Omaha Bar Association Celebrates 150th Year in 2025

Special Projects, Publications, & Events Planned

On August 10, 1875, 40 Omaha attorneys met and formed the Douglas County Bar Association, elected Union Pacific attorney Andrew J. Poppleton as President. (Daily Bee article - August 10, 1875)

On January 24th, 1889, the Douglas County Bar Association changed its name to the Omaha Bar Association filing articles of incorporation that listed the organization's mission as "to maintain the honor and dignity of the profession of law; to promote fraternal feelings among members of the bar; and to aid in the due and expeditious dispatch of the business of the courts of the public in Douglas County." (Sioux City Journal article - January 24, 1889)

In 2025, the Omaha Bar Association turns 150 years old, and we have an ambitious set of plans to celebrate this milestone in our legal community. Included in our plans: publishing a 150th Anniversary Book; creating a searchable archive of The Daily Record (Omaha's legal newspaper, est. 1886), and holding special events that connect us with our history.

Legal Community: We Want Your Stories and Ideas!

There is a plethora of stories to tell from our legal community, and we look forward to gathering and sharing those stories. Anyone who wants to provide pictures, timelines, stories, or oral histories is welcome to reach out. Please email Dave Sommers at dave@omahabarassociation.com if you have something you want to share.

Interested in searching newspapers for stories? Two good resources available are the Library of Congress Archives (https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/) and the Omaha Public Library's archive of the Omaha World Herald Newspaper (CLICK HERE FOR LINK - Library Membership Card Number Required).