Orchard Hill History

The neighborhood was named Orchard Hill because it actually had an apple orchard located near Franklin and Decatur streets. The Orchard Hill Neighborhood contains two historic homes, both more than 100 years old. The oldest was built in 1889, and the second oldest was built two years later, in 1891. Both houses have been restored and are currently occupied.

Jesse Lowe, a local businessman credited with naming the city of Omaha (after the Omaha Native Americans), established the neighborhood. Mr. Lowe was also the first mayor of Omaha.

The older homes of Orchard Hill are juxtaposed with newer homes, constructed by Habitat for Humanity since the 1980s. This gives the neighborhood a unique quality that many neighborhoods do not have - old and new homes can be found side by side.

The Orchard Hill Improvement Club ~ 1904*

A new Walnut Hill, and an Orchard Hill, too, has been born, populated today by many of Omaha's best and most influential citizens. And it was out at Orchard Hill, which joins Walnut Hill, that the Orchard Hill Improvement Club was reorganized not long ago with these officers: A.A. Buchanan, president; Dr. R.D. Mason and A.A. Hopson, vice-presidents; A. Clark, treasurer; Miss C.F. McCartney, secretary.

The Orchard Hill Improvement Club has 14 committees, including: Membership, streets and alleys, parks and boulevards, street railways, gas and electric lights, water and sewage, fire and police, trees and tree planting, street grading and railway extension, speakers and entertainment.

The formation of this club is not unlike the organization of other similar clubs through the city, the aim of each being to build up the various localities and consequently build up and beautify Omaha as a whole. It was from these scattered improvement clubs there grew up the Civic Improvement League, with Judge W.W. Slabaugh as president.

Men and women both belong to these improvement clubs; each vie with the other to see who can do the most for his district. One of the energetic members of the Orchard Hill Club is Miss C.F. McCartney, who acts as secretary. Of the work of the club and what expects to accomplish during the coming summer, Miss McCartney says:

"The Orchard Hill Improvement Club is looking forward to a season of great activity. Plans are complete so far as the residents are concerned and are up to the board of public works, for having several paved streets. Trees are to be planted uniformly and streets parked. Streets have been opened up north and the club is hoping to have one of them transformed into a boulevard, with proper park and boulevard connections. It is also expected there will be many new homes erected in this neighborhood during this year.

"The outcome of the club's endeavor to prevent the encroachment of speculators, as exemplified in its offer and declaration to purchase the property themselves, rather than have inferior tenements placed in conspicuous places, will be watched with interest by those who have suffered similarly.

"This club has, without one year, accomplished much for the neighborhood, and if the past is any criterion for the future, much good will come from this work the coming year. Another interesting thing in connection with this club is its conservative policy. It does not resolve on every question presented. It aims to assist rather than find fault "with the powers that be," and only to seek what is rightfully its portion of the city's attention and expenditures. The members, however, are likely to persevere when they think they are in the right. I am safe in saying that the spirit of this club can perhaps best be expressed in the language of a Hibernian friend who said, "Never say die until you are dead, and then you can't say it."

"There is no shirking of responsibility from one to another in the Orchard Hill club. Indeed, it would be hard to select a head to wear the laurel wreath, if only one were to be awarded."

The Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association ~ Organized July 1976

According to a July 22, 1976 story by Julie Salem in the Benson Sun newspaper, Orchard Hill residents met in June 1976 to talk about a neighborhood organization and formally organized in July 1976. The first officers of the new organization were Dean Randolph, president; Francis Entringer, vice-president; Dorothy Tierney, treasurer; Mrs. Leo Rosales, secretary. Dues were $1. Residents at that time were concerned about the need for vacant lot clean-ups, purchasing vacant lots, unkempt alleys, abandoned cars, unleashed dogs, rats, weeds and drug traffic.

Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association, Inc. ~ Incorporated Oct. 19, 2000

A nine-member Board of Directors is to be elected by the general membership in early 2001. The directors will elect their own officers. Application for tax exempt status with IRS will also be sought later this month or early next year. Mel Beckman was elected president.

Current elected Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association position include: Jeannie Dickes, president; Patrick Goodin, treasurer; Jacqueline Sherrod, secretary.

*Excerpts from a May 1, 1904 Omaha World-Herald story entitled, "Orchard Hill and Walnut Hill Folk Helping to Beautify Omaha."

About Orchard Hill

The boundaries of Orchard Hill are Hamilton Street (S) to Blondo Street (N); 36th Street (E) to Old Military RR Bed (W).

There are about 375 households in the Orchard Hill Neighborhood.

The mission of the Orchard Hill Neighborhood is "to promote the safety and quality of life for all the residents within our boundaries; to actively work to provide free, useful information to the Neighborhood.