Omaha Exploration

These lists are based on the places that I explore and will continue to change as I learn more. My criteria on what constitutes the oldest type of place or the first is pretty loose – keep in mind that owners, names and locations change over time. This is not meant to be comprehensive and while it’s mostly for my reference, I thought it would be fun to share what I learn along the way.

Omaha’s oldest business

• Johnson Hardware – 1855 – Click to read
• NP Dodge – 1855 – Coming soon…
  • Established in Council Bluffs and moved to Omaha in 1900.
• Byron Reed – 1856 – Coming soon…
• First National Bank – 1857 – Coming soon…
• Omaha Print – 1858 – Coming soon…
• Union Pacific – 1862 – Coming soon…
• Sergeant’s Pet Care Products – 1868
• University of Nebraska Medical Center – 1869 – Coming soon…
• Borsheims Fine Jewelry & Gifts – 1870 – Coming soon…
• Ingersoll-Rand Air Center – 1871
• Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Nebraska – 1872
• Baird Holm LLC – 1873
• Chicago Lumber of Omaha – 1876 – Click to read
• Creighton University – 1878 – Coming soon…

Omaha’s oldest building

• Bank of Florence – 1856 – Click to read
• Florence Mill – 1856-1860 – Click to read
  • The original mill was built in 1846 but later torn down and rebuilt

Omaha’s oldest restaurants

• Dundee Dell – 1915 – Click to read
  • Let me point out that while its commonly believed that Johnny’s Cafe is the oldest, various newspaper reports show the Dundee Delicatessen (current Dundee Dell) going back as far as 1915
• Orsi’s – 1919 – Click to read
  • Ori’s was a bakery long before it was a pizzeria so its inclusion in this list is highly subjective, even so I am sticking with the date it opened as a bakery in 1919
• Johnny’s Cafe – 1922 – Click to read
• Olsen’s Bake Shop – 1925 – Click to read
• Nite Hawks Cafe – 1931 – Click to read

Omaha’s oldest steakhouses

• Johnny’s Cafe – 1922 – Click to read
• Gorat’s Steak House – 1944 – Click to read
• Cascio’s Steakhouse – 1946 – Click to read
• The Drover – 1968 – Click to read
  • The Drover actually started as a part of a chain restaurant called Cork N’ Cleaver before becoming The Drover
• Brother Sebastian’s Steakhouse & Winery – 1977 – Click to read

Omaha’s oldest pizzerias

• La Casa Pizzaria – 1953 – Click to read
• Don Carmelo’s Pizzeria – 1958 (1980 in Omaha) – Click to read
  • Don Carmelo’s opened on the east coast in 1958 but didn’t open in Omaha until 1980
• Orsi’s Italian Bakery & Pizzeria – 1960’s – Click to read
  • The bakery opened in 1919 but didn’t sell pizza until the 1960s
• Big Fred’s Pizza Garden & Lounge – 1964 – Click to read
• Johnny Sortino’s Pizza – 1966 – Click to read

Omaha’s oldest bars

• Kendall Tavern – 1896 – Click to read
  • The bar originally opened under the name Gilmore Tavern
• Andy’s Place – 1929 – Click to read
  • The bar originally opened under the name Zyggie’s Place
• Darby’s Tavern – 1933 – Click to read
• Fan Tan Club – 1935 – Click to read
• Nifty Bar – 1935 – Click to read
• The Neighber’s – 1935 – Click to read
• The Musette Bar – 1935 – Click to Read
• Outpost Bar – 1935 – Coming soon…
• California Bar – 1937 – Click to read
• Alderman’s – 1937 – Click to read

Omaha’s oldest parks

• Hanscom Park – 1872 – Click to read
• Spring Lake/Syndicate Park – 1884 – Click to read
• Elmwood Park – 1889 – Click to read
• Miller Park – 1891 – Coming soon…
• Fontenelle Park – 1893 – Click to read

Omaha’s first…

• Brewery: Krug Brewery – 1859 – Click to read
• Brewpub: Jaipur – 1992 – Click to read
• Chinese: Bon Ton Restaurant – 1900 – Coming soon…
• Distillery: Willow Springs – 1869 – Coming soon…
• Indian restaurant: Indian Oven – 1984 – Coming soon…
• Italian Restaurant: Orsi’s – 1919 – Click to read
• Japanese restaurant: Mt. Fuji Inn – 1965 – Click to read
• Mexican restaurant: El Charro – 1947 – Click to read
• Pizzeria: Caniglia’s Pizzaria – 1946 – Click to read
• Steakhouse: Louie Ahko Cafe – 1916 – Coming soon…