Wyman Heights Neighborhood Tour Book by Kristine Tynan Gerber

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WYMAN HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR Sunday, October 1, 2017 Noon – 5:00 p.m.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

Vaughn: 402-708-7108, vaughn@teamweebush.com Anna: 402-669-9916, anna@teamweebush.com T E A M w e e b u s h . c o m

TOUR RULES & GUIDELINES ··Admission is by ticket only, no exceptions. ··All children must have a ticket.

··Be aware that all of the tour sites are not ADA accessible. Needs of those with mobility impairments will be accommodated within the physical limits of the buildings and the availability of tour volunteers to provide assistance. ··Do not block driveways or alleyways.

··Respect the owner’s property. If a door is shut, do not open it. If a drawer is closed, do not open it. ··No smoking, eating or drinking in any of the properties. ··No photography, unless approved by the homeowner. ··No pets.

··Only use restrooms in specified locations. Restrooms for patrons are available at Florence City Hall, Florence Mill and at tour site #7 – 9660 N. 30th St. ··Booties may be required to be worn in some of the tour locations.

In consideration of the permission granted the tour participant to enter the home and premises on the tour, the tour participant hereby agrees to enter the tour homes and premises at his or her own risk and hereby releases the respective property owner and Restoration Exchange Omaha from any and all claims or causes of action due to injury to person or property that may arise during the tour. Architects can earn five AIA CEUs for those that sign in at a minimum of seven sites. Ask for the sign in sheet at each site.

HUSKER TICKET RAFFLE Enter to win a pair of football tickets to the Nebraska vs. Ohio State game Saturday, October 14, 2017. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10 - and/or fill out a post-tour survey for a FREE entry. Thank you to Leo A Daly for donating the tickets.

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Tour Sites 1

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9618 N 30th Street 9627 N 30th Street 9635 N 30th Street (*Exterior Only)

9661 N 29th Street (*Exterior Only)

9636 N 29th Street 9609 N 29th Street 9523 N 29th Street

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9680 N 30th Street

9645 N 29th Street

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9102 N 30th Street - Florence Mill

2999 Dick Collins Road - Florence Depot

8502 N 30th Street - Bank of Florence Restrooms

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Shuttle Stop Shuttle Route

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Bonus Sites

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2864 State Street - Florence City Hall

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WYMAN HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY Prior to Anglo-American settlement, the hills along the Missouri River in the young Nebraska Territory commanded a strategic position in the Missouri River Valley for American Indians that chose to build their dwellings there. But by the time Florence, Nebraska was incorporated in 1855, those same hills north of the fledgling town increasingly came to be seen not as strategic, but rather as an idyllic retreat from the hardscrabble realities of frontier city life. In 1857, city leaders submitted a plat of north Florence, detailing the extension of North 29th and 30th streets uphill. With a keen eye fixed on real estate speculation and development, the plat of northern Florence largely ignored the geography and topography of the area and instead overlaid a rigid street grid system across the steep hill. While this grid system supplemented the most economically sensible division of property, it nonetheless was impractical for construction. Despite such intense speculation on the party of real estate agents and city planners, little infrastructural development took place. By 1905 the uppermost part of the hill was known as Florence Heights, and, aside from a few small bungalows at the base of the hill in the Valley View Heights neighborhood, much of the area remained undeveloped land dotted with trees. For all its appearances, Florence Heights still seemed like the sleepy hill American Indians chose as a settlement, but this impression belied an ever growing and dizzying list of real estate speculators staking their claims on the hill. It was into this speculating frenzy that Henry and Clara Wyman quietly slipped into in 1902 under the guise of the Aetna Trust Company. Henry—a young real estate agent—and Clara—a budding socialite—slowly began amassing property. Like those speculators before them, the Wymans were attracted to the sweeping views of the Missouri River to the east and bustling downtown Omaha to the south. But, unlike their forebears, Henry and Clara envisioned Florence Heights not as a mere extension of the street grid system of Florence, but as an elite neighborhood. For the next 20 years Henry continued gathering property, planting trees, grading and paving North 29th and 30th streets before finally re-platting and renaming the neighborhood “Wyman Heights” in 1925. The newly christened Wyman Heights attracted the attention of the University of Omaha (forerunner to the University of Nebraska at Omaha). As Omaha’s borders expanded to encompass Florence and surrounding suburbs like Benson and South Omaha throughout the early 20th century, the university looked elsewhere in the burgeoning city to relocate from its 24th and Pratt Street campus. Hoping to strike a deal with Henry for a new Wyman Heights campus, the university ultimately reneged on their decision and pulled out of negotiations in 1926. It would not be until 1938 that the university would finally move to its present location on Dodge Street. Undeterred by the collapse of the university deal, Henry pressed forward with billing his new neighborhood as a suburban retreat for Omaha’s elite. Expecting lots to sell like “hotcakes,” Henry and Clara built a large Tudor Revival home in 1927 at the crest of the hill; while landscaping, Henry found the remains of the Indian settlements near his front door. In 1928, after expectantly waiting for the neighborhood to fill with . 4 .

elite neighbors, Henry enlisted the help of his son—a Portland, Oregon architect—to build a model home just down the street. But despite all of Henry’s efforts, the longed for construction boom never happened. Forced to leave their home due to financial pressures of the Great Depression in 1931, Henry and Clara left the development of Wyman Heights in the hands of the Grant Real Estate agency. As the 1930s progressed, city dwellers slowly began discovering the neighborhood for themselves. Inexpensive lots brought a middle class clientele looking to escape the pressures of city life to Wyman Heights. Doctors, restaurant owners, socialites, and politicians trickled up from the inner city. From the early 1930s to World War II, this eclectic mix of people built Tudor Revival homes on those lots with the best views of the river. The end of WWII saw life return to normal along with a reversal in the national housing shortage. Cheaper, mass-produced materials sped along the completion of Wyman Heights with new homes built in the popular mid-century modern style. By the 1960s, the development of the neighborhood was complete. The diverse architectural mix of new mid-century modern, Tudor Revival, and older craftsman homes carved out a space in North Omaha for a myriad of individuals that made— and continue to make—their homes there. A hidden gem, today Wyman Heights continues to tell the story of shifting ideas of city and neighborhood planning, the evolution of residential architecture, and of the city of Omaha.

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1 9527 NORTH 30TH STREET MACEK HOME BUILT: 1929 ��

HISTORY In 1928 Henry Wyman, developer of Wyman Heights, enlisted the help of his son, James, to bolster sales in the neighborhood. James, an architect at Drake, Wyman, and Voss in Portland, Oregon, traveled to Omaha to design and promote this home as one of the first houses in the neighborhood. James crafted a clay model of the home to show potential buyers its brick and wooden clapboard Tudor Revival design, as well as the sloping surrounding landscape. In May 1929, the $14,000 home was completed. James had a real house to show. The house sits on one-half acre. The original plan of Wyman Heights had Sargent Street extending through the property to 29th Street. The extension was never built. In 1930, the home was finally purchased by Raymond and Mary Sanford and James returned to Portland. Raymond, an operator of an advertising and lithograph agency, and Mary, an officer in the Florence ParentTeacher Association, raised their family in the home. One of their sons, Victor, cultivated an interest in journalism, writing for his high school’s newspaper before accepting a job as an Omaha World-Herald staff writer. By 1936 the Sanfords sold their home to Clark and Hazel Carnaby. Clark worked for the Conservative Savings and Loan Association—one of the companies that Henry Wyman owed money for financing his development of Wyman Heights. With the United States’ entry into WWII in . 6 .

1941, their son, Clark Jr., enlisted in the army and Hazel rolled up her sleeves and worked with the Red Cross as the chairman of the nurse recruitment committee. Hazelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in nursing did not end with the close of WWII, however. In 1951, she helped establish the first practical nursing extension course through the Omaha Public Schools system. Clark Jr. and his sister Barb both got married in the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s living room. After the death of Clark Carnaby, the home was sold to the present owners for $23,500.

IMPROVEMENTS Since moving in, the current owners have sensitively renovated the home for modern use. Old World Craftsmen rebuilt and repaired the exterior chimney and fireplace. New slate was put on the roof. Inside, the current owners refinished the staircase after damage from a fire, and restored the original first floor windows. Much of the interior work dates from 1929; the home still retains its original light fixtures, bathroom tile, breakfast nook and pantry cupboards, wood floors and hardware. The view of the Missouri River and downtown Omaha in the winter, remains almost unchanged since the house was built.

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2 9618 NORTH 30TH STREET GALE/CORMIER HOME BUILT: 1936 ��

HISTORY When Roy and Frances Platz moved to Wyman Heights and built their Tudor Revival home in 1936, they hoped to build a home to accommodate Frances’s social life and to raise a family. Newlyweds, Roy was a graduate of Creighton University while Frances was active in society life in Omaha. Roy played football and basketball at Creighton University and for the Brandeis department store company team. He graduated from Creighton in 1916 with a dentistry degree and worked as a dentist in Omaha. Frances was an active member of the Chi Omega sorority, the Art Guild, and other social organizations. Her new home hosted many society luncheons and parties. Frances gave birth to a daughter, Suzanne, in 1938, and a son, William, in 1943. The Platz family lived in the home until 1976 when Byron and Gay Livingston purchased it. Byron attended Creighton Prep, played football, and earned an architectural degree from Duke University; Gay was a graduate of Iowa State University. The two were married in 1969. While living here, Byron designed a remodel for their kitchen in the 1980s. The current owners, Joanna Gale and Craig Cormier, bought the home in 2013. They rented out the house until 2015 when Joanna retired as a colonel in the military. Her parents moved to Omaha when she was in college and have a horse acreage on Calhoun Road in . 8 .

Ponca Hills. Joanna enjoys being close to take care of and ride the horses. Her love of horses is reflected throughout the home.

IMPROVEMENTS The current owners contracted with T. Hurt to create a custom stair banister for the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staircase and to remodel the main floor bathroom. Jenny Gilbreath of JG Interiors helped with the bathroom design. Thrasher oversaw the remodeling of the basement and Tom Manley refinished all of the floors in the home. A new brick front entry was recently laid. The owners love the side porch, back deck, the large rooms and the neighbors.

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3 9627 NORTH 30TH STREET DURAND HOME BUILT: 1933 ��

HISTORY Omar A. Knight hired Omaha architect Oscar T. Bowles to design this Tudor Revival home in 1933 out of structural clay tile. A cab driver for the Yellow Cab and Baggage Co., Knight’s salary of $17 per week ensured he was able to build a substantial home for his family in the midst of the Great Depression. In 1941 Stephen J. Wirtz, his wife, and son, Robert, moved into the home. Wirtz was a member of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, treasurer of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee, and president of the Omaha Association of Credit Men. Active in the business and political life of the city, Wirtz also enjoyed time sailing—he received the distinguished Skipper Key national Sea Scout award in 1945. After living in the home for only five years Wirtz sold the house to another businessman: Maurice Doyle. Like Wirtz, Doyle lived at the home for a brief amount of time; he sold it to Curtis E. Coe in 1951. Coe moved to Omaha just two years earlier in 1949 from Peoria, Illinois when he assumed the directorship of Omaha’s Family Welfare Service. In 1952 Coe oversaw the merger of the Family Welfare Service with the Child Welfare Association into the Family and Child Service of Omaha. Coe’s wife, Gladys, was similarly welfare oriented; she utilized her position as a society woman and their new home in Wyman Heights . 10 .

to facilitate meetings for the Community Chest—a local fundraising agency that provided funds for Omaha welfare organizations, including her husband’s Family and Child Service of Omaha. In 1962 Curtis and Gladys sold the house to Harold and Erma Dolan. Harold served as the Omaha Fire Department district chief and worked for the fire department for 28 years. Erma continued living in the house after his death in 1967. Erma made many improvements to the home, including the construction of the bar and painting the structural clay tile in the basement. Following Erma’s death in the 1980s, the home was sold to Connie Tometich and Dan Salamone; they were married in the house. Jody and Roger duRand purchased the home in 2010 from Heidi and Phil Vilardi. The duRand’s were under contract to purchase a home in Fairacres but walked in the home the first day it was for sale and immediately made an offer. Jody grew up just up the street. Both appreciate the home’s architecture. Roger’s father was an architect and he is a designer. Jody’s father was a partner in the architectural firm of Boyer & Biskup.

IMPROVEMENTS Much of architect Oscar Bowles original 1933 design survives in the home; the lower level still retains the original built-ins and fireplace. Original hardwood floors can be found throughout the house. The entry and powder room retain its original tile and fixtures. Connie Tometich and Dan Salamone remodeled the kitchen in 1985. They removed a wall and reoriented the kitchen’s layout, but kept the original copper accents. Jody and Roger have repainted the whole house with the help of Traco. Omaha Refinishing Tile and Bathtub removed the horse tiles in the main floor bathroom, cleaned and repaired the remaining tile, and Roger designed and installed a new vanity to match the original cabinets. Outside a new fence was added as well as a fresh coat of paint. The renovated main bathroom has a new mirror and vanity to match the original medicine cabinet. They have added a roof on kitchen deck and a new fence.

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4 9635 NORTH 30TH STREET ROCCAFORTE HOME BUILT: 1940 ��

HISTORY Leonard and Mathilda Lewis chose Wyman Heights to build their new Tudor Revival style home in 1940. Leonard was an active member of the Omaha Optimist Club and in 1945 helped with an Optimist clothing drive to send clothes overseas to newly liberated nations in the wake of World War II. Courtney Campbell Jr. and his wife, Mary Jane, purchased the home in 1956. Like Leonard, Courtney was a member of the Omaha Optimist Club. When not serving on the Optimist Club, Courtney worked as a pharmacist at the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company. Mary Jane was an avid golfer, playing in a milieu of local tournaments throughout the 1950s. The Campbell’s took pride in their new home: the same year they moved in, they won third place in the citywide Christmas lighting contest. By 1969 the home was purchased by Ronald and Sue Swain. Sue worked for the J. L. Brandeis department store and helped organize the company’s annual consumer forum. Laura and Rich Roccaforte purchased the home in 1993 for $78,000. Laura moved to Omaha in 1990 from California and this area of Omaha reminded her of her former home in Mill Valley, California. Rich is an electrical contractor and became familiar with the neighborhood after doing some work for a man that lived down the hill in the early 1990s. . 12 .

IMPROVEMENTS When Laura and Rich moved in, the home was tired and in need of serious work. In 2001, contractor Mike Feilmeier and architect Ken Hahn helped them renovate the kitchen. To take advantage of the views of the river, large windows were added in the master bedroom in 2005 to give it a treehouse feel. Finally, in 2011, the current owners renovated the basement. For their home they wanted it to feel â&#x20AC;&#x153;organized and cottagey.â&#x20AC;? A mountain cabin feel. They did just that while maintaining original 1940s elements.

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HISTORY

5 9680 NORTH 30TH STREET WYMAN HOME BUILT: 1927 ��

Shortly after developing and platting Wyman Heights in 1925, Henry Wyman began construction on this home for himself, his wife, Clara, and daughter, Margaret. While under construction, Henry discovered the remains of a former Indian settlement in his front yard. Clara christened the new Tudor Revival mansion “Woodney” upon its completion in 1927; the maiden name of Clara’s mother. Woodney was the first house built in Wyman Heights and the sprawling mansion set the design precedent in the neighborhood for the next two decades. It was bought by the current owners in 2017 and renovation is underway.

EXTERIOR + GROUNDS ONLY

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HISTORY

6 9661 NORTH 29TH STREET DETWILER HOME BUILT: 1928 �� EXTERIOR + GROUNDS ONLY

After the death of her husband Dr. A.K. Detwiler, “one of the foremost authorities in the middle west on internal medicine and tubercular research” and the son of Barton Detwiler, an early Omaha pioneer, Genevieve Detwiler searched for a place to call her own. She found it on a wooded tract commanding a sweeping view of the Missouri River. In 1928 she planned and oversaw the construction of a seven room English Tudor style home featuring a large studio living room 20 by 36 feet. According to the Omaha World-Herald the home was considered at the time “one of the most artistic in Omaha.” The current owners bought the home in December 2013 and are in the process of restoring it.

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7 9660 NORTH 29TH STREET KATZENBERGER HOME BUILT: 1955 ��

HISTORY Architect John Hyde, Jr. designed this mid-century modern home for David Hayden and his family in 1955. Hyde began practicing architecture in Omaha in 1937; he quickly became popular in the city for both his mid-century modern designs and his more traditional New England style homes. A restaurateur, Hayden first opened what would become his signature local chain— the Hayden House restaurants—inside the Union Station (now The Durham Museum) in the 1930s. As rail travel declined, Hayden kept in step with the greater accessibility provided by burgeoning automobile ownership and the popularity of air travel by opening a new Hayden House restaurant (eventually renamed the Silver Lining Club) at Eppley Airport. In 1956 Hayden purchased the Birchwood Club. A popular social club of North Omaha, Hayden eventually renamed and rebranded the club as a Hayden House. By 1960, Hayden expanded to new South Omaha and Howard Street locations. Hayden’s restaurant brand remained strong until the last restaurant closed in 1977. Cathy Katzenberger bought the home in 2015 previously living at the house next door (to the south). Her previous home had too many stairs, and Cathy hoped to work from this home instead of renting out an office space. Cathy grew up in the nearby Minne Lusa neighborhood and attended St. Phillip Neri School. . 16 .

She loves to entertain, and sometimes she even lets her neighbors host events at her house. At times, over 130 people are comfortably hosted at a party in the home.

IMPROVEMENTS The home still retains many of the original features designed by John Hyde, such as poured concrete flooring and walls, a double-sided fireplace, and the entirety of the baby blue, yellow, and pink tile in the bathrooms. Jim Lahood Construction replaced the concrete siding, painted, replaced garage doors and gutters and repaired the balcony railing. All windows, sliding doors and storm doors were replaced by Energy Armor Windows and Doors out of Lincoln. Current renovation plans include turning the basement into a separate apartment to rent out and taking up the carpet and having RedRhino polish her cement floors.

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8 9645 NORTH 29TH STREET BELL HOME BUILT: 1938 ��

HISTORY Claude Reed worked with designer and contractor Zell Mills to complete this Tudor Revival style house in 1939. At the time, it was one of the only houses in the neighborhood with a swimming pool—a detail that Reed himself likely included in the final design. In that same year, Reed oversaw a $45,000 expansion of his ice cream factory on North 24th Street. For Reed, the year 1939 represented ascendancy in his company’s popularity, and his home in Wyman Heights was made possible with his newly accumulated wealth. Ten years earlier, in 1929, Reed moved from Des Moines, Iowa and began manufacturing ice cream in the Omaha area. Reed prepackaged his ice cream, ensuring that his product remained inexpensive to make and sell. As his ice cream grew in popularity, Reed began opening ice cream bungalows where his ice cream was sold. Small, Tudor, Craftsman and Art Deco style shacks painted white with green trim, Reed’s Ice Cream bungalows began popping up across the city. By 1940, Reed’s Ice Cream operated or franchised 53 bungalows, a majority of them in North Omaha. By the 1960s, with an ugly scar from segregationist hiring policies and new supermarket grocery stores cutting into business, Reed’s Ice Cream quietly closed up shop.

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IMPROVEMENTS Shelby and Bindy Bell, attracted to the stunning view of the Missouri River, purchased the home in 2004. Shelby and Bindy have completed extensive landscaping, installed a sprinkler system, built a fence, and rebuilt all of the cement and brick pathways. The pool is original to the home, as is the small pool house and patio light fixtures. The exterior of the house received new gutters and concrete siding. Inside, wallpaper was removed and Dan Christiansen did new plaster work. Shelby and Bindy replaced the paneling and fireplace in the living room. The floors, covered by carpet prior to the current renovation efforts, are original, as are the railings. The powder room still features its original tile. Upstairs asbestos tile was removed from one of the bedrooms, the Bells renovated the master bedroom, and several of the windows were replaced by Pella.

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9 9641 NORTH 29TH STREET JAFARI HOME BUILT: 1953 ��

HISTORY George Winterson built this home for himself and his family in 1953. Winterson was a lieutenant police officer for the Omaha police force. Winterson joined the force in 1929. In 1952 he was stationed as a desk sergeant in the police department’s headquarters. While there, he made Omaha World-Herald headlines after a lost girl, Kathy Small, was brought in to the station. Winterson read her the Sunday comics before her parents were located. In 1962 Karl Bruce purchased the home. Bruce was a dentist who worked at Methodist Hospital for 25 years. Prior to working at Methodist, Bruce worked for the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, where he openly opposed the facility’s expansions in 1963. By 1981, the home was sold to Richard and Patricia Keller. Richard also worked in the medical field as a doctor at the Immanuel Medical Center. The Kellers likely renovated and added a new master bedroom and garage when they lived here in the 1980s. After exchanging hands numerous times, the home was purchased in 1999 by River View Garden Hotels. At this time, the home was rumored to be a bed and breakfast and the backyard, with sweeping views of the Missouri River, was supposedly used as a camping site.

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IMPROVEMENTS The current owners have completely remodeled the main floor, all the bathrooms, and the kitchen. The kitchen remodel entailed designing an entirely new layout, removing a closet, and creating a new entrance. During the remodeling of the main floor bathroom, a new vanity was installed, the tile was glazed from burgundy to white, and the light fixtures were replaced. After the removal of a wall, the staircase was opened up to the dining room. With the Kellersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; addition of a master bathroom and garage in the 1980s, the old garage has since been turned into a wine room. The current owners have also smoothed all the ceilings. The home still features original hardwood floors and a fireplace.

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HISTORY

10 9636 NORTH 29TH STREET NIELSEN/ FEICHTINGER HOME BUILT: 1932 ��

Omaha architect Norman Brigham designed this home for Harry Shackelford and his family in 1932. A native of Hastings, Nebraska, Shackelford graduated with a law degree from Creighton University in 1910. Soon after, he began practicing in Omaha, but his law practice was interrupted by America’s intervention in World War I. Shackelford was sent to France and served as a balloon pilot. At the close of WWI, Shackelford returned to Omaha and continued to practice law. When he left his home in Wyman Heights, he was the district attorney for the state of Nebraska. The Shackelfords’ new Tudor Revival home became an ideal setting for Mrs. Shackelford’s social events. Mrs. Shackelford was the president of the North Side Mothers Club, one of the oldest social clubs in Omaha. Supposedly Mrs. Shackelford had a say in the home’s design, requesting a small dining room so she would not have to entertain at dinnertime. The leftover space from the dining room was instead utilized in the design of a large living room for Mrs. Shackelford to host card tournaments. By 1949, the Shackelfords sold their home to George J. Miller. The Millers constructed an addition for the house, filling in the back porch and expanding the home to the west. George’s daughter, Jacquelyn, grew up in the home and assumed ownership of the property when she was older. Jacquelyn sold the home to Maija Nielsen and Martin Feichtinger in 2005. . 22 .

Maija and Martin are fans of the Arts and Crafts movement and have filled their home with Craftsman-style Stickley furniture. When Maija was five years old, her parents moved to Ponca Hills just north of Wyman Heights. Maija loved how quiet Ponca Hills was growing up, and loves that Wyman Heights neighborhood has a similar feel.

IMPROVEMENTS The current owners have replaced all the windows in the house with new windows of the same style. The woodwork in the house, stained and darkened over time, was stripped and stained in a lighter color. Olde Wood Mill Inc custom matched the historic woodwork with new materials where old wood needed to be replaced. The hardware of the home was refinished in a silver color. In the west addition, the homeowners designed a new craftsman fireplace using Motawi tiles. Upstairs, a crumbling fireplace in a former bedroom was replaced with a craftsman style fireplace custom designed by Martin. The second floor bathroom was recently renovated. The master bedroom still has its original trim. Down in the basement is a safe installed by the Shackelfords. Outside, a small balcony below the window features an iron railing with the letter “M” in the center to reflect the first initials of Maija and Martin. The letter is in the same style of the original “S” in the railing for “Shackelford.”

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11 9609 NORTH 29TH STREET BOGARD HOME BUILT: 1965 ��

HISTORY The architectural firm of Loeck and Tobias designed this mid-century modern home for Frank E. Williams in 1965. The land the home was built on was formerly part of the Valley View Heights neighborhood at the base of the hill. Valley View Heights predated Henry Wyman’s work in developing Wyman Heights, and some of the homes in this area are the oldest in the neighborhood. For example, the home to the north of the Williams house was also owned by Frank Williams prior to the construction of his new home in 1965. Williams’ mother lived at the home until her death in the 1950s and the house itself likely dates from the late 1910s. When Williams built this home in 1965, he was the executive vice-president of bond buying at the Robert E. Schweser Co. The Schweser Co. underwrote municipal bonds for the city of Omaha, and Williams often presented on the importance of municipal bonds to municipal government officials. The current owners, Matt and Amanda Bogard, believe their house, and Wyman Heights, to be one of Omaha’s best kept secrets. The Bogards also have deep ties to the Florence area: Matt’s grandfather started Florence Drug at 30th and State Streets that was eventually sold to HyVee in 1998. His great uncle was the long-time president of the Florence Historical Society.

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IMPROVEMENTS In the 1980s, a previous owner remodeled the kitchen by adding a bay of windows along the east wall of the kitchen to provide a better view of the Missouri River. Since moving in, the current owners have updated the mid-century modern ranch house to reflect their love of the Arts and Crafts style. Custom-built cabinets were installed in the living room and a wood partition was installed to separate the living and dining rooms. The mudroom also was outfitted with custom cabinets all made of quarter-sawn oak. Outside, the current owners have extensively landscaped the backyard.

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12 9523 NORTH 29TH STREET DISTEFANO HOME BUILT: 1921 ��

HISTORY In 1921 Annie and Michael Clark constructed this Craftsman-style home in the former Valley View Heights neighborhood as a retreat from the bustle of city life. Michael was a road officer for the streetcar railway, and in 1916 submitted a bid for Douglas County Sheriff; he was voted in as sheriff that same year. Clark’s appointment to the position of sheriff came at a time of immense social, racial, and cultural turbulence in the city and across the country. In 1918, Clark led a campaign to oust county commissioner John Lynch from office. Lynch was revealed to have business interests tied up in his position as county commissioner. He was dismissed later that year. One year later, in 1919, Clark found himself at the epicenter of one of the most violent moments in Omaha’s history. On Sept. 25, 1919, William Brown—an African American rheumatic coal worker—was accused of raping and assaulting a white woman. By the next day, Brown was taken to the county jail for his own safety where police guarded him as an angry mob gathered around the courthouse. Growing ever larger, the mob forced their way into the courthouse and lit the building on fire. Clark took Brown and the remaining prisoners to the roof to avoid the pandemonium, but the spreading flames and increasing number of angry rioters forced Clark to hand over Brown. By 11 p.m. Brown had been lynched on a nearby streetlight and his corpse subsequently lit on fire.

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The experience rocked Clark, the police force, and the city of Omaha to its core. The stress of the riot made Clark grow disillusioned with his job as sheriff, and, in 1923 he was not elected for another term. Finally away from the stress of police work, Clark bred Rhode Island Red hens while living at his new home. Many of the hens he raised won blue ribbons at Poultry Association competitions; Clark also bred carrier pigeons alongside his hens. In 1927, Clark died and left the house to his wife, Annie. Mike and Christine Distefano purchased the home in 2013 and got married in the home in 2015. Christine owns a home on Western Avenue, but between Mike, Christine, six children, and the addition of grandchildren, they began looking for a larger house. When the realtor showed them this house it was dark, and, only after their offer was accepted, did they realize the beautiful view of the Missouri River that came with the home. Like former owner Michael Clark, Mike and Christine also raise Rhode Island Red hens on the property.

IMPROVEMENTS The current owners have removed carpet on the first floor and Jim Longwell refinished the hardwood floors found beneath the carpet. An abundance of original Arts and Crafts details survive, including the built in buffet in the dining room and the fireplace. The woodwork in the home is original as well. They recently completed a renovation of their kitchen in the Arts and Crafts style. Bushes in the front of the house were removed to provide a better view of the street when sitting on the front porch.

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FLORENCE BANK | BUILT: 1856 The opening of the Nebraska Territory and the establishment of the city of Florence in 1854 brought the banking firm of Cooke, Sargent, and Parker from Davenport, Iowa to Florence to establish the Bank of Florence. Construction began on the bank in 1855 with the arrival of a safe from Pennsylvania, and, when the bank was finally completed in 1856, it was one of the only brick buildings in the Nebraska Territory. Since it was situated in a territory, the bank was not subject to federal banking regulations and thus issued its own currency. Known as “wildcat currency,” the Bank of Florence issued these banknotes until the nationwide financial Panic of 1857, which inevitably forced the bank to close its doors. The building sat vacant for 30 years, until, in 1890 it reopened. The building continued as a bank until 1936, after which it was used as office space, a grocery store, an antique shop, a drycleaners, and an apartment building. The building was given to the Florence Historical Foundation and restored as a museum in the 1980s. It is the oldest standing building in the city of Omaha.

FLORENCE DEPOT | BUILT: 1888 Originally located at 28th and Grebe Streets in the heart of downtown Florence, the Florence depot served as a commuter station to central Omaha, a post office, and a station along the Omaha and Northwestern Rail company. In 1966, with the decline of rail travel, the depot was closed. Threatened by demolition in 1970, the depot was moved in 1971 to its current location by the Florence Days Association. In 1976 the building was restored to its appearance circa 1888 and is today operated as a museum by the Florence Historical Foundation.

THE FLORENCE MILL | BUILT: 1854 The history of the Florence Mill can be traced to arrival of Mormon settlers in the Florence area in 1846. The new settlers built a temporary settlement named Winter Quarters and their leader, Brigham Young, oversaw the construction of a gristmill. Abandoned in 1848, Alexander Hunter rebuilt the mill in 1854 on the site of the former Winter Quarters mill— Hunter even reused some of the Mormon’s timbers, which are still visible today. Hunter sold the mill to Jacob Weber in 1860 and it remained in the Weber family for three generations. Ruthie and Ernie Harpster purchased the mill in 1964 and ensured its protection from construction of Interstate 680. The mill’s current owner, Linda Meigs, has overseen the building’s transition from an agricultural production facility into a preserved cultural and historical site. Today the mill houses the Winter Quarters Mill Museum and an art gallery.

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THANK YOU FOR HELPING MAKE THE TOUR POSSIBLE DONORS AND SPONSORS

·· AO (Printing) ·· AIA Omaha ·· Leo A Daly (Husker Tickets) ·· RDG Planning & Design (Tour Book Design) ·· Field Day Development

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·· Dr. Lucy Morrison, Director of the UNO Honors Program and a Professor of English

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