Fort Omaha Established in 1868

In the late 1860s, General William Tecumseh Sherman wanted to build "cheap barracks" near Omaha so troops could quell Indian uprisings in the area. Since those humble beginnings, Fort Omaha has served in varying capacities in its lifetime.

To help ensure a permanent military presence in Omaha, 79 local investors bought shares in 42.5 acres of property from Augustus Kountze. This land was then leased to the federal government and combined with 20-acre plots sold by Emerson Seymour and Charles Wells to form the 82.5-acre post that would become first Sherman Barracks then Omaha Barracks. (General Sherman rejected the original name.)

Omaha Barracks became Fort Omaha in 1878. The fort served as a point of departure from which troops were distributed across the plains to protect supply lines, secure frontier settlements and deter hostilities.

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