Metropolitan Community College

Metropolitan Community College, Omaha, Nebraska

Fort Omaha Campus Heritage Study 2005 (PDF) 39.6MB

Occupying the historic site of Fort Omaha, Metropolitan Community College was given the 70-acre property by the U.S. military in 1975. The campus comprises about 30 buildings dating between 1878 and 1959 and is home to 26,000 students. The former parade ground, together with eight neighboring buildings, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To complement its campus master plan, the college will develop a historic preservation plan that establishes guidelines to protect the integrity of the most important buildings on its campus.

Metropolitan Community College received a Getty grant in 2004 for $45,000 to support campus heritage planning.

Report Summary

Purpose: In 1975, Metropolitan Community College was given its 70-acre property by the U.S. military. It occupies the historic site of Fort Omaha (est. 1868), which was one of six forts built as a headquarters in the territories during westward expansion. The campus today comprises approximately 30 buildings dating between 1878 and 1959 and is home to 26,000 students. The former parade ground, together with eight neighboring buildings, is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Recognizing the importance the careful stewardship of these and other historic properties on their campus, Metropolitan Community College developed a comprehensive preservation plan that is designed to complement the institution’s campus master plan.

Historic Designation(s): Fort Omaha Historic District; Gen. George Crook House (National Register of Historic Places); Fort Omaha Guardhouse; Fort Omaha (both Omaha landmarks).

Planning Process: The college and an architectural firm pursued careful research of historic sources (including a range of archival documents and photographs from the U.S. Army, the National Park Service, the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office, and the college’s own holdings) in addition to their systematic approach to condition assessment and examination of possible functions of the sites covered in the study.

Outcomes—Products: Metropolitan Community College produced the “Fort Omaha: Campus Heritage Study” (2005) as a direct result of the campus heritage grant. This document examines the history of the campus, legislation affecting building construction (including one 30-year deed that expired in 2005 and had special import for the campus), and offers matrix assessments in relation to architectural significance, physical condition, and potential for current and future building functions of buildings and open spaces. The preservation plan also established a concordance between two different building identification systems of the Army and Metropolitan Community College to minimize confusion when looking at the overall campus and its components.

Outcomes—Strategies and Goals for the Future: The institution hopes that the preservation plan and campus master plan can together offer a thoughtful and useful framework about the care and use of each part of the Fort Omaha Historic District, which forms the core of the academic campus.