living in central Omaha in the early 60s

[jettman]

Tomorrow I turn 66 I lived at 2604 Harney from Jan 1960 to Aug 1962 and my friends and I ran all over Omaha, at that age now kids would not be allowed to do that. I was 9, 10, 11, and just turned 12 before we moved to La Vista. I sold papers on Saturday nights till @ midnight or 1am in front the theater I think it was on 16th st the one where Brandies was. and then @ 4am delivered Sunday papers all along the river and back up Harney st almost to where I lived. I remember catching the bus and going to Peoney Park

[Omaha Cowboy]

Tomorrow I turn 66 I lived at 2604 Harney from Jan 1960 to Aug 1962 and my friends and I ran all over Omaha, at that age now kids would not be allowed to do that. I was 9, 10, 11, and just turned 12 before we moved to La Vista. I sold papers on Saturday nights till @ midnight or 1am in front the theater I think it was on 16th st the one where Brandies was. and then @ 4am delivered Sunday papers all along the river and back up Harney st almost to where I lived. I remember catching the bus and going to Peoney Park

I was born in the early 60's. So much if that decade is, understandably, fuzzy to me.. But I appreciate you sharing this nice tidbit from growing up in an area that today, would be considered the original midtown area of Omaha..On the edge of downtown Omaha..

Happy Birthday and welcome to the forum jettman ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[nebraska]

Mine was South O in the 1980s. Our closest park was Vernon Gardens and Manden park. We'd sit on the hill of Spring Lake Elementary to watch the Rosenblatt fireworks. I went to the zoo sooooo many times growing up, simply because it was there. I lived between the sewage treatment plant and the stockyards (when that was still a thing), so it doesn't matter if the wind blew east or west, it smelled wonderful both ways. We'd shop for clothes at Southroads, groceries at the base commissary, movies at Southroads Cinema and Stockyards dollar theater. We were always just a ten-minute drive from the drive in, often going spur-of-the-moment (three kids hidden under blankets in the back of the station wagon, of course). But we hated going over the old Memorial Bridge because it seemed like such a metal deathtrap.

Even in the 80s, I remember we could play freely on the streets. The street I lived on was narrow, so cars went slow anyway. Every year my parents used to deliver phone books for extra cash, so I got to see a lot of the town that way. But the best way to discover the city was walking, something that seems absurd doing now. I kinda miss the days when Westroads was too far.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Mine was South O in the 1980s. But the best way to discover the city was walking

And it still is.. I agree 1000%..

And thanks for sharing your story ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Busguy2010]

I lived around 72nd and blondo and I recall doing all sorts of independent things as a 10 year old in 2002. One of my favorite things was to take the bus downtown and just walk around. I'd stop at the store on 16th because I thought it was the only store that sold Reeses big cups. Then I would walk down by the mall and congra and ride the bus through north Omaha on the way home. Me and my friends always went to crossroads to get sbarro, then skateboard around the parking lot. Always riding bikes through the neighborhood and going to the pool and buying food at the store with my other 10 year old friend.

Are we telling these stories in envy of the good old days when parents weren't obsessively concerned about their kids safety? I wonder if kids these days still go out in public without their parents.