Boys Town Museum - Boys Town                                       2025 

I was here as a pretty young grade schooler.  I remember only two things about that visit.  One, I hated the idea that someone like me would have to leave home and live with a bunch of kids I didn't know.  (I was extremely shy then)  Two, some of us bought magnifying glasses in the gift shop and we spent the next few minutes making leaves smoke.  (We couldn't make them burn)  Thankfully, I've outgrown both of those things.  

This place is truly interesting.  In large part because it's a Nebraska organization.  Plus, I've been by it so many times, easily in the thousands.  I've often wondered how it's faring as society has changed.  I knew they sold off a square mile of property but the many of the original buildings are still there.  Of course, the grounds have been magnificently kept up and improved.

 This is at the beginning of a beautiful garden trail.  Paved walkways, ponds, flowers, well-kept lawns, benches.  I didn't ask but I think you can just go there to enjoy the peace and tranquility.  West Dodge Road is pretty close so you do hear the traffic but it's quite muffled by the trees.

The museum is first rate.  It tells the story of how Father Flanagan came to Omaha and started this whole organization.

 

As you move through the exhibits, they follow the whole history up to today.  All the Priests who ran the organization are displayed along with the improvements each one endeavored to make.

The boys led fairly normal lives except for certain expectations and chores which were required.  They were not all Catholic as I used to think.  All religions were respected the same.  They studied in school just like everyone else. They had many of the same activities as other schools.  They performed in band competitions and frequently won and they engaged in performances around the area.

The cathedral was still open and the museum guide recommended we go see it.  It is as beautiful as you might expect and holds 700 people.  

 

 

An interesting fact - the movie "Boys Town" came out in 1938 and was the second best film of that year.  It was seen by Mary Dowd from New York.  She saw it several times and made the trip to Boys Town to see it for herself in 1941.   She was so moved by the everything, she wrote a check to build the cathedral.  Amazing, only one person funded the whole thing.

 

 

Also of note, Father Flanagan is interred here in an anti-room accessed inside the cathedral.  Boys Town has maintained a populations of around 350 people for many years.  It's still providing the same mission Father Flanagan started over 100 years ago.  One major addition to the campus is a large Protestant church.