Woodmen Tower, Omaha

WoodmenLife Tower, commonly known as Woodmen Tower, is a high-rise office building completed in 1969 as the headquarters of the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society, now WoodmenLife. The organization was founded on June 6, 1890, by Joseph Cullen Root as a fraternal benefit society providing life insurance and financial services. The 30-story tower was dedicated in 1969 and remains the organization’s home office.

Designed by Leo A Daly and constructed by Kiewit, the tower is an example of International Style corporate architecture. Rising approximately 478 feet (146 meters), its rectangular form, repetitive window grid, and limited ornament reflect the functional character of postwar office towers. When completed, it surpassed the Nebraska State Capitol as Nebraska’s tallest building. It retained that distinction for more than three decades before the First National Bank Tower surpassed it in the early 2000s. The tower remains associated with WoodmenLife’s long regional presence. In 2020, new WoodmenLife lettering replaced older signage at the top during the organization’s rebranding, while exterior LED lighting marks holidays and special occasions. Since the late 1980s, its upper floors have also supported a peregrine falcon nesting program, creating an unusual wildlife connection.

Because WoodmenLife Tower functions primarily as an active corporate office building rather than a tourist attraction, public interior access should not be assumed. Visitors can appreciate its height, modernist architecture, illuminated upper levels, and role in the changing skyline from surrounding public areas.