| Hummel Park | |
|---|---|
Entrance sign at Hummel Park |
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| Type | Municipal (Omaha) |
| Location | North Omaha |
| Area | 202 acres (0.82 km2) |
| Created | 1930 |
| Status | Open all year |
Hummel Park is located at 11808 John J. Pershing Drive in North Omaha, Nebraska. Developed on 202 acres (0.82 km2) of land donated to the City of Omaha in 1930, the park was named after J.B. Hummel, a long time superintendent of Omaha's Parks and Recreation Department.
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Hummel Park is covered in a riparian forest. Located in north of the Florence neighborhood, the park includes hiking trails, including the Omaha Riverfront Trail North. There are also playgrounds (removed summer 2009), horseshoe pits, a Missouri River overlook, picnic shelters and a disc golf course that will be completed in 2008.[1] The overlook is located above the popular "Devil's Slide," a natural cliff. There is also summer day camp at the park which celebrated it's 60th anniversary in 2009.[2]
The location of Cabanne's Trading Post is at the corner of Ponca Road and John J. Pershing Road in the northwest corner of the park.[3]
The park is also the location of several urban legends that report paranormal phenomenon, animal sacrifices, lynchings, and stories of modern murders and racist graffiti. There are rumors about an "Indian burial ground" located at the park and there are several urban legends about albino people who dwell in trees within the park.[4][5][6] However, these stories have been repeatedly dismissed by a variety of sources.[7]
According to a University of Nebraska historian, there is no validity to any of these rumors, particularly about lynchings in the park.[8]