[bostonguy1960]

Long post:

Hello from Boston...

Is anybody here old enough to answer my question?

My family lived in the Omaha area near the Mockingbird elementary school in 1970-71 where I attended 5th grade.

My dad was on a temporary job transfer from Buffalo, so we lived at the nearby Wentworth apartment community. I believe somebody from Omaha informed me years ago that that apartment community was wiped out in a tornado? Sad if true. Has Omaha had several tornadoes since my time there in 1971? I hope not.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the school appear on my Google search tonight. I assume the school hasn't suffer major tornado damage over the years, even if my apartment community was destroyed?

Is this a busy area nowadays? Overbuilt with homes and apartments? Middle class, as we were? I don't recall much if any diversity then at the school, but maybe the area and school is quite varied now?

I was surprised to see the school listed in an actual Omaha zip code...so I guess I officially may have lived in Omaha when at the nearby apartment, and not a suburb.

I do recall shopping at Crossroads Mall, so I guess we didn't live too far from that, and thus the Mockingbird school now listed is likeky the same one I attended.

I recall playing in a youth hockey league at Ak-Sar-ban arena (didn't realize then it's Nebraska spelled backwards!), home of the Omaha Knights of the then Central Hockey League. I searched, and it does appear to still be in use? But I realize a newer arena has been built since then. Omaha then had an American Hockey League team years later for a short while after the Knights? Same nickname? Did the Knights move or fold after I left in 1971 to move back to Buffalo -- or maybe the league folded?

I understand The University of Omaha-Nebraska men's hockey team plays some or all games in a newer city arena, or is it a USHL junior hockey team mainly, or both? I do recall watching a nationally televised figure skating tournament from the newer arena just a years ago, so that was neat!

Thanks for any info from my fellow "older crowd."