew millions of people from all over the world to learn about life west of the Mississippi River.
To ensure that all visitors could easily get to the place, the Omaha Traction Company was established as the leading provider of private streetcars. This company was involved in several labor disputes over the years. The streetcar schedules had a major impact on the growth and transformation of many neighborhoods in North Omaha. By 1952, public transportation routes had changed from electric streetcars to gas-powered buses. The last Omaha streetcar operated in 1955. During this decade after the Trans-Mississippi Exposition, streetcar service had expanded considerably throughout North Omaha, connecting Florence to the city and running along Ames Avenue, Fort Street, and other shopping areas along N.The HDR conducted an analysis which showed that ORBT had two-thirds of the growth and development capacity of the proposed streetcar in the development corridor under study.
Since ORBT was approved for implementation years ago and has been in operation for two years, most of the development potential of the Omaha streetcar has already been achieved. The DePorres Club, a group central to the Omaha civil rights movement, called for a general boycott of streetcars in the late 1940s. This boycott had a major impact on North Omaha's public transportation system. Since 1955, more than 60% of the multi-family units that were built in North Omaha have been demolished. To explore this era further, Dennison's 1931 federal indictment provides a streetcar tour which analyzes hotels, speakeasies, and other key places in Omaha during Prohibition.
