3837 Cuming Street - a brief history

I originally wrote this in April, 2015 for the Joslyn Castle Association newsletter. I don't know if it was ever published, but since Restoration Exchange Omaha hosted a tour of this beautiful Queen Anne Victorian, I thought it was worth republishing what little I could find on this home. It is currently in the hands of a new owner who is restoring it to its earlier grandeur, and I look forward to seeing what he makes of this beautiful home!

3837 Cuming Street - this land was originally owned by Omaha's
first Mayor, Jesse Lowe

The Theater Arts Guild is staging Hamlet at 3837 Cuming Street, but perhaps instead of a tragedy, they should stage a mystery. 3837 Cuming Street ought to be a mystery, because for a Queen Anne house dating back to the late 19^th century, it didn’t show up in the historical records until about 1950. 

Research into the history of 3837 Cuming Street turned up nothing prior to 1951. I turned to the 1910 Baist insurance maps through the Omaha Public Library website, and once I located the home in Sherwood Park subdivision, I found that it was originally listed as 3825 Cuming Street. On April 3, 1950, Harry Helgeson took a permit out for the duplex currently two houses east of 3837. This duplex became 3825 and the Queen Anne Victorian became 3837 Cuming. In 1966, apartments were built directly east of 3837, which became 3833.

With some time spent perusing early census reports, perhaps we could narrow down the earliest occupants of 3837. An 1866 map of Omaha City confirms that Jesse Lowe, first Mayor of Omaha and one of the earliest land investors owned the area encompassing this home, and lived on Oak Grove Farm, then on the western end of Cuming Street. 1870s maps confirm Sophia Lowe owned the lots that became the 38^th and 39^th and Cuming Street homes.  The earliest recorded resident in the Omaha World-Herald was John W. Griffith. His first appearance is in an October, 1895 classified ad seeking a cow that had wandered off the pasture at 38^th and Burt. He must be relatively new to the property in 1895, because he is listed in the Excelsior Family Director of Omaha for 1890-1891 as living at 2537 St. Mary’s Avenue, then an affluent area. John W. Griffith worked with Union Pacific Railroad for 40 years, retiring as purchasing agent in 1911. His wife was an active member in womens’ social circles, including Daughters of the American Revolution, a charter member and second President of the Omaha Society of Fine Arts, and a charter member of the Omaha Womens Club. 

In 1913, John Griffith, his son Walter, and partner Frank Bacon purchased the Drummond Motor Company for about $75,000. Drummond Motor Company had just built their warehouse at 26^th and Farnam in 1912, designed by architect John MacDonald, across from Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church (the Barnhart Press building today) on land known as Paxton Pasture. In August, 1915, the Drummond Motor Company announced it would build “the Drummond,” Omaha’s own locally built automobile. Griffith may have sold his ownership by 1916, because he was no longer listed as President in advertisements and articles, and Bacon is listed as President instead. 

Drummond Motor Company building. Barnhart Press
occupies the building at 26th & Farnam today.

John W. Griffith died at age 76 on August 11, 1925. Mrs. Griffith continued to live at 3837 (then still listed as 3825) until she passed away at age 85 years in December, 1941. Their son Walter lived there until 1932, when he moved to a home he had built by builder and realtor Jesse. L. Schroder at 650 N. 57^th Avenue.

The home appears to have become apartments after that point, and has remained apartments ever since.