Omaha Central High School, Omaha

Omaha Central High School traces its history to November 10, 1859, when Omaha’s first public high school classes began in the unused first Nebraska Territorial Capitol building. After the territorial capital moved to Lincoln, the state donated the second capitol building on Capitol Hill for educational use in 1869.

It was replaced by a new four-story school in 1872, and the institution officially adopted the name Omaha Central High School in 1915. The present building was constructed in stages between 1900 and 1912 and continues to serve as a public high school. Designed by architect John Latenser Sr., the building is an important example of French Renaissance Revival architecture. Its stone exterior, symmetrical composition, classical detailing, large windows, and central courtyard give it the appearance of a monumental civic building. Construction progressed wing by wing while the 1872 school remained in use inside the growing structure. The final north wing was completed in 1912 after the older building was removed. Original interior features included maple floors, oak woodwork, and cast-iron newel posts, while later additions expanded the school’s facilities.

Central High School is significant for both its architecture and educational history. The site once contained the Nebraska Territorial Capitol, linking the campus with an earlier chapter of the region’s development. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. As it remains an active public school, interior access is limited, but visitors can admire its historic stone façade and hilltop setting from surrounding public areas.