Hummel Park

Infobox park
park=Hummel Park


image size=
caption=
type=Municipal (Omaha)
location=North Omaha
coordinates=
size=202 acres
opened=1930
operator=
annual visitors=
status=Open all year

Hummel Park is located at 11808 John J. Pershing Drive in North Omaha, Nebraska. Developed on convert|202|acre|km2 of land donated to the City of Omaha in 1930, the park was named after J.B. Hummel, a long time superintendent of Omaha's Parks and Recreation Department.

About

Hummel Park is covered in a riparian forest. Located in north of the Florence neighborhood, the park includes hiking trails, including the Omaha Riverfront Trail North. There are also playgrounds, horseshoe pits, a Missouri River overlook, picnic shelters and a disc golf course that will be completed in 2008. [Martin, A. [http://nebdiscforums.yuku.com/topic/2177/t/Calling-all-arms-Hummel-Park-Disc-Golf-Installation.html "Calling all arms! Hummel Park Disc Golf Installation"] Nebdiscforum. Retrieved 9/10/08] The overlook is located above the popular "Devil's Slide," a natural cliff. There is also summer science day camp at the park. [ [http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/parks/Parks/npdodgepark.htm "N.P. Dodge Memorial Park"] . City of Omaha. Retrieved 7/4/07.]

History

The location of Cabanne's Trading Post is at the corner of Ponca Road and John J. Pershing Road in the northwest corner of the park. [Jensen, M. (1999) The Fontenelle and Cabanné Trading Posts: The History and Archeology of Two Missouri River Sites, 1822-1838 Nebraska State Historical Society.]

The park is also the location of several urban legends that report paranormal phenomenon, animal sacrifices, lynchings, and stories of modern murders and racist graffiti. There are rumors about an "Indian burial ground" located at the park and there are several urban legends about albino people who dwell in trees within the park. [(2005) [http://www.doyouseedeadpeople.org/inv_hummel_park_omaha.html "Hummel Park"] . Paranormal Research & Investigative Studies Midwest. Retrieved 7/17/07.] [(2005) [http://www.ghosts.org/hummelpark.html "Hummel Park"] . Obiwan's UFO-Free Paranormal Page. Retrieved 7/17/07.] [(1998) [http://theshadowlands.net/places/nebraska.htm "Nebraska"] , Shadowlands Haunted Places. Retrieved 7/17/07.] However, these stories have been repeatedly dismissed by a variety of sources. [Cole, K. (2007) [http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2142903 "Kevin Cole: This teen found Hummel Park myths to be just that,"] "Omaha World-Herald." 3/31/06. Retrieved 7/17/07.]

According to a University of Nebraska historian, there is no validity to any of these rumors, particularly about lynchings in the park. [Harrison, J. (2003) [http://media.www.dailynebraskan.com/media/storage/paper857/news/2003/10/30/Arts/Hummel.Park.Not.Horrifying-1719383.shtml "Hummel Park not Horrifying,"] "Daily Nebraskan." Retrieved 9/25/07.]

ee also

* Parks of Omaha, Nebraska

* Omaha, Nebraska

References