The former Woodmen of the World Building in Omaha, Nebraska, was located at 1323 Farnam Street. Built in 1912 by the architectural firms of Holabird & Roche and Fisher and Lawrie, the building was the headquarters of Woodmen of the World (WOW) from 1912 until 1934. WOW relocated in 1934 to the Bee Newspaper Building at 17th and Farnam, also known as the Insurance Building.
| Woodmen of the World Building | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Woodmen of the World Building shortly after construction in 1912 | |
  Former location within Nebraska | |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Commercial office |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance[1] |
| Location | 1323 Farnam Street Omaha, Nebraska |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 41°15′28.29″N 95°56′21.2″W / 41.2578583°N 95.939222°W |
| Completed | 1912 |
| Demolished | December 18, 1977[2] |
| Cost | $1,500,000[3] |
| Owner | Woodmen of the World |
| Height | 242 ft (73.8 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 19 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Holabird & Roche, Fisher and Lawrie |
History edit
The first WOW building in Omaha was the 1885 Sheely Building, occupied by WOW in 1890 soon after the Woodmen of the World was organized. The company then purchased the Sheely Building in 1900 for $60,000 and applied its own name to the headquarters, but the building was too small for a rapidly growing business.[3]
The new WOW building would be 19 stories, the tallest building between Chicago and the West coast, at the time of its dedication in 1912. It was the tallest building in Downtown Omaha from 1912 to 1919.[2]
The Italian Renaissance skyscraper featured exterior decorations of pink granite and terracotta. It included a motor operated revolving door opening into a lobby with a 30-foot high ceiling. Six elevators carried tenants to the upper floors.[1] The building was demolished in 1977.[4]
WOW built its current 30-story Woodmen Tower in 1969. It was Omaha's tallest building until the completion of the 45-story First National Bank Tower in 2002.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Woodmen of the World Building", The Western Architect, 18 (12): 129, December 1912
- ^ a b "Woodmen of the World Building". emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
- ^ a b McKee, Jim (July 17, 2010). "Jim McKee: Modern Woodmen helped build Omaha". Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln, Nebraska: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
- ^ "Woodmen of the WorldTower and First National Tower". unl.edu. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
External links edit
- Postcard view of the Sheely Building First WOW building in Omaha
- History of the Woodmen of the World
- Historic photos of Omaha Includes WOW building
- Floor plans from the Architectural Record (1912)
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