A Timeline of Prominent Omaha Leaders from the Douglas County Historical Society

“While some were beloved and others beset with problems, the men who aspired to the office of Mayor of Omaha shared an affection for the city and a real desire to improve the lives of its people.”

How long have you lived in Omaha? Maybe your family has been here for generations or maybe you just moved to town. However long you’ve been a resident, learning about the history and backstory of important people and places gives you a sense of belonging.

In this month’s blog, I’m sharing five stories from prominent Omaha mayors over the past 168 years. You’ll probably recognize some of the names as you’ve seen them around town!

*Please note that most of this information comes from the Douglas County Historical Society. If you’d like to dive deeper and discover more about the rich history of Omaha and the leaders who developed it, check out their archives.

Jesse Lowe

March 5, 1857 – March 2, 1858

“Some claim that North Carolina native Jesse Lowe named the city of Omaha. He was one of the first to claim land here and was a real estate developer in the fledgling city. Along with his brother, Dr. Enos Lowe, he was an organizer of the Lone Tree Ferry Co. and the subsequent Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Co. His land on the west end of Cuming Street was known as Oak Grove Farm. After Omaha City was incorporated in 1857, Mr. Lowe was elected its first mayor. Mr. Lowe studied law but never practiced the profession. He had the exclusive privilege of trading with the Indian tribes at the adjacent agency. He built the first banking house in Omaha, which later became the United States National Bank. The father of four children, Mr. Lowe is described by James Savage in “History of the City of Omaha” as a man of “sound judgment and excellent principles.” He died in 1868 at the age of 53.”

Ezra Millard

June 7, 1869 – April 10, 1871

“Ezra Millard, founder of the Omaha National Bank, came to Omaha in 1856. He joined his brother, Joseph, and his uncle, Willard Barrows, in forming Barrows, Millard & Co., a land office that later branched into banking. He later partnered with Smith Caldwell to form Millard, Caldwell & Co.

Mr. Millard was elected president of the Omaha National Bank at its inception in 1866 and backed construction of much of Omaha’s early skyline. He held that post until 1884, when he organized the Commercial National Bank. During his term as mayor, he platted the village 12 miles southwest of Omaha that bears this name.

In addition to banking, the native of Hamilton, Canada was engaged in the grain business and was a director of the Omaha Hotel Association, having bankrolled the Millard Hotel in 1882. He helped organize the Omaha Horse Railway Company and was instrumental in starting the city’s library system. He died at the age of 53 while visiting Saratoga, New York in 1886 and is buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery. Anna, one of four daughters, helped organize the Visiting Nurses Association in 1896.”

Glenn C. Cunningham

May 25, 1948 – May 25, 1954

“In 1948 Glenn Cunningham became Omaha’s first native son to claim the title of mayor. At 35 years of age he also ranks as the youngest man ever elected to the office, barely edging James Dworak. By the time his political career ended in 1990, he had served two years on the Omaha School Board, one year as a city commissioner, six years as mayor, 14 years as Second District Congressman and another 14 on the governing board of Metropolitan Community College.

His only political defeat came in 1970, when he lost the Republican Congressional primary to John McCollister. It was a loss that left him bitter for nearly two years. In a 1972 interview Cunningham said the “old line” Republicans thought he wasn’t partisan enough. “I never got along with the Republican hierarchy. I figured I should represent all the people.”

In a letter to constituents at the conclusion of his Congressional terms, Mr. Cunningham described himself as a “work horse” rather than a “show horse.” He said he was proud that his “record, honesty and integrity have never been attacked.” He noted that he pioneered the mailing of regular reports on his activities, at his own expense.

Disappointed that nothing was named for him after 30 years in public service, Mr. Cunningham was later rewarded when a 395-acre lake in northwest Omaha was named Glenn Cunningham Lake. It was an appropriate honor, for Mr. Cunningham had a hand in creating the lake by urging Congress to authorize flood control projects on the Papio Creek. Flooding of the creek in 1964 and 1965 caused the deaths of seven Omahans.

The son of a plumber, he grew up in South Omaha and graduated from South High and the University of Omaha. He later said, “It is gratifying to me to have been born of humble parents in South Omaha and to have risen through the ranks and become personal friends of our country’s great leaders, including six presidents.” He showed his bi-partisan nature by naming Lyndon Baines Johnson the friendliest and most compassionate of the presidents.

He died in 2003 at the age of 91 and is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery. His wife, Janis, died in 1987. He was survived by six children — Glenn Jr., James, David, Judith, Mary and Ann.”

John R. Rosenblatt

May 25, 1954 – May 22, 1961

“Johnny Rosenblatt, the man whose name is synonymous with baseball in Omaha, led his hometown with warmth and optimism. One of six children born to Jewish immigrants, he started selling newspapers at age 7. He seemed a natural salesman, whether it was pitching papers, the municipal stadium project or the city at large.

The mayor won many friends and accolades during his career in sports and politics. He was called “the supreme gentleman” by Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan. Longtime City Clerk Mary Galligan Cornett said he was “absolutely the greatest guy you ever knew.” City Planning Director Alden Aust described him as “one of the best and most successful mayors I have known.” Aust continued his praise, listing Mr. Rosenblatt’s attributes as friendly, gentle, optimistic, trusting and self-effacing.

In the early 1940s, Mr. Rosenblatt and several businessmen were seeking a AAA baseball franchise for Omaha. The idea for building a ballpark received major impetus in 1944 when Omaha was ruled out as a possible site for an American Association franchise because it lacked a suitable stadium. Rourke Park had burned to the ground in 1936.

Mr. Rosenblatt and his friend Eddie Jelen were the prime movers behind the stadium push. As chairman of the Municipal Stadium Sports Committee, Mr. Rosenblatt approached the city council to request a referendum in April 1945 for a stadium bond issue. By a 3 to 1 margin, voters approved a $480,000 bond issue. A second bond issue of $280,000 was needed in 1948 to complete the infield, install lights and finish parking lots.

Mr. Rosenblatt ran for city commissioner in 1948, primarily on platform to complete the stadium project properly. The inaugural event in October 1948 drew some 15,000 fans, who saw major leaguers and Nebraska natives Rex Barney, Richie Ashburn and Johnny Hoop compete against a collection of sandlot and minor league players.

In his zeal to promote the new stadium, Mr. Rosenblatt proposed some outlandish proposals that did not materialize, such as Nebraska vs. Notre Dame and Army vs. Omaha University football games. He did pull off a Los Angeles Rams-New York Giants exhibition football game that attracted 13,000 fans and generated $9,000 for Childrens Hospital. He also arranged for the American Legion’s Little World Series, which drew 47,000 fans over several days.

He joined Ed Pettis and Morris Jacobs in persuading the NCAA to relocate its men’s championship baseball series to Omaha’s new stadium. In 1950 the College World Series settled into Municipal Stadium after two years in Kalamazoo, Michigan and one in Wichita. In a 1971 B’nai B’rith salute, Mr. Rosenblatt said the College World Series has been “an inspiration to the youth of our community.”

His original goal for the stadium was fulfilled in 1955, when the St. Louis Cardinals brought a AAA baseball team to Municipal Stadium. The Omaha Cardinals occupied the stadium until 1959. Mr. Rosenblatt then negotiated with the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose Omaha Dodgers farm team played two years at the stadium.

Though he threatened to resign in 1949, Mr. Rosenblatt served admirably in public life, first as public property commissioner and then as street commissioner. He was first elected mayor in 1954. In 1957, midway through his seven years tenure, he became the first mayor since James Dahlman directly elected by the people. A change in the city charter called for direct election of the mayor rather than the commissioner-appointed system that had been in place since 1912.

In June 1961, just after James Dworak had assumed the mayor’s office, Mr. Rosenblatt received a lifetime pass to the stadium he built. Three year later the city council voted unanimously to name it Rosenblatt Stadium.

Parkinson’s disease had started to slow Mr. Rosenblatt late in his mayoral term. He underwent brain surgery procedures and drug interventions, but the disease persisted. Mr. Rosenblatt died on October 29, 1979. He was laid to rest at Beth El Cemetery at age 71.

Mr. Rosenblatt was married to the former Freeda Brodkey for 39 years. His son, Steve, served on the Omaha City Council from 1973 to 1981 and as a Douglas County Commissioner from 1981 to 1995. He now lives in Phoenix.”

Jean Stothert

First elected in 2013, and re-elected in 2017 and 2021, she is the 51st mayor of Omaha and the city's first woman to be elected to the office.

"Thank you for electing me to a third term. To serve as our city’s first female mayor, and to begin an unprecedented third term in office, are both incredibly special and very humbling. It is an honor that I will live up to, and one I am very excited to begin. I will work hard every day to earn your trust, make you proud of our work, and even more proud of our city."

Mayor Stothert reduced the property tax rate five times for more than 12%, improved city services, worked with the Omaha City Council to grow the city's population and tax base through annexation, and increased funding for the police department to increase the number of officers to 906, a record high number. This historic high number of officers is helping to make Omaha safer and establishing one of the best large-city police departments in the country. 

Stothert grew up in the St. Louis area and worked as a critical care nurse and later as head nurse and department head of cardiovascular surgery at St. Louis University. 

In 1993, Mayor Stothert and her family moved to Omaha.

She became involved in the Millard Public Schools as a volunteer. Later, she was appointed and then elected to the Millard Board of Education and served 11 years, including three as President. In 2009, she was elected to the Omaha City Council, representing District 5 in southwest Omaha.

In 2022, Mayor Stothert married Dr. Kevin O'Rourke.  She has two children and four grandsons.