Orchard Park

While you may find only a handful of orchards around the Omaha area today, apple farming was a significant industry in Nebraska from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. Today, curious history buffs and home gardeners keep their eyes peeled as they explore the area for remnants of former orchards and properties with thriving apple trees throughout west and south Omaha. While Orchard Park neighborhood, a small northwest Omaha community of 300 homes, has many visible attractions, it too, will reveal a host of previously hidden assets to the resolute home seeker. While its location is convenient to necessities and luxuries, its placement surrounded by larger neighborhoods gives it a particular advantage in each direction. Benson hums with a vibrant nightlife and music scene. Far North Omaha hosts Omaha Country Club. Wynnwood/Brookfield boasts numerous parks, and North Omaha shoppers enjoy a mix of boutiques, markets, and destination malls all within a ten-mile radius.

Additionally, as its name implies, Orchard Park offers an abundant crop of well-tended midcentury modern homes nurtured among acres of surrounding parkland. As Will Hagel, Realtor with BHHS Ambassador Real Estate explains, “Orchard Park is distinguished by the prevalence of competitively priced, mid-century modern homes, which are becoming really popular again. Homebuyers are often surprised to find so many of them well-updated or fully renovated.” Most homes in Orchard Park were built in the 1960s and 70s, but you can find a smattering of new construction or whole-house renovations. Over the past 12 months, raised ranch homes have sold for $160,000 to $240,000. Multi-level homes have sold for $180,000 to $195,000, while ranch-style homes have sold for $155,000 to $175,000. Mature hardwood trees line the paved sidewalks and streets and lead to nearby parks, schools and Sorensen Parkway, a popular east-west connector to downtown Omaha.

Hartman Elementary offers Pre-K through fourth grade, has an overall Niche grade of C-minus, and has a notably diverse population. Nathan Hale Magnet is a highly diverse middle school serving kids from sixth through eighth grade. To honor the school’s namesake, the magnet theme is Leadership and Social Justice. Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles in school and in the larger community fulfilling the belief that young people can shape the future of our nation in positive ways. Niche gives Omaha Northwest Magnet High an overall C grade. The school offers a Freshman Academy to help students plan for success throughout high school. It also offers more than 40 honors programs.

Orchard Park is a well-appointed eight-acre park with a playground, ballfields, basketball and tennis courts, paved walking paths and plenty of open green space. It also offers a sprayground from the first Saturday in May through the last Sunday in September, weather permitting. Nearby Benson Park’s 217 acres offer baseball and soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts, a fishing lagoon, and plenty of open space. Benson Park Pavillion is a sought-after location for meetings and events. It can accommodate about 60 people, has a large kitchen and an expansive front porch. Golfers will enjoy living close to Benson Championship Golf Course, one of eight municipal Omaha courses known for its consistently excellent condition.

Seafood lovers will appreciate Yummy Crab’s all-day pick-up menu and plenty of kid-friendly items. Onsite dining is available but get there early as it is often busy. Fans rave about the steamed shrimp and crab legs. Nearby Sorensen Park Plaza offers several dining options as well as retailers including Target, Ross Dress for Less and Marshalls. Grocery stores including Aldi are a short drive east on Sorensen Parkway.

While there is an abundance of well-kept and updated midcentury homes in Orchard Park, like the apple trees that came before it, only some are ripe at one time. So when you find the one that suits your taste, do not hesitate to pick it, as homes don’t come on the market often around here.

Written By

Sarah Albiston

Photography Contributed By

Seth Johanson

Video By

Mallory Nolte