September 24 9.00 am – 12.00 pm
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Holland Center, 1200 Douglas St
Sponsor: www.walkablecities.com
Join us for a unique, guided walk through the heart of Omaha. We come together at Holland Center and from there our Poetry Walk will lead us through the city’s rich American Indian history and culture, Along the route, we will read American Indian poetry, offering a deep connection to the land, heritage, and activism that resonate through their words.
Itinerary:
- Sculpture Garden – Our first stop is the Sculpture Garden at the Gene Leahy Mall in Omaha. The first sculpture we pass is 26-foot-tall sculpture called the ‘Wind Sculpture‘ from the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare. Shortly after we stop at Heritage from Herb Mignery. This bronze sculpture depicts an American family – mother, father, and child – working on the land. Next is Love Exists from John Clement and before we leave this part of the sculpture garden we stop at ‘Walking Flower Times the Power of Five’ from the American artist James Surls.
- Gene Leahy Mall – When we look back we see a big lawn called Downtown Green. From 1982 till 2022 this mall had a big lake in the middle. In 2019 they redesigned the entire area by raising the park up to street level, which added over 40,000 square feet of lawn space in the heart of Omaha’s urban core with ao a performance pavilion for live music and poetry.
- Downtown Slides – Now we cross 11th street. This is a pavement now with on the south side an old Arch from the former United States National Bank Building. Near the Arch we take the Downtown Slides to the small rectangle pond with at the end of this pond the sculpture Dream from Jun Kaneko. Here we walk up to the Douglas Street.
- Riverfront Drive – After a while the Douglas Street become the Riverfront Drive and we follow this drive and just after it pass the Grenville Dodge Memorial Bridge over the Missouri river we will find the first two American Indian statue.
- Big Elk and Sioux Warrior – First we will pass the 10-foot- tall bronze sculpture Big Elk made by Benjamin Victor in 2023. Shortly after we will pass the bronze scupture Sioux Warrior, 1935-36 from John David Brcin. Both sculptures are in the Lewis & Clark Landing park.
- Lewis & Clark Landing – From the summit of Telegraph Hill (elev. 285 ft (87 m)), we will take in breathtaking views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the surrounding neighborhoods. This hill, once called Loma Alta (High Hill) during the Spanish and Mexican eras of San Francisco has played as one of the original “Seven Hills” a key role in the city’s history. In the old days the Telegraph Hill ended in the Bay untill the shoreline of San Francisco had been pushed eastward by landfill. In 1853, the first telegraph in California, was set up on the hill, therefore giving the hill the name of “Telegraph Hill.” This telegraph was destroyed by a storm in 1870.
- Rob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge – At the Rob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge we turn back after we read together with Iowa poets above the Missouri river. The bridge is named after the 35th governor of Nebraska (1983 to 1987) and United States Senator from Nebraska (1989 to 2001).
- Lakeside Terrace – After this pedestrian bridge between Nebraska and Iowa we walk to Lakeside Terrace but before we arrive at our final destination we will read shortly at Farnam Pier.
We look forward to sharing this poetic journey with you as we walk, listen, and reflect on the enduring spirit of ‘American Indian Poetry.
