Omaha World-Herald, October 23, 1959

Great to see you’ve started a Benson website, love history, have  several file cabinets of family history that’s been ongoing since 1976.

Gunnar Horn was my journalism teacher in 1963 at Benson High, a former leader of Benson Historical Society; he grew up on a farm on SW corner of 72 & Blondo, an area where there is still a streetcar on someone’s backyard. There used to be a dozen or so of them at the onetime Twin Brooks Bible Camp NE of the North Omaha Airport that is still there on NE corner of McKinley and 72nd. I believe there may still be streetcar tracks under Maple street at 65 Ave  where it turned the corner south only to turn around and go back east on  Maple.

The Red & White Grocery Store on that SE corner was a popular stop for snacks after school which later was Coffman Appliance. Joe’s Cafe is  still Joe’s, but different owners, from when I went to Benson Elementary from
1953-59; it was off limits due to a request by the owner and/or operator’s due to kids causing a commotion and interrupting business, not just wanting to buy a candy bar displayed under the cash register counter – still the same counter at  the front door.

I won a dispute with the [Benson West] principal, Mrs Chapman, in 3rd  grade as I was given a message from her that I couldn’t buy my lunch at school  cause I didn’t live far enough away based on the number of blocks. I won out  because I pointed out to her personally, whom I had to meet with to discuss it, that since I had to walk on the south side of Maple without crossing it until I got to the school lights in front of school that there were more intersections on that side than the north due to dead end streets at 64th and 65th Ave.

Another business of note was the Schwinn bicycle shop just west of  the cafe which was brand new during my years at school. Also the United Rental was next to it on the corner. Across the street on SE corner of 66th at 6573 a man had insurance business in front and the rest was rented out. Across from school was hair dresser’s shop on bottom floor by the sidewalk.

Of course we had kids patrolling the 3 corners east of school, 1 west and 1 each NE and NW of school with no adult supervision most of the time except at  the main crossing with the light in front of school with the captains
of the  patrol. The patrols wore 2-1/2″ wide white “safety patrol belts” with the silver  badge on the diagonal strap.

We all had to get the polio shots when I was in 3rd grade during the fall of 1955, but only my sister Nancy and myself did not get the shots due to the fact my father was concerned that there could be side effects, including
polio from the shots. My father, Dewaine, had to go to a lot of work to get us out of it. I got to carry the waste basket full of vomit down to the boiler room trash bin since I was the only one not sick in my room. P-ewh!

Every late Spring we had the school fair or whatever it was called with games and prizes that we bought and sold tickets for that was held in the alleyway directly behind school and in the playground. And we always had to
practice for fire drills by filing out of the building onto the sidewalks in single file, but maybe only once actually went down the fireshoots or 2-1/2 foot  diameter metal tubes attached to the side of the building from the top floor.

One other highlight for me was scavenging for used radio and TV tubes, that would sometimes still have some life left in them, from behind a small business  on the Maple street side on SW corner of 63rd across from Kremer’s
Funeral Home  where my mother, Lois, played for funerals and the P.O. [where the very nice and  hot radiators were for us to warm up on after braving the north wind on the way  north on 63rd in the winter]. I could also test their viability with the tester  inside the side door on 61st at Sprague’s Pharmacy on SW corner of Maple. My dad  worked most of his life at the P.O. but mostly downtown.

I have an article in the Omaha World Herald where dad and I and friends put up flags along Maple for flag day 23 Oct 1959 attached to this email.

Jim Beam
Omaha, NE

Photos courtesy Nancy Meyer & family

• Photo #1:  Typical kitchen in 1950 -Lois Beam (note hoosier is ONLY cabinet for dishes! And note 1 black wall phone-ONLY phone)
• Photo #2:  2347 N 63 St  taken in 1950′s (Dewaine & Lois Beam)
• Photo #3:  Typical Christmas in 1950′s at Nancy Beam Meyer’s grandparent’s house -2302 N 64 St (Frank & Violet Beam)

“I’m still looking for a great shot my dad took of the Christmas lights strung across the street all down the business district. When I find it, I’ll email that too. If you’re looking for stories my sister and I can tell you lots about growing up in Benson in the 50′s, getting ice cream cone at Hollywood’s for 5 cents, buying presents for Mom at Ben Franklin and Hested’s, walking to the library to get books, going up to see the Christmas lights, buying bread and glazed donuts at Benson Bakery, getting groceries at Ross’s Grocery, stopping at the post office to get warm-walking to Benson West. Going to kindergarten across the street from Benson West because the school was too crowded, getting free little tablets of paper from the print shop to the west end of the store (now photography shop) at 66th. Oh, my we could give you lots of stories!!!!!!”

- Nancy Meyer

The City of Omaha is reviewing Benson’s Fontenelle Park for other uses. Resident Kira Gale published a fine historical narrative of the Park. Check it out by clicking HERE.

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES!
We also want your interesting memories of old Benson – written or videotaped. For video stories, we’ll either come out and record it at your home or place of work or meet you at the community center.

Email BensonNebraska@gmail.com or call (402) 714-0290 today!

Thank you!

Benson Business Improvement District (BID) representative Shelley Kiel shared these renderings of the new proposed east entrance to Benson. Construction is expected to begin soon, with completion by Benson Days, July 27-29, 2012

General Description

• Street lights provide ambient light levels for visibility and safety of streets, sidewalks and sites.
• Lighting types include decorative, vehicular use, general site, pedestrian use or feature lighting.

The new poles will be 16′ high and could allow hardware to be attached which on which banners would be hung.

Quasquicentennial

1) 125th anniversary.
2) A celebration to mark such an anniversary.

I’ve been in contact with a part owner of the property several times in the last few weeks.  The site is for sale and they are interested in redevelopment opportunities that would benefit Benson.

I reminded them that the area is part of the Benson Tax Increment Financing District and the Benson Business Improvement District that we recently adopted and of the new 58th construction project which could help in their efforts.

 

Thanks, Councilman, for all you do for Benson!

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