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BURLINGTON ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
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Burlington Road
Neighborhood Association (BRNA) was founded in 2003 by Rebecca
Barrientos-Patlan, a resident concerned for her South Omaha Community.
Only a one-block vision, turned into a 10x10 residential and business
association, in its first meeting. Unity in projects has been the
strength of BRNA’s success, whether in educational, recreational, historical or
cultural activities, all members work to complete their mission. BRNA’s
outreaches bless our boundaries and other neighborhoods in Omaha.
When we see a need, we try to fill it to the best of our abilities.
Building on a foundation of volunteer strength and a connected community, is a
cornerstone for a great neighborhood association that will make a difference
for an area.
Some of our recent activities include obtaining grants for planting over 25
trees in Pulaski
Park. We partner
with Keep Omaha Beautiful in keeping our only park on 40th and G
Street maintained. We also hold an annual free
event called BRNA Family Day, where families gather for a fun filled day as
they eat together and learn about health, public safety. Many of BRNA’s
businesses, partner with us to give the family a break for a day for
free. We believe family-time like this is a much needed necessity in
today’s world and helps build a better world. BRNA has also hosted in the
park a Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Day Ceremony. We also worked with
the City of Omaha for approval to name a street
within the BRNA boundaries in memory Corporal Shane Kielion, a neighborhood
Marine killed in Iraq.
BRNA has conducted winter clothing drives, organized holiday food donations,
bought a piano for St. Stans School (which is the only school in it’s
boundaries) and we also hold annual neighborhood clean-up days.
Currently, our membership fluctuates around 140 residential members and
approximately 40 business members.
Every month 25-40 members, including senior citizens, young singles and married
couples gather together for homemade refreshments. This serves as a
social club as well as a team of concerned citizens strengthening our community
in quality of life issues. It is BRNA’s goals to continue in all the
efforts of her mission, to help build a safe, clean and happy communit
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BRNA'S PAST
Our
homes rest on an
area
that was once a part of a hilltop section with a number of small
creeks. Some of the creeks flowed into a
larger stream bed east of
us. The railroad companies drained that area to build their
railways. In the early 1900's, our area was developed by mostly
Polish immigrants and became a suburb of the town of South Omaha.
SOUTH OMAHA HISTORY:
The development of
the
stockyards
spurred the growth of
South Omaha. While the South Omaha stockyards were initially seen as a
resting place for cattle on their way to larger markets, such as
Chicago, the industry expanded into packing operations and was the
nation's third largest stockyards by 1893. It became one of the
largest
in the mid 1900"s.
Stockyards
early to mid 1900's
The town of
South Omaha evolved out of
the
livestock
trade and was laid out around the stockyards. Both entities grew
rapidly, and by 1890 the population numbered over 10,000 people
and claimed four major meat packing plants. At the turn of the
century, South Omaha (known as the "Magic City") had
over 26,000 inhabitants and was considered the "backbone of
Omaha's economy." Today, the wide expanse of stockyards is
gone. A shopping
center, movie theater, and other smaller businesses have replaced the
lots. Many smaller meat producing plants still remain in
the area. The Stockyards Exchange Building has been
renovated into apartments with the beautiful top floor ballroom still
used and lent out for parties.
BURLINGTON ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY:
Immigrants from
Poland started to migrate into our area at the turn of the century
looking for
work in the thriving packing house business. They built homes and
formed
congregations around
two churches; first St. Francis Assisi (32nd and K Street) in 1899, and
later St.
Stanislaus (41st and J Street) in 1919.
An area close to St. Francis Assisi Church, an early suburb of South
Omaha, was known as "zabno" which means "frog hollow" in Polish.
This was before industry moved into the area. There was a stream
which ran through the area with many frogs in it.
Below are some
pictures of the St. Francis Assisi Church as it has changed over
time. The church is
located today at 32nd and K Streets. The first parish school was
a former public school located on 33rd and J. It was purchased by
St. Francis in the early 1900's. A new school was
built in 1954 next to the church on 32nd and K. The old school
was torn down and homes were built in its location. Today
St. Francis School has closed. The school building does
hold a Polish Museum, and the classrooms are utilized by the growing
Hispanic congregation for their religious classes.
There were very few cars in the early 1900's. Most people
walked. They wanted the centers of their life to be near,
so St. Stanislaus Parish was founded further west where
many of the newer immigrants started building homes. The founders
of the parish built the church/school with their own hands in 1919.
It served the congregation until 1953 when the new church
was built. The upper floor of the old building was turned into
classrooms.
Parishoners who helped in the building of St. Stanislaus
St.
Stanislaus
School Today
4501 South 41st Street
The church was once housed in the upper floor of the school.
A new front addition was added to the
school in 1999.
The school is still a vibrant part of the
neighborhood.
It maintains classes Pre-School to Grade 8.
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St.
Stanislaus
Church
The church was built in
1953.
Its tower can be seen for miles around our area.
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Early residents use to fondly call the L
Street hill leading up to 42nd, "The Golden Hill"; perhaps in response
for their wishes and dreams for a better life. In the
early 1900's many neighborhood grocery stores dotted our area.
Some of those
stores
are
now family homes. One can recognize them by their flat
roofs. Wolf's Store on 36th and F was one of the last to close in
about 1970. Other small businesses dot the area along
L Street and 42nd Street today.
Many BRNA
residents remember attending Robbins School on 39th and I
Street.
It was constructed in 1910 with a 1916 addition. It was named
Robbins-Franklin School. The school closed in the 1990's when the
new school Ashland-Robbins was built. It is listed on the Nebraska
National Register. They state that -- "It was significant for its
contribution to the
educational system of South
Omaha, then Omaha proper
after its annexation. The school
served
residents of a newly established and growing Polish immigrant area
dominated by
meatpacking and the livestock industry. It is also an excellent example
of
Neo-Classical Revival architecture." Today it is
known a Robbins
School Apartments with 21 units. Rehabilitation converted the
former school into rental residential use in 2000.
Robbins
during renovation in 1999
Robbins Apartments in 2004
Pulaski Park
Our
neighborhood park is located at on 40th and H. It has been
a part of the area since the beginning of the 1900's. It slowly
evolved into a park. At first it was known as Clearview Park. It was an area where people would come to picnic and see a wonderful view to
the west or the east since the park is located on one of the higher
sections in the area. This was at a the time when there were few homes and trees to block the view. The land west of 42nd Street was
mostly undeveloped. As the Polish population grew in the area, the early
citizens proudly renamed the park in honor
of the great Polish General Casimir Pulaski, a hero of the American
Revolution. It was their way of giving honor to their new country and also showing pride in their heritage.
General Pulaski came to American to fight for
freedom. In Pulaski's first letter to George Washington, he
wrote, "I
came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, to live or die
for it." With Washington's recommendation, he became general of
the calvary. He spent the winter of 1777 training his men
in Trenton, not far from Washington's headquarter at Valley
Forge. He used his own personal finances, when money for Congress
was scarce, in order to assure his forces of the finest equipment and
personal safety. He transformed the calvary into a fighting force and
became
known as "The Father of the American Calvary." In 1779, he
was wounded while riding his horse into battle. It is said that
his enemies were so impressed with his courage, that they permitted him
to live and to be carried from the battlefield. He died
shortly after from his wounds. Americans have always recognized
Pulaski's heroism and the price he paid for their freedom. Throughout
America there are many counties, cities, parks, schools etc. named
after him.
Illinois has a state holiday in his honor on March 7th.
We should be honored to have our park named after such a hero.
Pulaski Park's Memorial Rock
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Pulaski Park once held
a swimming pool. It was roughly located where the ball field is now.
Actually, the pool is still there, buried under tons of
dirt. There also was a pavilion located on the north side of the park. The
pool was
closed in the1940's. Some long-time residents' memories of
the park include the large number of trees and how cold the water was
when they went there early in the morning for swimming
lessons. There were many summer evening dances at
the park in the 1930's and 40's. During the day, the children
would flock to the park to swim, work on craft projects and play. A
large rock was added in 1979 as a patriotic memorial to honor the early
immigrants and their heritage. It states: “General Casmir Pulaski – A great Polish soldier
who died for American Liberty”. There was a
grand party the day it was dedicated. A polka band played.
The
park was renovated in
2001 adding a walking strip, a history sign and new playground
equipment. It also has a ball field and basketball courts.
Unfortunately, many
of the park's huge old trees have been cut down.
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Today our BRNA neighborhood
continues to thrive with many
nationalities.
Our neighborhood association
hopefully will work toward rejuvenating our area and bring us together
as not only neighbors, but also friends.
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BRNA
Keeps Rollin' On....
BURLINGTON ROAD
NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION
Join
us on
the 2nd Tuesday of each month.
Come
to BRNA's monthly meetings for important
information
and news that can
affect you and
your
family!
Meetings held at:
St.
Stanislaus Hall
41st and J Street
Second Tuesdays of the Month
6:30 p.m.
EMAIL : brna@cox.net
or
P.O. Box 7126
Omaha, NE 68107
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