1941 Midtown Omaha

WW2 Era Midtown Omaha

In the late 1930's Bruce Fleming Jepson was busy painting. He was excited and energetic as he became a successful artist and illustrator. My mother, Grace, remembers the long hours her brother spent at his drawing table, sometimes missing school. He was the kind of artist that would start a painting and not stop until it was completed. He worked in his studio loft apartment of a two-story home on the east side of 31st Street. The only photo I have of that house during the period the family lived there, is actually a photo of the Clarinda-Page Apartment building.  It's the tiny little house just behind the Clarinda.  My mother described the house as very large with many rooms. The living room had wood floors with a fireplace and sunroom off the back of the house where Grace would sleep on a chaise. It had a tiny little kitchen, where Edwina would make Bruce's favorite lemon pie. Many of Bruce's letters from overseas were addressed to this house. Grace has happy memories of their time there from about 1939 to the summer of 1944 when Edwina and the girls moved to Florida in hopes of seeing Bruce before he left the states. The house was torn down many years before the Clarinda building would share the same fate. 

Clarinda about 1930

Photo found on https://www.facebook.com/savetheclarinda.

http://memories.nebraska.gov/cdm/ref/collection/opl/id/3458

The Omaha Public Library Nebraska Memories site, is a great historical reference place for early Omaha. The Mr. and I just love going through old photographs of homes and buildings in Omaha. We found the above photo that shows the original home of Rev Arthur W. Williams at 315 S 31st Street, looking across Harney to the West early in the 1900's. In this picture, you can see that the house was large, as we were told. You can even see the "loft" window where Bruce would possibly have done his artwork.

The house no longer exists. The area is  known today as Midtown Crossing. Edwina and the girls lived on the main level. There were other tennants. Many of Bruce's letters from overseas, were addressed to this house. Bruce took a photo of the First Unitarian church across the street. Taken about  1941. It is one of the views from the front yard of the house at 315 South 31st Street. To the left of the church is Harney Street and to the right is Farnam and Turner Park.

First Unitarian Church, 3114 Harney St. about 1941. Photo by Bruce Fleming Jepsen.

I imagine Bruce was thoughtful when taking the above photo. If it was taken in 1941, it would have been shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which obviously had a profound affect on him.

Snow day in Omaha 1941

I love the photo of traffic on a snow day, which would possibly have been taken about the same time as Bruce's photo of the church. It is looking west on Farnam, with Turner Park at left. Perhaps Bruce took a cab to work that day. We know that Bruce loved city life. Photo found at http://worldherald.tumblr.com/search/1941

Vintage postcard of Turner Park neighborhood Omaha, Nebraska

In the postcard it is easy to see why the girls were happy living in this area. It looks perfectly dreamy. Photo again from Omaha Public Library, Nebraska Memories. You can read more about the Turner family here, http://memories.nebraska.gov/cdm/ref/collection/opl/id/248
 
One of my favorite photos that Bruce took is of the three sisters. This photo was taken in the 31st St. house before Bruce left for his pilot training in Texas. Chris and Bruce were art instructors for the two young girls. Chris was just beginning an art career. She became a top fashion illustrator in Omaha. Perhaps in this photo, Chris was tutoring Grace and Harryette on some basics of advertising. At the time this photo was taken, the two young ones had no idea they would also become successful in the Omaha advertising world. 

The three Jepsen sisters. Photo by Bruce Fleming Jepsen. Taken about 1941.

Harryette is at left, Chris in the center, and Grace at right. The photo was taken at 315 South 31st Street.

Bruce with his fellow artist friend, Walter LaHue. Eventually, the two young men would establish themselves as professionals among well-known artists. This photo was possibly taken at Fontenelle Park, overlooking the Missouri River. I believe Bruce may have set up this photo and that his mother, Edwina Wilson Jepsen acted as photographer, or possibly Chris.

Walter LaHue and Bruce Jepson, Plein air excursion Missouri River, 1937-38.

We have a painting by Edwina of the Missouri River and the Bluffs beyond, which may have been painted at the same location. I'll be doing more on her artwork at some point. Unfortunately, we do not have a painting from Bruce that might have been done during this outing. Bruce was busy in the 1930's. He gave many of his paintings and drawings away to friends and admirers. He was extremely generous. Our family has a good archive of his work but we are aware, there's a lot out there that we have not seen. If you have any of Bruce's work, please consider sharing. It would be a thrill to see it. More importantly, it would be a blessing for his only surviving sister, Grace. 

Walt and Bruce scouting a place to paint, Near the Missouri river about 1937

The photo above is of Walt and Bruce walking toward what looks like a farm. Perhaps they are trying to find the perfect spot for painting. Taken possibly somewhere along the Missouri River about 1937-38. If Edwina was the photographer here, she was pretty good with that camera.

Grace ready for work about 1949

Grace's first entry job was with Mutual of Omaha. She would eventually do artwork for the company brochures. After marriage, Grace would stay in the midtown area, moving just to the south to an apartment overlooking Dewey Park.


More about the Clarinda here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarinda_%26_Page_Apartments

I will post more of the fashion illustrations from all three sisters soon. You can read more about 1930's fashion here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930%E2%80%931945_in_Western_fashion

For a look at some fun fashion illustration from that period go here, http://glamourdaze.com/2012/11/the-1930s-the-golden-age-of-glamour-for-womens-fashion.html