Published August 26, 2025 | Updated June 1, 2026

Long before Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo was recognized as one of the world’s best, it was Riverview Park.

The land along the Missouri River with steep hills was acquired on the cheap between 1893 and 1899. This was by design, as landscape architect Horace Cleveland, the person most responsible for the city’s parks and boulevard system, advocated for park land being acquired cheaply before the city caught up to it.

While the area was mostly undeveloped, Tom Murray, one of the city’s original pioneers, owned 160 acres of land in the area. Referred to as an old-time junk dealer, Tom kept a variety of items on his pasture including second-hand coffins and a ship’s anchor. In the early days, pioneers could find nearly everything they needed.

Upon learning of the city’s plan to establish a park in the area, good ol’ Tom offered to “donate” 10 acres to the city as long as they agreed that the park and the boulevard connecting it to the other parks be named after him and that he not be taxed for improvements he made to his adjacent land. He knew that by platting the land after the park was established, it would become even more valuable.

Mayor George Bemis declined, as the cost to improve the donated land was more than it was worth. He added that if the city wanted the land, it should get it by purchasing it or condemning it, either of which would be cheaper than the conditions imposed by the landowner. While Tom would sell the land to George Warren Smith of Boston, the city acquired much of it in the decades that followed.

The Omaha World-Herald even weighed in, stating that: “Public parks are preserved – to this day – to be named for men of such high character and public spirit that they are entirely deserving of the honor. Mr. Murray does not deserve this recognition and the people generally will be glad that he is not to receive such recognition.”

The hilly terrain of the 66-acre park with its deep ravines and ridges offered spectacular views of the river, which inspired its name. The city hired 120 men to improve the land by cutting decaying trees, removing underbrush, clearing timber, grading and beautifying the grounds in preparation for its grand opening in June. Larger than Hanscom Park to the west, Riverview was expected to be the most utilized of Omaha’s seven parks.

On the northern end of the park was a tall ridge crowned with trees. Extending to the heart of the park was a ravine that was converted to a lake. Near the ravine were 19 tennis courts and baseball fields.

On the east side there was a shaded walk bordering a ravine to a concourse for a small playground under large trees. Rustic bridges were constructed over the ravine. The longest trail, called “Lover’s Lane,” went past deep ravines and slopes covered with hazel, sumac and wild grape and led to the top of the ridge providing spectacular views.

The grand opening of the park took place on June 24, 1894, with over 5,000 visitors watching the Fort Omaha Military Band perform. The park proved to be extremely popular and continued to add attractions including an artesian well that allowed access to water for both drinking and medicinal use. After that, a lake was added to allow for ice skating, in addition to a music stand. Concerts and picnics were held between the two entrances along 9th Street. Meanwhile, the streetcar line along 13th Street provided easy access.

A cottage which still stands today was built inside the park so that Nels P. Anderson, its caretaker, could remain on site. Anderson had traveled Europe and South America with the menagerie section of circuses, looking after the animals for many years. A prominent member of the local Danish society, he was said to have taken delight in handling and taking care of the animals. After 15 years working as the caretaker of the park, Anderson was tragically killed by a bison named Monarch II while trying to feed him in 1912. It was believed that the blind bison wasn’t aware of who entered his cage. After the baby bison was born six years earlier, Anderson said that it was the finest baby bison he had ever seen.

Despite the incident, the collection of animals at the park continued to grow. It started with a moose, bear and fish in 1895 before expanding to 120 animals. In 1898, Buffalo Bill Cody loaned the park its first two bison. By that time, its collection had grown to more than 200 animals. The park soon expanded to more than 100 acres with an increasing portion dedicated to animals. With native quarters for deer, elk and buffalo, it also had stone cages set into the hillside for the mountain lions, foxes, coyotes and badgers. By 1917 the collection also included mountain goats, hogs, bobcats, wolves, coyotes, opossums, monkeys, alligators, ducks, pheasants and a “freak five-legged cow.” New cat cages were donated by Gould Dietz in the 1920s and new cat and bear exhibits were built by the WPA in the 1930s.

Riverview Park expanded in the early 1930s when the land that had once belonged to Tom Murray was acquired in a tax sale. Referred to as Sugar Loaf, the land was abandoned after its current owners calculated the cost of grading it and adding sidewalks, sewers and other improvements was not worthwhile. By this time the park was 140 acres.

The city acquired an additional 40 acres of Tom’s land north of Deer Park Boulevard in 1943. The land to the east was absorbed into Riverview Park while the land to the west that included high bluffs due to the grading of 13th Street was determined to be ideal for a new professional baseball stadium, which would eventually be named after Johnny Rosenblatt.

Improvements were made to the park to support the continually growing number of animals as the Omaha Zoological Society was organized in 1952. Its days as Riverview Park came to an end in 1963 when Margaret Hitchcock Doorly donated $750,000 with the stipulation that it be named for her late husband, Henry, who was chairman of the World Publishing Company and publisher of the Omaha World-Herald, which was founded by his father-in-law, Senator Gilbert Hitchcock.

Not even Margaret Doorly could have seen what the old Riverview Park would become. She wouldn’t even recognize the place today, save for the caretaker’s cottage, which still stands as one of the few remnants of its past life.

Content written by Omaha Exploration. Feel free to leave a comment or a suggestion. Until then, keep exploring!

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Sources

• Omaha World-Herald archives
• https://www.omahazoo.com/about-us
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha%27s_Henry_Doorly_Zoo_and_Aquarium