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A supplement of Suburban Newspapers April 25, 2018
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RALSTON FYI
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
April 25, 2018
Ralston history
The city was once known as Deerfield THE EARLY YEARS
Ralston sits on land once owned by Omaha’s first physician, Dr. George Miller. According to Alice Shooter’s “Early History of Ralston, Nebraska, 1865-1950,” in May 1907 Dr. Miller sold 282.35 acres to investors, who in turn sold the land to the Ralston Investment Co. (of which the investors were officers). The sale needed to be corrected after it was discovered that it contained land leased for the icehouse on Seymour Lake and a strip of land that served as an approach to the lake. The corrected deed was for 272.13 acres. May 1908 brought the incorporation of the Ralston Investment Company. Eventually the name was changed to Ralston Townsite Company, which began selling city lots in 1908. Twenty new homes were built that year. Ralston became incorporated in 1912.
WHAT’S IN A NAME
Deerfield was the original name of the village that later officially became known as Ralston. The Ralston Townsite Company loaned money to Charles A. Ralston & LeBaron of Chicago for the construction of Ralston Car Works, according to Alice Shooter’s book. Sitting on 35 acres, the firm known as Locomotive Cars & Contractors was to employ 400 people in locomotive construction and a railway repair shop. But the four buildings that were to make up the car works were never constructed for lack of capital, according to Shooter’s research. Yet investors involved with creating the town were so impressed with C.A. Ralston that the townsite company was named in his honor. Thus, the village of Deerfield became known as Ralston.
SEYMOUR LAKE
According to Alice Shooter’s “Early History of Ralston, Nebraska, 18651950,” Seymour Lake was formed in 1892. A group of businessmen, drilling for oil or water, struck an artesian well. At the height of its popularity as a destination, the grounds at the lake included a clubhouse, bath house, water slides and amusement park.
BANKRUPTCY
Ralston is the first city in the United States to have declared bankruptcy. On Dec. 7, 1934, papers were signed by the mayor and city board members declaring the city insolvent. On Nov. 5, 1935, a celebration of sorts took place. The mayor and other city leaders publicly burned bonds worth $240,000. The city was free of debt and able to move forward. The bankruptcy earned the city a spot in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.”
1913 TORNADO
March 23, 1913, a tornado tore through the prospering town, hitting downtown hard, destroying several buildings and taking seven lives. The icehouse at Seymour Lake was damaged, but much of the ice remained intact. Factories, stores, lumberyards and the post office were all affected, many destroyed. The same tornado later hit Omaha, killing more than 100 and destroying many buildings.
PASSENGER STREET CARS
In 1908, a franchise was granted to investors for creation of a railcar line from Ralston to Omaha. Construction began by August 1909 and was complete about a year later. Another line, which ran from Omaha to Papillion and passed through Ralston, was completed in 1912. Eventually, popularity of the street railway system waned as cars became more popular. In 1926, the streetcar operator switched to operating buses. The rail lines were eventually abandoned.
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RALSTON FYI
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
April 25, 2018
City offices, services
Ralston city parks ADAMS PARK Between 78th Street and 78th Avenue, Seymour and Lakeview Streets Playground equipment, shelter and picnic table. FAIRVIEW PARK 85th and Monroe Streets Playground equipment. KOCH PARK 75th and Main Streets Picnic tables and benches.
RALSTON PARK 77th Street and Park Drive Playground structure, picnic shelters, picnic tables, grills, a water source and restrooms. This park adjoins four lighted ball diamonds. Traveling west on Park Drive, there are two softball parks, Crown Field and Joe Wager Field, and two baseball fields, Orval R. Smith Memorial Field and Pierson Field.
OAK PARK 77th to 79th Avenue, Park Lane to Lakeview Street Shade with lots of oak trees, wood chip walking trail, picnic tables, playground equipment, gazebo, drinking fountain and a water source. The restrooms are open only upon request.
WILDEWOOD PARK 80th Street and Ralston Avenue Features picnic and restroom facilities, playground equipment and hiking trails that link to the Ralston Connector Trail. There are also horseshoe pits, a water source and sand volleyball courts.
PONDEROSA PARK 78th and Washington Streets Picnic tables, picnic shelter, playground equipment, play structure, horseshoe pits, walking trail and grills.
WOODBINE PARK 87th and Monroe Streets Grassy picnic area, basketball court, playground equipment and play structures.
Left, the gazebo at Oak Park. Far left, playground at Adams Park. Below, chillin’ at Oak Hill Pool.
GOOD TO KNOW Park hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Each park has posted signs listing city regulations. Dogs at all city parks must be on a leash, and owners are responsible to clean up after their pets. For more information, 402-3316677
World-Herald News Service
Swimming pools KAREN POOL 6288 H St., Omaha 402-444-4259
MOCKINGBIRD HILLS COMMUNITY CENTER AND POOL 10242 Mockingbird Drive, Omaha 402-444-6103
OAK HILL POOL 74th and Q Streets The purchase of a summer membership is required for admission to Oak Hill. For more information, call 402-593-9960.
Now located in Ralston
at the former Grandmother’s Restaurant site, we focus our attention on the families we serve, not distant shareholders. • Satisfaction guaranteed • Modern immaculate facilities • The Metro’s best value • Knowledgeable & Friendly staff
L Street Chapel 82nd & L St Ralston
72nd Street Chapel 1010 North 72nd St Omaha
Pacific Street Chapel 14151 Pacific St Omaha
Autumn Hills Cremation Services 7010 L Street Omaha
Visit our website at: www.johnagentleman.com Or call us at: 402-391-1664
2088246-01
Bellevue/Sarpy County Chapel 3402 Samson Way Bellevue
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SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
RALSTON FYI
April 25, 2018
Education
Private school Kindergarten through eighth grade St. Gerald Catholic School 7857 Lakeview St. Ralston, NE 68127 402-331-4223 stgerald.org
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS
Above left, boys play “badminton” on their last day of summer school at Blumfield Elementary. Above, incoming seventh-graders work together to paint a mural at Ralston Middle School during an art component of the Summer Bridge program, aimed at helping students transition to middle school. 2088250-01
St. Gerald Catholic Church A vibrant, welcoming faith community!
Ralston public schools ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
8545 Park Drive Ralston, NE 68127 402-331-4700 www.ralstonschools.org
Blumfield Elementary 10310 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127 402-331-0891
Ralston Middle School 8202 Lakeview St. Ralston, NE 68127 402-331-4701
Mark Adler, superintendent
Karen Western Elementary 6224 H St. Omaha, NE 68117 402-731-7477
Ralston High School 8969 Park Drive Ralston, NE 68127 402-331-7373
Li’l Rams Extended Day Care Program Sara Ryan, director; 402-898-3491 RALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION Linda Richards, president Tresha Rodgers, vice president Deb Gerch, secretary
St. Gerald welcomes you! Visit our website for information on our many ministries, committees, and activities
402.331.1955 • office@stgerald.org
www.stgerald.org
Our School - Grades Pre-K to 8th
The Ralston Board of Education meets in the evening the second and fourth Mondays of each month. For more information, or to request an agenda for the meeting, call 402-331-4700.
Seymour Elementary 4900 S. 79th St. Ralston, NE 68127 402-331-0540
Mike Overkamp
Wildewood Elementary 8071 Ralston Ave. Ralston, NE 68127 402-331-6475
Catholic Faith-based education – Fully state accredited Small classrooms – Experienced teachers Modern building – Up-to-date technology Tuition assistance for those who qualify
402.331.4223 • ckeenan@stgerald.org
Heather Johnson
Mockingbird Elementary 5100 S. 93rd St. Omaha, NE 68127 402-331-6954
Jay Irwin, treasurer
Our Parish - Living our Catholic Faith
Meadows Elementary 9225 Berry St. Omaha, NE 68127 402-339-6655
2062398-01
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RALSTON FYI
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
April 25, 2018
City offices, services
Government MAYOR
CITY COUNCIL
Don Groesser
Jerry Krause, Council President/Ward IV Maureen Konwinski, Ward I Lee Fideline, Ward II Craig Alberhasky, Ward III Michael Sanchez, Ward V Ben Preis, Ward VI
The Ralston City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers at Ralston City Hall, 5500 S. 77th St. Information: 402-331-6677 or www.cityofralston.com.
Suburban Newspapers
The Baright Public Library sits in the heart of downtown.
Important names and numbers RALSTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 5505 Miller Ave. 402-339-7737 9 a.m. to noon/1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday www.ralstonareachamber.org RALSTON CITY HALL 5500 S. 77th St. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday 402-331-6677 www.cityofralston.com RALSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT 7629 Park Drive General inquiries: 402-3315369 RALSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT 7400 Main St. Emergency: Call 911 General inquiries: 402-331-1786 PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 8220 Serum Ave. 402-331-4118 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
PUBLIC SERVICES: ELECTRICITY OPPD Emergency service: 800-554-OPPD (6773) Customer service: 402-536-4131 oppd.com GAS Black Hills Energy 24-hour utility customer service: 800-890-5554 24-hour utility emergency service: 800-694-8989 blackhillsenergy.com WATER M.U.D. Emergency service: 402-554-7777 Customer service: 402-554-6666 www.mudomaha.com CABLE Cox Communications www.cox.com 24-hour support: 402-933-3000 CenturyLink 877-299-0172 centurylink.com
RALSTON BARIGHT PUBLIC LIBRARY 5555 S. 77th St. 402-331-7636 ralstonlibrary.org 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday RALSTON SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER 7300 Q St., Suite 100 402-339-4926 RALSTON/LA VISTA SPECIAL SERVICES BUS 402-657-3550 RALSTON POST OFFICE 7300 Main St. 402-331-5749 RALSTON RECORDER P.O. Box 27072 Ralston, NE 68127 402-331-6300 news@ralstonrecorder.com omaha.com/sarpy/ralston
TRASH Papillion Sanitation 402-346-7800 2088247-01
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RALSTON FYI
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
April 25, 2018
Community comes together to celebrate Ralston From wine walks to fireworks to visits from Santa Claus, Ralston keeps its small-town spirit and sense of community with events throughout the year.
TUNES IN TOWN SQUARE
Enjoy some family fun and live music at the Independence Square Gazebo. Food trucks, a bounce house and games are just some of the fun to be had. The Downtown Ralston Business Community will host four dates for 2018: May 18t June 12, July 20 and Aug. 14.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Perhaps the biggest event is the annual Independence Day celebration. Held on July 4, the celebration brings tens of thousands of people to the city for a parade and a wide range of activities. The crowds make it one of the biggest Independence Day celebrations in the state. The highlight is the parade, which features politicians, metro area businesses, schools and churches, as well as a grand marshal chosen from the community. No Independence Day would be complete without a fireworks show at dusk to cap off a festive celebration.
WINE WALK
The Ralston Wine Walk brings hundreds each year to downtown Ralston to sip wine and check out some of the local businesses. The event, held in late September, features about 20 downtown businesses. People can walk between the different stores, trying a different wine at each location. Last year visitors could also ride Ollie the Trolley between stores.
GREAT RAL-STEIN
In October, the Ralston Area Chamber of Commerce holds its annual Great Ral-Stein Festival of Beer. Established in 2014, the festival allows visitors to sample a wide range of beers at Hillcrest Landing, and each visitor receives a pretzel necklace and a commemorative mug.
HOLIDAY MAGIC
Close to Christmas, Ralston holds its annual Holiday Magic. The event features open houses at the Frank and Velma Archives and Baright Public Library, as well as children’s activities at City Hall, such as an artist drawing caricatures and a clown making balloon animals. Santa also makes an appearance, arriving by firetruck at Independence Square. Once Mayor Don Groesser lights the Christmas trees, children can visit Santa to tell him what they want for Chirstmas. There are also carriage rides down 77th Street.
Near right, Ralston’s annual Wine Walk in downtown features many local businesses. Center, attendees clink their glasses at the annual Great Ral-Stein Festival of Beer. Far right, Ralston Mayor Don Groesser and his wife, Deb, lead the children’s parade on the morning of July 4. Below, Pam and Pearls performs at Tunes in Town Square. Below right, from left, Grace Swoboda, Keira Promes and Isabella Promes await the start of the children’s parade
Suburban Newspapers
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RALSTON FYI
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
April 25, 2018
Worship
Raslton-area churches COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH 9001 Q St., Omaha 402-339-7857 www.cbcomaha.org Sunday worship, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Sunday school/adult classes, 9:30 a.m., Fusion Cafe ALL HOLY SPIRIT GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 9012 Q St., office 5050 Harrison St., services 402-934-3688 www.allholyspirit.com Matins service, Sunday, 8:45 a.m.; divine liturgy, Sunday, 9:30 a.m. KAREN STREET BAPTIST CHURCH 6109 Karen St., Omaha 402-731-0805 Sunday school, 10 a.m.; Sunday worship services, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. LIVING FAITH — A CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 6724 S. 83rd Ave. 402-592-0333 livingfaithchurchne.org Sunday, 9:15 a.m., Sunday school for all ages; 10:30 a.m., worship.
Parishioners sing hymns at the Ralston United Church of Christ during the annual Thanksgiving ecumenical service. Ralston United Church of Christ and other local pastors from St. Gerald Catholic, Trinity United Methodist and Messiah Lutheran churches participated.
MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH 5015 S. 80th St. 402-331-5510 www.messiahfamily.com Sunday, 8:30 a.m., traditional worship, 11 a.m., contemporary services; 9:45 a.m., Sunday school and adult education. RALSTON UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 7638 Maywood St. 402-331-6067 www.ralstonuccne.com Sunday, 10 a.m., worship and children’s Sunday school; 11 a.m., coffee/fellowship. ST. GERALD CATHOLIC CHURCH 96th and Q Streets, Omaha Lakeview Chapel, 78th and Lakeview Streets 402-331-1955 www.stgerald.org Masses at church, 96th and Q Streets — Saturday, 5 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon; daily at 12:15 p.m. Masses at Lakeview Chapel, 78th and Lakeview Streets — Sunday, 7 a.m., and daily (Monday through Saturday), 8:15 a.m.
Suburban Newpapers
TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 8009 Q St. 402-331-4054 www.trinityralston.org Sunday, worship services, 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Sunday school, 9:45 a.m.; nursery care, 8:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m.
GOOD TO KNOW Service times can change with the seasons, please call ahead to confirm.
Welcome to
A connected community, committed to excellence. 2090169-01
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RALSTON FYI
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
April 25, 2018
The Exceptional Dental Care You Deserve from the Professionals You can Trust. Right Here in Your Ralston Neighborhood. Chad Snow, D.D.S.
FAMILYDENTIST
Amy Ruf, D.D.S.
402-733-4441
Omaha.com
Comprehensive Dental Care • Advanced 3-D Digital Imaging • Same Day Emergency Care Cleanings and Exams for Adults and Children • Same Day Crowns Available Composite (tooth colored) Fillings • Cosmetic Dentistry • Root Canal Treatment Extractions • Dentures and Partials • Implants