Lost Omaha

The landmarks of Omaha's past reveal a history of industry, innovation and change. The Hotel Fontenelle, the Omaha Athletic Club and the Medical Arts Building disappeared in the wake of changes remaking downtown after World War II. Jobbers Canyon, a vital part of the city's wholesale district, was sacrificed to ConAgra's headquarters. Peony Park closed as suburban sprawl prevented its expansion, and changing leisure patterns took residents farther away for their amusement park experience. The stockyards finally closed in 1999, ending a long chapter in Omaha's history. Author and historian Janet R. Daly Bednarek charts the legacy of Omaha's lost history through its landmarks.

Janet R. Daly Bednarek was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She grew up in the Cathedral (now called Midtown) neighborhood, attending St. Cecilia's grade school and Cathedral High School. With a major in history, she graduated from Creighton University and then went to the University of Pittsburgh for her PhD. After a brief stint as a public historian working for the United States Air Force, she joined the faculty at the University of Dayton in 1992. Her classes include American Urban History, History of American City Planning and History of American Aviation. She has published four books, including her first, based on her dissertation, The Changing Image of the City: Planning for Downtown Omaha, 1945-1973. Her latest book, Airports, Cities and the Jet Age, came out in 2016. She lives with her husband in Centerville, Ohio.