Omaha is called the ‘Gateway to the West.’ It is the state’s largest city with an estimated population of 837,925 within the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, with Council Bluffs, Iowa just across the Missouri River. As the county seat for Douglas County, it sits on the Missouri River and is not too distant from the mouth of the Platte River.
Once the jumping off place for wagon trains heading west, the city now has over a dozen historic districts listed in the National Register. With more than 100 buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it is a place that provides a student of architecture a literal trip through history spanning almost 200 years in varying styles of buildings. Among the amazing buildings is the Joslyn Castle, built in 1903 and now home to an environmental organization.
Among the tourist attractions found in Omaha, besides its architecture, is the Henry Doorly Zoo, world famous as one of the finest, and first, conservation based zoos. Searching the yellow pages online, or the yellow pages in print, you will find the Omaha Community Playhouse, the Holland Performing Arts Center which is home to the Omaha Symphony Orchestra and the Orpheum Theatre where the Opera Omaha makes its home. One of the most famous complexes in the country is located in Omaha: Girls and Boys Town.
With hot summers and cold winters, Omaha provides excellent sports activities including boating and water skiing, ice skating and cross country skiing. The professional sports teams provide spectator enjoyment. If you check the Nebraska business directory, you will find that Omaha is home to some of the Fortune 500 top companies, including Berkshire Hathaway, ConAgra Foods and Mutual of Omaha Companies.