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Nebraska’s largest amusement park (it spans 35 acres) is remembered by many as the place to be each year when the sun came out after the winter months. Located on 76th and Cass streets, Peony Park was open from 1919-1994, and the name still elicits fond memories from Omahans.
Peony Park boasted a ballroom that was “one acre under one roof,” rides, a pool, and more. Its dance hall allowed for 3,000 visitors to boogie, waltz, and jive through the night. The ample space was an impressive feat for the park, as it also included a pool and surrounding beach that measured 4.5 acres, 700 feet long, and held approximately five million gallons of water in a range of one foot to 10 feet of depth. Developed from a natural spring-fed lake, the pool opened in 1926.
The Royal Terrace Ballroom hosted big name bands from the Swing Era, including Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and Tommy Dorsey. It later welcomed renowned artists such as Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, and 311. Music was an integral part of the park, with an additional dancing space, the Royal Grove, an open-air stage and orchestra shell that were covered with a white roof. Omaha radio station KOIL hosted outdoor dance parties here, called “Under the Stars” and broadcast them live to local audiences listening in on the radio.
A softball diamond, recreation grounds, bathhouses, and refreshment stands peppered the grounds of Peony Park, completing the potential of the park and providing family fun all summer. Rides included the Galaxy Roller Coaster, a ferris wheel, the Scrambler, and a miniature roller coaster for children. The miniature golf course, “Around the World in 18 Holes,” was popular with visitors young and old, and the SkyRail was a signature ride that took riders for a loop around the park’s giant pool.
Visiting the park was not all lollipops and rainbows for all of its visitors, however. Until 1963, the park upheld segregation policies, which meant that Black swimmers were not allowed in the pool. This began to fade with the 1955 court case State of Nebraska v. Peony Park, which ruled that Peony Park discriminated against two black swimmers who were participating in the Amateur Athletic Union’s swim meet because they were not allowed in the pool. The park ended up paying a fine and related civil suits were settled out of court.
This event sparked a rise in protests, especially by teenagers and young adults, related to racial issues at the park. These protests helped ease tensions and eventually brought down the racial divide at the park.
Due to high operational costs and low revenue, Peony Park closed after the 1994 summer season, much to the dismay of regular visitors. While popular, Peony Park simply couldn’t keep up the grounds with the amount of business it brought in, especially since it was only open for warmer seasons. Despite its original site now being populated with restaurants, a bank, a grocery store, and an apartment complex, the memory of Peony Park remains in Omaha citizens’ minds and hearts.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2025 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
