Over the past 100 hundred years of Omaha North High School, many different changes have taken place. A few of the changes range from the location of the football field and the different types of curriculum that have guided the educational practices. One of the major changes is the development of North’s structural building and the renovations that occurred to get it to the condition it is at today.
Omaha North was originally designed by John Latenser and his sons in 1922 to 1924. The original design included a swimming pool, gymnasium, and auditorium. One area that made the school stand out from others was the letter that is was replicating.
“It was originally shaped as the letter E, so if you looked up from the sky it made a letter E,” said John Hankel, Curriculum Specialist at Omaha North.
In 1957-1958 the addition of a music wing, a gym, a new cafeteria and 15 classrooms were added to the south side of the building (Ames Street).
“In the 1960s they added on the cafeteria we know today, and the 170s classrooms and the lecture hall,” said Hankel.
In 1970-1971 a new track was built around the football practice field. The goal of this addition was to create a larger area for students to participate in athletics which was determined a need from the increase of participation.
Also a new parking lot was built in September of 1981. The parking lot differed from the previous one due to it being surrounded by a protective fence. The goal of the fence was to discourage problems in the cars during the school day.
“Prior to this renovation, the ‘front door’ of the school was on the back/west side, at the end of the 140’s hallway. I believe the address to the school at that time was 4323 N. 36th St. With the renovation, the parking lot was built on the front, the football field was to the south and our address changed to 4410 N. 36th St.,” said Tracy Sage, retired North Technology Paraprofessional at North since 2022.
The 1980s and 1990s brought many changes.
“My favorite renovation would be the late 80’s/early 90’s renovation. We added so much during that renovation. The Viking Center, the MPC, the 70’s hallway, lecture hall and a new football field,” said Sage.
The project proposals for the Viking Center, the Multipurpose Center (MPC), classrooms in the 1970s, and the lecture hall were planned out in 1989-1990 with a budget of 20.8 million dollars for renovation.
The entire plan included a four-year projection.
“In the early 1990s, they started building the multipurpose center (MPC). They later added the locker rooms and completed it in 1994,” said Hankel.
The Viking center was finally opened in February 1991. Which was also the year that 287 new computers were added at North.
“Once the Viking Center was built, the cafeteria was closed, and everyone ate in the Viking Center so that the cafeteria could be renovated,” said Sage.
The most recent addition was the creation of the Haddix Center. The building was designed by North staff and students in the engineering program.
“It [Haddix center] was built in a staff parking lot,” said Sage.
According to Hankel, the building of the Haddix Center started in 2009 and finished in 2010. Since 2010, smaller renovations have taken place, but nothing as large at the Haddix Center.
“Most of the renovations were results of bond issues, which were passed by the people residing in the area. The Haddix Center was different because it was privately funded,” said Hankel.
The Haddix center changed the original “E” design of the building to a more rectangular shape. The center consists of four floors housing different labs, classrooms, a greenhouse, and a wrestling room.
As time continues, Omaha North continues with many different renovations such as updating the lecture hall and adding more technology aspects to the building.
