Florence is a present-day neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska, United States on the city's north end and was one of the oldest cities in Nebraska before being annexed by Omaha. Given the high concentration of National Register of Historic Places in the neighborhood, it is acknowledged that "The historic Florence neighborhood was a city before Nebraska was officially a state,"[1] and is regarded as "the historic front door to Omaha as well as the state."[2]
Starting in 1917, the neighborhood of Florence has roots pre-dating the establishment of the State of Nebraska. It was originally established in 1846 as Winter Quarters,[3] which was largely abandoned by 1848. However, in 1854 the site was revitalized as an independent town, and in 1857 the Nebraska Territory Legislature officially incorporated it as an independent city named for the founder's adopted daughter, Florence Kilbourn.[4]
In 1917, the City of Florence was annexed by the City of Omaha,[5] and since then has been identified as a neighborhood in Omaha.
In 2024, the Florence neighborhood's main thoroughfare, N. 30th St., is undergoing road and mobility enhancements as part of a broader push to improve traffic flow and safety throughout the city. Florence is included in Omaha's traffic management projects, which aim to modernize signals and improve transportation routes in the region.[6] Recently installed along N. 30th St., the Florence neighborhood is now home to six street-side bioretention gardens in a two-block area. "The City of Omaha Stormwater program will be maintaining the bioretention gardens and evaluating their performance periodically to make sure it is working as intended..."[7]
One recent neighborhood introduction brochure said Florence is "[j]ust a quick 10-minute drive away from downtown Omaha, this thriving neighborhood is filled with well-preserved buildings and homes dating back to the 1800s. Plus, there are plenty of down-home restaurants and family-friendly attractions like Alpine Inn, Mormon Trail Center, General Crook House Museum and the Bank of Florence Museum."[8]
There have been several developments over the last century intended to celebrate the history of the Florence neighborhood. Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple was constructed in 2001 to commemorate the Mormon pioneers of 1846. The opening ceremonies and open house for the large temple drew thousands of visitors. The Mormon Trail Center in Florence is a museum interpreting the Mormon Trail and early Mormon-era history of the area, and the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery is a neighboring historical site today. Also of interest are the Mormon Pioneer Memorial Bridge, built in 1952 that carries Interstate 680 over the Missouri River. The Mormon Bridge Tollhouse, at 3010 Willit Street, was related to the operations of the toll bridge. The Cutler's Park monument on the northwest corner of Young Street and Mormon Bridge Road was installed in 2017 and includes educational information, and details information about the nearby Cutler's Park Cemetery.
The Florence Futures Foundation is responsible for fostering many of the historic preservation efforts in the area by working to enhance neighborhood identity and reverse economic decline by attracting heritage tourism.[9]
| Landmarks in Florence | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Built | Location | NRHP? | Notes | |
| Bank of Florence | 1856 | 8502 North 30th Street | October 15, 1969 | This wildcat bank was designated as an Omaha landmark on October 14, 1980. It is a Greek Revival-style building built between 1850 and 1874. | |
| Florence Boulevard | 1892 | Burt Street north to J.J. Pershing Drive | 2013[10] | Part of Omaha boulevard system, this was once called the "Prettiest Mile." | |
| Florence Depot | 1887 | 9000 North 30th Street | Originally built at 28th and Grebe Streets. | ||
| Florence Firehouse | 1888 | 8415 North 29th Street | This landmark was severely damaged in a fire that broke out due to faulty electrical wiring on May 15, 1984. It was rebuilt in the Urbana Gothic style, a transition from the early Fremol style of most other landmark Florence buildings.[11] | ||
| Florence Mill | 1846 | 9102 North 30th Street | December 31, 1998 | Also known as the Weber Mill, Mormon Mill, Grist Mill, and Old Pink Mill, this site is on the National Register of Historic Places and has two historic markers. | |
| Florence School | 1860s | 7902 North 36th Street | Also known as Florence Elementary School. It was recently remodeled, and now has a part of the school specifically for boy and girls club. It attends to students from grades kindergarten to fifth grade. | ||
| Fontenelle Boulevard | Pre-1900 | Military Road to North 30th Street | 2013[12] | ||
| Keirle House | 1905 | 3017 Mormon Street | Declared an Omaha Landmark in 1997. | ||
| Mormon Pioneer Cemetery | 1846 | 3301 State Street | Used until 1848, LDS Church records indicate 359 pioneers are buried there. | ||
| Notre Dame Academy and Convent | 1924 | 3501 State Street | March 5, 1998 | ||
| Old People's Home | 1917 | 3325 Fontenelle Boulevard | October 21, 1987 | ||
| Potter's Field Cemetery | 1870s | 7909 Mormon Bridge Road | Located next to the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, this is the location of an official Nebraska State Historical Society marker. | ||
| St Philip Neri School | 8202 North 31st Street | The parish was founded in 1904; the school in 1922.[13] | |||
| Shipley Cemetery | |||||
| 1812 | A historical marker is located in the nearby Hummel Park. | ||||
| 1822 | A historical marker is located in the nearby Hummel Park. | ||||
| 1819 | Pre-territorial military installations, are nearby as well.[14] | ||||
| Florence Water Works | J.J. Pershing Dr. | 1880 | Restored in the 2010s by the Metropolitan Utilities District. | ||