Omaha, Nebraska

We left Chicago on a chilly, rainy day and headed to Nebraska via Iowa.  There had been some flooding that threatened the closure of I-80 near Iowa City in the days preceding our departure, but the waters had receded by the time we arrived so we had no delays.  We did see signs of its aftermath as we left Iowa City and headed toward Omaha.

Rather than taking the interstate, we decided to take Highway 30, the Lincoln Highway, through Iowa and parts of Nebraska. The Lincoln Highway is the oldest coast to coast highway and it was interesting to read about its history and evolution. We passed through lots of small towns and watched the combines doing their thing out in the corn fields. The weather was pretty good with a bit of rain spitting here and there, but not enough to mess things up.

Spent two days in Omaha to see the sights.  We have been through Omaha several times, but always on the interstate just passing through. Spent one day checking out the downtown area and another day at Boys Town.

We had a delicious steak dinner (what else would you have in Omaha, the meat capital of the country?) in the Old Market area. This used to be a warehouse section which is being revitalized as loft apartments, boutiques and restaurants. We ate at Omaha Prime which was highly recommended by a fellow we ran into while wandering the area. Before dinner, we took a walk on Bob, the pedestrian bridge on the Missouri River. This area of Omaha is beautifully landscaped and contains bicycle/walking trails along both sides of the Missouri River and large tracts of land which are used for festivals and concerts. Iowa and Nebraska have demonstrated how two states can cooperate in creating a recreational area for their residents.

If you have not seen the movie, Boys Town, starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, make it a must-see. Father Flanagan was one of those rare individuals who commit their lives in a sacrificial manner to the saving of others. I don't know how many children have been saved through his direct actions and his dream of Boys Town, but I am sure it is in the thousands. The facility in Omaha is the original Boys Town, but there are several across the country and a few around the world.

The town is lovely and covers several hundred acres, a previous farm. A family environment is established for the children with 10 children living in a home (these homes are gorgeous huge brick homes) with a married couple who can have 2 to 3 children of their own. The adults are responsible for providing a loving family environment. The facility has schools, hospitals and entertainment centers focusing on sports, music and arts.

We toured the museum, the chapel and saw the outside of Father Flanagan's home (it was being renovated and was not open for viewing.). Didn't get to spend time in the gardens though because it was raining really hard, so maybe we will come back another time.



Iowa farmers were busy harvesting. We saw lots and lots of combines marching up and down the fields.  Imagine that, the entire state being mowed!

Corn was dry and ready for the picking. 

This is the country's longest pedestrian bridge.  The suspension wires were humming and you could feel the bridge vibrating.

 

The bridge crosses over the Missouri which is the boundary between Nebraska and Iowa.

 

 

The Missouri river looks nothing like it did two hundred years ago.  The taming of the river, while it improved life for the humans trying to claim the land, destroyed much of the habitat for the native wildlife. Groups are working to bring back the wildlife.

 

 

 

The National Park System has their western headquarters on the river edge. A small display and store was inside. The ranger gave us some great suggestions on sites to visit on our way home.

 

The downtown area has a beautiful park with a small creek running through it and some interesting sculptures.

 

The Old Market area is being revitalized.  There are some boutiques and interesting stores and restaurants, but a lot were in the process of being set up and not open yet.

Boys Town museum was a small but very interesting display of the history of the development of Father Flanagan's dream. So grateful that God puts people like Father Flanagan into this world.

 

In the early days, resources were scant. Boys spent their leisure time playing simple games, like marbles.

 

One idea, not particularly successful, was sending a band of boys out on tour, giving concerts and shows for fundraising. The cost of moving the equipment, boys and chaperons around proved to be more than what they were bringing in, so the program ended after one season.

 

 

Music is a big part of the program.

 

This statue is an icon for Boys Town. It is titled "He's not heavy, Father, he's my brother." It symbolizes the bonding that boys developed during their stay at Boys Town.

 



There are two chapels on campus, one Catholic and the other Protestant. The Catholic chapel was open for touring. The program accepts children regardless of race, gender or creed.

 

One of the sculptures in the chapel.

 

 

Father Flanagan is buried here.  He died of a heart attack while in Europe in 1948 advising on what to do to help the children who had been so severely impacted by the war.

 

Father Flanagan's home.

 

 


In the 1950s, the boys created the world's largest ball of stamps. The collection of stamps was one of the more popular hobbies in the program.