Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-05-13
Graphic Narrative Of Douglas Street
This Mos

Douglas street was named after the
Little Giant Of Illinois--Stephen A.
Douglas-who at one time was the
idol Of the democratic party, second
only to Andrew Jackson. In 1880
there were but few substantial bust
ness blocks.on this street. aside from
what was then called the Caldwell
block. On the south side of that
street, between Thirteenth and Four
teenth streets, there were few brick
structures. That block alone pos
sessed the only evidence OF business
on the street. The Paddock block,
on the southwest corner OF Eleventh
street, and the Glynn block, on the
northwest corner. were the first evil
dences OF permanent buildings on
the street, They were erected about
1888. The Willard hotel, on the north
east corner of Thirteenth street, was
built about the same year. The
Metropolitan hotel, on the northeast
corner of Twelfth street, is an old
landmark that runs back to Omaha's
early days. 1t was a popular resort
in the early SOS, but has OF Tate
years been used chiefly as a cheap
lodging house. Where the Willard
hotel now stands the Vischer block
stood. That was a two-story frame
building, used for stores and Offices.
Gladstone Bros. occupied one OF the
stores and carried on an extensive
grocery business. On the southwest
corner of Fourteenth there was a
two-story brick, the store part of
which was used by William Flem-
ming as grocery store, he retiring
from business in 1895, since which
time new, three-story brick has
taken its place.
lAt No. 1907 for years Little & Will
liams ran 2 grocery store. AT No.
1909. in 1888. Charles Higgins opened
saloon and restaurant, this venture
lasting but short time. as he went
broke. Numerous other parties there
after engaged in various lines OF bust
ress in that building, but for one rca-
son or another. they were but short
lived. In 1898 the present occupants
rented the building for a saloon,
which is known as the "Budweiser."
and owned by William Nestlehouse,
but the name should be the Palace"
as it is the political home of the
political king of Douglas county, the
man who holds the destiny of both
the democratic and republican parties
in the hollow Of his hand.
The Continental block, on the
northeast corner, was erected in 1888,
Prior to that there was a number of
one-story frame buildings running as
far east as No. l4l2, one being occu-
pied by restaurant and another by
Bunce, the halter, and the corner by
Owen McCaffrey as a saloon.
On the northwest corner of FIT.
teenth street is the old Creighton
block, erected in the early '70s. For
fifteen years the corner store was oc-
cupied and run by Norman A. Kuhn
as drug store. he retiring from the
business in 1896. Ii was there tina,
10Th Sherman & Mcconnell Omaha's
leading druggists, learned the bust,
ness. There were a number OF small
frame buildings between that and the
,orner west. Most of them were
orn down in 1912 10 make room fol
ht Empress theater, all expensive
uilding built that year by ]. L. Bran.
els company of Omaha.
The building on the northeast cor.
or OF Sixteenth street was built il
S85 by William Bushman for store
= nd office building, the store being
sed by him for dry goods store
The building is on leased ground
Iushman's lease having expired som,
cars ago. In 1914 the ground anc
,uiding was leased by ex-Congress
nan !. L. Kennedy for term o
ninety-nine years.
On the southeas. corner OF Eff