Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-12
The Naming of Omaha
Christian Science Monitor.

Christian Science Monitor.
1t seems almost incredible, but it is never
theless true that it has remained for a resident
OF Omaha to raise a question as to the Indian
origin of that melodous name. He introduces
his theme by paraphrasing well-known and
much-commtted passage from Romeo and
Juliet so as to read
Omaha, Omaha
Wherefore art thou Omaha
and proceeds with long string OF hereSles cal
cuated to disturb the equanimity OF one OF the
fairest and happiest communities in the entire
transmissouri region. Apparently presuming
that, in reply to the inquiry, multtudes will
rush forward and exclaim, "Omahal why
Omaha is named after the Omaha tribe of In
diansp he recklessly asserts, But there were
no Omaha Indians; those Indians were the
Mahas" And he has the temerity to quote
from the records of Lewis and Clark, which
say: I'VE halted to examine the spot where
one Of the great chiefs OF the Mahas' named
Blaekbird," and so on, insisting that the ia
nous explorers frequently refer to the Mahas,
How, then" he asks, did Omaha come to be
named Omaha instead of Maha?"
Undertaking to dispel the mystery that to
him appears to have enshrouded this strange
circumstance it becomes necessary to recount
a legend. A man named Jesse Love- so the
story runs, lived in Kanesville Ia, settlement
opposite the present city of Omaha and long
known as Council Bluffs. This was back in
1858, which was a long time ago, as time is
measured in the middle-west On July rs OF
that year, Jesse Lowe padded a small skia
across the big Muddy" otherwise the Mis-
souri,, and was so pleased with the locality that
he anticipated George Francis Train in pre-
dieting, then and there, that this would some
day be the site of a great city. As an evidence
Of his faith in the future of city that did not
then appear on the map, Jesse Lowe staked out
a claim at the west end of what is now known
f1,,a fnr ha
began to think about name for the city, which
few years later was to become the real east
ern terminus of the Union Pacific railway. 1t
seems that he had read the records of Lewis
and Clark, and therefore knew something con-
corning the Maha Indians, So he thought of
naming the place "Maha" but, having musical
ear he regarded the sound of this as not sufi-
GENTLY euphonious. Then, like many before
him, and after him, he thought it would be a
good idea to give his own name to a future
large and prosperous city; but, realizing that
Lowe might not be suitable name for a COM
munity which, he was convinced would in
years to come aim high he said to himself as
/, it were, Whats the matter with Lowe
maha?" On second thought, nothing appear
ing to be the matter, this was the name he
chose, But he gave it subject to change. The
e" seeming to be supertiuous he dropped it a
few days later, and so it stood, for the time be-
ing, 'Lowmaha" After another interval this first
the Nv" was useless, dropped that also, and the
place became "Lomaha" In the course of
time newcomers began to drop the half silent
81, and eventually even that was dropped alto
gether, and so the name became Omaha"
This legend is interesting and plausible, but
one of the difficulties with it is that it tends to
sweep out of existence great tribe of Indians
Of the Siouan family, the family of which the
Sioux tribe is a distinguished branch This
family in fact, comprised some of the most
them, in addition to the Sioux, the Dakotas, the
Crow, the Usage, and, not the least worthy of
recognition, for reasons that will presently be
given. the Omaha.
Like all the leading tribes of the Siouan
family. the Omahas were warlike, but they had
made war upon the United States. 1t was their
friendliness hospitality, and loyalty that inn
pressed the FIRST immigrants in Nebraska, and
that led these pioneers to name what they be-
lieved would be the chief city of the state
Omaha Omaha has taken over as its own
many of the leading traits of these Indians
They were disposed to talk great deal about
the advantages of Nebraska. They predicted,
from the beginning, great things for its leading
city. They were cordial to strangers. They
could be counted on at all times to respond to
every call of the nation, in peace or in war. In
fact, all the circumstances, whether one builds
upon the plain facts of history or reasons from
induction, combine to establish the fact that
Omaha was called Omaha in honor of the
Omaha Indians. AS to the "Mahas," Lewis and
Clark were explorers, not ethnologists