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Sporting District, Omaha

January 06, 2023

The Sporting District was an area near 16th and Harney Streets in Omaha, Nebraska where city boss Tom Dennison kept the majority of his gambling, drinking and prostitution interests from the late 19th century until the end of his reign in 1933.[1] "Cowboy" James Dahlman was reputedly voted to the first of eight terms as mayor of Omaha because he was more tolerant of the Dennison's "Sporting District" in the middle of the city.[2]

Sporting District, Omaha
Vice district
Sporting District
Location within Nebraska
Coordinates: 41°15′23″N 95°56′14″W / 41.2565°N 95.9372°W / 41.2565; -95.9372Coordinates: 41°15′23″N 95°56′14″W / 41.2565°N 95.9372°W / 41.2565; -95.9372
Country United States
State Nebraska
CountyDouglas
CityOmaha
Years activelate 19c - 1933
Notable people: 
PoliticiansTom Dennison
"Cowboy" James Dahlman
Brothel ownersAnna Wilson
Mae Hogan
Ada and Minna Everleigh
Gambling house operatorsDan Allen
Charles Bibbins
H.B. Kennedy
Charles White
Jack Morrison

The term sporting was a common 19th-century euphemism for gambling and/or prostitution. Many communities around the U.S. used this term; brothels were often referred to as sporting houses.

History

The Burnt District had been Omaha's red-light district in the late 19th century.[3] The area was located east of Creighton University from Douglas Street six blocks north to Cass Street and from the Missouri River west to Sixteenth Street.[4] The district was closed down around the turn of the century, and business transferred to the Sporting District.[3][5]

It has been estimated that there were over 100 "houses of questionable character" in 1910. In 1918 the Health Commissioner reported that there were at least 1,600 prostitutes working in the area.[6]

Establishments

There were a variety of venues inside the district. They included the Gayety Theatre, located at 1514 Harney Street, which was a notorious burlesque house that civic organizations protested. The theatre was opened in 1906 as the Burwood Theatre and the name was changed to the Gayety Theatre in 1908. It continued to operate until 1928.[7] Tom Dennison kept his primary office at the Budweiser Saloon in the Sporting District at 1409 Douglas Street, the site of the current Union Pacific Center.[8] The saloon was owned by William E. Nesselhous, one of Dennison's key lieutenants.[9]

Anna Wilson ran a 25-room brothel in a mansion at 915 Douglas Street during this period, along with Dan Allen's gambling house, saloon and pawn shop.[10] Mae Hogan ran a brothel on the corner of 16th and Jackson, and Ada and Minna Everleigh had a brothel at 12th and Jackson before moving to Chicago to open the Everleigh Club.[11]

Another establishment in the Sporting District was the Diamond Gambling House located at 1312 Douglas Street. The "Big Four" Omaha gamblers of 1887, Charles Bibbins, H.B. Kennedy, Charles White and Jack Morrison operated the facility until 1893, when it was closed by the City.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ Menard 1989, p. 107.
  2. ^ Wolff 2007.
  3. ^ a b Miller 2012.
  4. ^ Peattie 2005, p. 272.
  5. ^ Peattie 2005, p. 75.
  6. ^ Bristow 2000, p. 208.
  7. ^ . Nebraska Memories. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  8. ^ Larsen & Cottrell 1997, p. 180.
  9. ^ Wolfgang 2013.
  10. ^ Palmer 2006.
  11. ^ Aponick 2009, p. 12.
  12. ^ Federal Writers' Project 1939, p. 234.

Bibliography

  • Aponick, Chris (November 4, 2009). "Omaha Confidential". The Encounter Magazine. pp. 11–13.
  • Bristow, David L. (2000). A Dirty, Wicked Town: Tales of 19th Century Omaha. Caxton Press. ISBN 9780870045325.
  • Federal Writers' Project (1939). Nebraska: A Guide to the Cornhusker State. U of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803268517.
  • Larsen, Lawrence Harold; Cottrell, Barbara J. (1997). The Gate City: A History of Omaha. U of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803279674.
  • Menard, Orville D. (1989). Political Bossism in Mid-America: Tom Dennison's Omaha, 1900-1933. University Press of America. ISBN 9780819173423.
  • Miller, Wilbur R. (2012). The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America: An Encyclopedia. SAGE Publications. ISBN 9781483305936.
  • Palmer, Jane (August 3, 2006). . Red Orbit. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  • Peattie, Elia Wilkinson (2005). George-Bloomfield, Susanne (ed.). Impertinences: Selected Writings of Elia Peattie, a Journalist in the Gilded Age. U of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803237483.
  • Wolff, H (April 22, 2007). "Cowboy Jim rode out of Texas to find fame in Nebraska". Newspapers.com. No. Victoria Advocate. p. 40.
  • Wolfgang, Chris (August 29, 2013). "Mafiosi and Madams". Omaha Magazine.

External links

  • Historic postcard of the Gayety Theatre.

January 06, 2023
sporting, district, omaha, sporting, district, area, near, 16th, harney, streets, omaha, nebraska, where, city, boss, dennison, kept, majority, gambling, drinking, prostitution, interests, from, late, 19th, century, until, reign, 1933, cowboy, james, dahlman, . The Sporting District was an area near 16th and Harney Streets in Omaha Nebraska where city boss Tom Dennison kept the majority of his gambling drinking and prostitution interests from the late 19th century until the end of his reign in 1933 1 Cowboy James Dahlman was reputedly voted to the first of eight terms as mayor of Omaha because he was more tolerant of the Dennison s Sporting District in the middle of the city 2 Sporting District OmahaVice districtSporting DistrictLocation within NebraskaCoordinates 41 15 23 N 95 56 14 W 41 2565 N 95 9372 W 41 2565 95 9372 Coordinates 41 15 23 N 95 56 14 W 41 2565 N 95 9372 W 41 2565 95 9372Country United StatesState NebraskaCountyDouglasCityOmahaYears activelate 19c 1933Notable people PoliticiansTom Dennison Cowboy James DahlmanBrothel ownersAnna WilsonMae HoganAda and Minna EverleighGambling house operatorsDan AllenCharles BibbinsH B KennedyCharles WhiteJack MorrisonThe term sporting was a common 19th century euphemism for gambling and or prostitution Many communities around the U S used this term brothels were often referred to as sporting houses Contents 1 History 2 Establishments 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory EditThe Burnt District had been Omaha s red light district in the late 19th century 3 The area was located east of Creighton University from Douglas Street six blocks north to Cass Street and from the Missouri River west to Sixteenth Street 4 The district was closed down around the turn of the century and business transferred to the Sporting District 3 5 It has been estimated that there were over 100 houses of questionable character in 1910 In 1918 the Health Commissioner reported that there were at least 1 600 prostitutes working in the area 6 Establishments EditThere were a variety of venues inside the district They included the Gayety Theatre located at 1514 Harney Street which was a notorious burlesque house that civic organizations protested The theatre was opened in 1906 as the Burwood Theatre and the name was changed to the Gayety Theatre in 1908 It continued to operate until 1928 7 Tom Dennison kept his primary office at the Budweiser Saloon in the Sporting District at 1409 Douglas Street the site of the current Union Pacific Center 8 The saloon was owned by William E Nesselhous one of Dennison s key lieutenants 9 Anna Wilson ran a 25 room brothel in a mansion at 915 Douglas Street during this period along with Dan Allen s gambling house saloon and pawn shop 10 Mae Hogan ran a brothel on the corner of 16th and Jackson and Ada and Minna Everleigh had a brothel at 12th and Jackson before moving to Chicago to open the Everleigh Club 11 Another establishment in the Sporting District was the Diamond Gambling House located at 1312 Douglas Street The Big Four Omaha gamblers of 1887 Charles Bibbins H B Kennedy Charles White and Jack Morrison operated the facility until 1893 when it was closed by the City 12 See also EditHistory of Omaha Culture in Omaha San Antonio Sporting District StoryvilleReferences Edit Menard 1989 p 107 Wolff 2007 a b Miller 2012 Peattie 2005 p 272 Peattie 2005 p 75 Bristow 2000 p 208 Burwood Theatre Omaha Neb Nebraska Memories Archived from the original on 3 April 2015 Retrieved 3 November 2019 Larsen amp Cottrell 1997 p 180 Wolfgang 2013 Palmer 2006 Aponick 2009 p 12 Federal Writers Project 1939 p 234 Bibliography EditAponick Chris November 4 2009 Omaha Confidential The Encounter Magazine pp 11 13 Bristow David L 2000 A Dirty Wicked Town Tales of 19th Century Omaha Caxton Press ISBN 9780870045325 Federal Writers Project 1939 Nebraska A Guide to the Cornhusker State U of Nebraska Press ISBN 9780803268517 Larsen Lawrence Harold Cottrell Barbara J 1997 The Gate City A History of Omaha U of Nebraska Press ISBN 9780803279674 Menard Orville D 1989 Political Bossism in Mid America Tom Dennison s Omaha 1900 1933 University Press of America ISBN 9780819173423 Miller Wilbur R 2012 The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America An Encyclopedia SAGE Publications ISBN 9781483305936 Palmer Jane August 3 2006 Omaha s Hidden History Red Orbit Archived from the original on 30 September 2007 Peattie Elia Wilkinson 2005 George Bloomfield Susanne ed Impertinences Selected Writings of Elia Peattie a Journalist in the Gilded Age U of Nebraska Press ISBN 9780803237483 Wolff H April 22 2007 Cowboy Jim rode out of Texas to find fame in Nebraska Newspapers com No Victoria Advocate p 40 Wolfgang Chris August 29 2013 Mafiosi and Madams Omaha Magazine External links EditHistoric postcard of the Gayety Theatre Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sporting District Omaha amp oldid 1020505849, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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