Old Market in Omaha

Traveling in time is much easier than it seems. You do not need a special car, a suit, or a watch. What you have to do is to go to the Old Market in Omaha, Nebraska. Here, brick-paved streets, wrought iron stairs, and covered sidewalks have been preserved. This area has many restaurants, art galleries, and shops. You can often meet street performers, artists, or traders.

The Old Market is a district located in the centre of Omaha, bordering South 10th Street in the east, 13th Street in the west, Farnam Street in the north, and Jackson Street in the south. The Old Market is included in the National Register of Historic Places. It is located on the site of the former Jobber Canyon Historic District, in the current Omaha Railroad and MPS Warehouses District. There, you can notice several remarkable historical buildings. A walking tour is a great pastime if you are tired of typical entertainment, museums or art galleries.

The buildings inside the Old Market had a variety of functions because they were built in different periods. Initially, the district was intended for wholesale and retail grocery sales. Later, the list of goods enlarged. Small shops turned into huge shopping arcades.

The first buildings appeared at the end of the 19th century. One of the most famous of them is the Windsor Hotel, a three-story brick building of 1885. The other McClure Smith House of 1878 was a two-story brick steam bakery. The shoe company Morse-Code, now known as Mayfield Apartments, has also been preserved. It appeared in 1894 as a five-story warehouse and a light industry’s building.

Most of the houses on the Old Market are made of brick, and the streets are covered with brickwork, cobblestone, or asphalt. Here you also can find cast-iron stairs, metal cornices, stone facades, and metal pavement.