Union Stockyards Company

The Union Stockyards Company was a 90-year-old company first founded in South Omaha, Nebraska in 1876 by John A. Smiley. After being moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa and dissolved within a year, the company was reorganized and moved to South Omaha in 1883 [Larsen, L. and Cottrell, B. (1997) "The Gate City: A History of Omaha." University of Nebraska Press. p. 72] . Six local businessmen responded to a request by Wyoming cattle baron Alexander Swan showed interest in a livestock market closer than the Union Stock Yards in Chicago, Illinois. [(nd) [http://www.nde.state.ne.us/SS/notables/paxton.html William A. Paxton] . Nebraska Department of Education. Retrieved 6/21/07.] The Company's Union Stockyards in South Omaha were once a fierce rival of Chicago's Union Stock Yards. [Graham, J. (1999) [http://www.texnews.com/1998/1999/ads/farmranch/omaha0328.html "Omaha stockyards packing it in."] "Chicago Tribune." 3/28/99. Retrieved 6/23/07.] The Union Stockyards Company was bought out in 1973.

History

Six local businessmen, including William A. Paxton, Herman Kountze and John A. Creighton, formed the Union Stockyards on December 1, 1883 and purchased convert|2000|acre|km2 of land. [Omaha World-Herald. (1954) [http://www.historicomaha.com/ofcchap5.htm "V. — The Proud Era: Horse Cars, Street Lights, RR Bridge Were Added by '73. 1870-1885."] "Omaha's First Century." HistoricOmaha.com. Retrieved 6/21/07.] At that same point the businessmen formed the South Omaha Land Company, platting the city of South Omaha that same year over the remaining convert|1700|acre|km2. [(nd) [http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/parks/parks/springlakepark.htm Spring Lake Park] . City of Omaha. Retrieved 6/21/07.] The City of Omaha annexed South Omaha in 1915. At that time related businesses in South Omaha included the Union Stockyards Bank of South Omaha, Union Stockyards Railroad Company, the Union Elevator, the Union Trust Company, and the South Omaha Land Syndicate. [(nd) [http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/timeline/paxton_william_a.htm William Paxton] . Nebraska State Historical Society. Retrieved 6/22/07.] In 1927 the Union Stockyards Company constructed the Livestock Exchange Building to house its operations [Larsen, L. and Cottrell, B. (1997) "The Gate City: A History of Omaha." University of Nebraska Press. p. 77] .

The meatpacking industry of South Omaha was closely reliant on the Union Stockyards Company, and South Omaha relied solely on both of those industries for its growth for more than 100 years. In 1957 it was estimated that combined the industries employed fully one-half of Omaha workers. [Nolte, B.T. (1999) [http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.nebraska.counties.cass/82.2/mb.ashx "Stockyards to leave South Omaha after 115 Years."] "Nebraska Farmer". 1/15/99.] After a downturn in the market and changes in the livestock industry, the Union Stockyards Company lost value through the 1960s.

In 1973 the Union Stockyards Company was sold to the Canal Capital Corporation of New York. In 1999 the Union Stockyards were closed by the City of Omaha, and replaced with a business park. [Biga, L. A. (1998) [http://www.enoa.org/publications/new_horizons/4thqtr98stockyards.html "How the Mighty Did Fall: The Stockyards Nears the End of an Era."] "New Horizons." 9/21/98. Eastern Nebraska Office of Aging. Retrieved 6/22/07.]

ee also

* History of Omaha
* South Omaha

References

External links

* [http://www.memories.ne.gov/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=exact&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=/opl&CISOBOX1=Union+Stockyards+Company+of+Omaha Historic Photos] of the Stockyards.