Color postcard (14 x 9 cm.) with an aerial (birds eye) view of the cattle pens of the Union Stockyards in South Omaha, Nebraska. In the lower right is a road or walkway that appears to run over the trains and cattle pens. Buildings are seen to the left and in the distance. The words "Cattle Pens. Stock Yards" are in the top left and "South Omaha, Neb." in the top right of the card.
Few industries say "Omaha" like the stockyards. The stockyards began in 1883 when Wyoming cattle baron, Alexander Swan, wanted a livestock market closer than Chicago, IL. Together with six local businessmen, he formed the Union Stockyards on December 1, 1883. The livestock pens covered acres of land. Between 1907 and 1910, most of the old pens were rebuilt with elevated walkways. Buyers could then view the animals without threading their way through the pens. In the early 20th century, Union Stockyards was the world's largest sheep market. The stock yards were dependent upon Union Pacific Railroad to bring livestock to market. On average, 20,000 animals per day arrived at the Union Stockyards for slaughter. Omaha Stockyards: A Century of Marketing; Commemorative Book: 1884-1984. Omaha, NE, 1984, p. 8-11.
