General Crook House
Encyclopedia
The General George Crook House Museum is located at 5730 North 30th Street in Fort Omaha
. The Fort is located in the Miller Park
neighborhood of North Omaha
, Nebraska
. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1969, and is a contributing property to the Fort Omaha Historic District.
moved headquarters for the Department of the Platte
from downtown Omaha to Fort Omaha. The General Crook home was built in 1879 to be the residence of the Commander. Constructed in an Italianate design, the building consists of two stories with a grand garden surrounding it. Crowned by hipped roofs, the building is asymmetrical in plan and is in good condition. A long one-story porch projects from its eastern facade.
General George Crook was the only Commander to occupy the home, as the Department was disbanded after his tenure. In November, 1879, Crook and his wife entertained General and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant
at the home. In September 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes
stayed there while he was reviewing the troops at the Fort.
After Crook left Fort Omaha, the house served as a home to each of the subsequent commanders of the Fort. In 1905, the house was used as an officer's club and mess hall. In 1930, it was converted back to a the post commander's residence, serving until the Fort was closed in 1973.
The building was named a Nebraska State Historical Site in 1970.
The Douglas County Historical Society
restored the house in the 1980s, refurbishing it with period furniture and restoring its heirloom Victorian
gardens. Today, it is open to the public for tours and for special events.
Fort Omaha
Fort Omaha, originally known as Sherman Barracks and then Omaha Barracks, is an Indian War-era United States Army supply installation. Located at 5730 North 30th Street, with the entrance at North 30th and Fort Streets in modern-day North Omaha, Nebraska, the facility is primarily occupied by ...
. The Fort is located in the Miller Park
Miller Park (Omaha, Nebraska)
The Miller Park neighborhood in North Omaha, Nebraska is a historically significant community housing a historic district and several notable historic places. It is located between Sorenson Parkway on the south and Redick Avenue on the north, Florence Boulevard on the east and 30th Street on the west...
neighborhood of North Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1969, and is a contributing property to the Fort Omaha Historic District.
History
In 1878, General George CrookGeorge Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
moved headquarters for the Department of the Platte
Department of the Platte
The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho...
from downtown Omaha to Fort Omaha. The General Crook home was built in 1879 to be the residence of the Commander. Constructed in an Italianate design, the building consists of two stories with a grand garden surrounding it. Crowned by hipped roofs, the building is asymmetrical in plan and is in good condition. A long one-story porch projects from its eastern facade.
General George Crook was the only Commander to occupy the home, as the Department was disbanded after his tenure. In November, 1879, Crook and his wife entertained General and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
at the home. In September 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
stayed there while he was reviewing the troops at the Fort.
After Crook left Fort Omaha, the house served as a home to each of the subsequent commanders of the Fort. In 1905, the house was used as an officer's club and mess hall. In 1930, it was converted back to a the post commander's residence, serving until the Fort was closed in 1973.
The building was named a Nebraska State Historical Site in 1970.
Currently
Douglas County Historical Society
The Douglas County Historical Society, or DCHS, is located at 5730 North 30th Street in the General Crook House at Fort Omaha in north Omaha, Nebraska...
restored the house in the 1980s, refurbishing it with period furniture and restoring its heirloom Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
gardens. Today, it is open to the public for tours and for special events.
External links
- Douglas County Historical Society - official site