Creighton University

During the first 10 years of its existence, the campus of Creighton University abutted only on one street, California There was at that time not a single street in the city that was paved. In wet weather the mud was almost unbelievably deep and sticky, so that there is a good foundation for the words of John G. Saxe, quoted on page 71 of "The Reminiscences of the first Twenty Five Years of Creighton University."

Hast ever been to Omaha
Where rolls the dark Missouri down.
Where six strong horses scarce can pull
An empty wagon through the town?

After a spell of hot dry weather, the opposite condition prevailed, so that at times the town could not be seen from the college on account of the dust.

In 1884 California street was graded, with a cut of 12 feet at 25th street. In 1886 the college grounds between the Main Building and the Street were shaved down to the grade of the street. In October 1888 California street was paved. It was paved a second time, in 1906 to the boulevard.

The year of the grading of 25th street is not recorded in the College Annals, which, however, give October 21-28, 1905 as the time it was paved.

This was opened by the city in 1888 immediately adjoining the present auditorium to the west. It ran only from California to Burt streets. As it was on line neither with the present 25th street south of California nor with 25th avenue north of Burt, but nearer to the latter, it was called an avenue and not a street. It was never even graded. Its condition at all times, and especially after heavy rains, was such as to repel all fancy vehicles and heavy traffic. After the College had bought the property west of the street on August 15, 1907, the city closed the street on January 27 following, so that it thereafter formed part of the campus.

Burt street seems never to have interested the College very much. One reason for this is the fact that it became the northern boundary of the campus as late as 1907. All that the historian can find about it is that it was paved west of 26th street a month or two after June 10, 1913, when a photograph showed it still in its unpaved condition.

From the very beginning of the College in 1878, and probably long before, there had been talk of opening 24th street. Only three blocks had to be cut through, from Cass to Burt streets. This street held our the hope of becoming one of the most important ones in the city, and this hope, together with the hill and the extensive view towards the east and north, were the controlling reasons in making the College building face this street, although it was at the time not yet cut through, and the front of the campus was blocked by a piece of property that could not then be purchased. The eastward facing is a solid motive even today, but that towards the street proved to be disappointing for the reason that its grade had not been duly considered.

The need of cutting 24th street through became more urgent as the years passed and the city grew. But it was not until August 6, 1907 that the City Council passed an ordinance to that effect. In anticipation the Street Railway Company on April 11, 1908 extended a double track on 24th street from the south all the way to Cass street. On January 5, 1909 the opening of the street was declared to be certain. It was, however, only on July 23 following that the street was staked off. A few days later a couple of fine trees on California street that stood on the right of way, were cut down.

On August 2 the great grading began, and the University at once shaved down its front lawn in conformity. The street graders at first used old-fashioned "stick wagons," but soon realized that this method was too slow and expensive. They then got a regulation plow drawn by eight horses and pushed by four. For a few days the horses were replaced by a steam tractor, but this, although more efficient on the straight pull, lost more time at the ends in turning around, so that horses were again employed.

Winter interrupted the grading between November 23 and March 23. On April 23, 1910 the work was finished. From June to September the front retaining wall along the college property was concreted, and the lawn had been lowered 10 feet. By October 1 the Webster street steps were completed. They give a good idea of the height of the lawn above the street. They soon, however, proved to be so unpractical that an iron gate was placed on them and is now kept permanently locked.

On September 26, 1910 car tracks were laid on 24th street, and service began on October 16. But it was as late as August 7 in the following year that the street was paved and ready for general use.

Twenty-fourth street is fulfilling the expectation that it will become an intensely busy thoroughfare. It is probably the longest and straightest street in the city, and the proposal to widen it to one hundred feet has been mooted for years. This widening would not affect the College campus, because it would here be entirely to the east on the other side. Whether this widening would bring with it the removal of our front retaining wall and the terracing of the front lawn, is a question left to the future to settle.

Twenty-sixth street became the western boundary of the campus on August 15, 1907 and remained so until April 21, 1915. When it was graded and paved is not mentioned by the College historian.

This has bounded the University grounds to the west since April 21, 1915. It was at that time already graded and paved. It was at first called 26th avenue. It is only two blocks long, from California to Burt, and nor in line with streets to the south and north of it.

In the beginning, 1878, the nearest car line to the College was a horse-car line on 20th street. Strictly speaking, the line which ran on 24th street north of Cuming, and then on Cuming east of 24th, was equally near, but this was practically ignored at least by the faculty, especially on the return trip, because it necessitated the climbing of a steep hill, while California street from 20th to the College had an easy grade.

There were then only two lines in the city, a red and a blue one. By August, 1886 when the writer visited Omaha again after an absence of five years, there was a cable line on 20th street and another on Dodge street as far west as 26th. On June 20, 1887 a single horse car track was laid on 25th street from Dodge to California. Three years later on June 11 this line was electrified. But only on October 13, 1902 the track was doubled on 25th street, and extended westward on California to 33rd and then northward. On August 6 this was in service. On October 16, 1910 cars began to run on 24th street.

These two lines, the Harney line on California street and the Crosstown line on 24th, are the only lines that run on streets adjoining the-University grounds. But as transfers in all directions are readily obtainable, there is no need whatever of more lines. At the foot of the hill on Cuming street there are two other lines only one block away from the grounds.

As a matter of history it may be of interest to mention that the first electric line ran on Burt street. Electric traction was at the time in its infancy. Dr. Mercer, who lived in what was then a palatial residence at the northeast corner of 40th and Cuming streets, was one of its ardent promoters, and sank a good part of his fortune in it.