Omaha or Iowa?

I went to Omaha this week for a conference. I just arrived back home this afternoon. I left in a winter weather advisory and came home in spring like weather. Typical Nebraska weather.

My conference was at Creighton University which is pretty much right downtown. I had booked a room at the hotel suggested on the conference registration which happened to be in Iowa. I didn't think much about that because Iowa is just across the river and I had stayed in an Iowa hotel just a couple of years ago when I went to the Beth Moore conference at the QWest center. The hotel was about a 10 minute drive from the QWest center - no biggie.

The problem was that I had forgotten to map quest my route. So I wasn't quite sure which interstate I needed to be on - a bunch of them sort of converge downtown and it is a maze of multi lane confusion. I called John when I was about to Omaha and had him google the directions for me. I had to switch interstates a couple of times but it was not that bad since I arrived after rush hour. I kept watching for the river because I just knew I had to cross the river to get to Iowa. But before I knew it, the sign for my hotel was just ahead of me and I hadn't left Omaha. I actually thought maybe John had given me the wrong directions but decided just to go on in and get the directions to the Iowa hotel from the desk. I parked and walked into the lobby.

The lady at the desk was on the phone when I approached. I looked around a little and saw a small sign that said "Welcome to the Country Inn and Suites at Carter Lake, Iowa". Hmm. I was in the right place. I guessed I must have crossed the river without knowing it but I couldn't see how. I checked in and moved in all my things. When I got to the room I opened the Guest Services book to see what time the pool and exercise room closed and what time breakfast was served the next morning.

The first page gave a history of Carter Lake Iowa. Pretty interesting stuff. I copied the following information from Wikepedia:

Carter Lake is the only city in Iowa located west of the Missouri River. This is due to a flood that occurred in March of 1877, which redirected the course of the river 2km (1.25mi) to the southeast. The remnants of the old river course, which were called Saratoga Bend, became an oxbow-shaped lake, for which the town is named today.
Soon after the formation of the lake, the site became a flourishing recreational area. It included, "a boathouse at the foot of Locust street, hotels and club houses were numerous and the lake was the scene of many a pleasant rowing and fishing party."[2]
After extensive litigation between Iowa and Nebraska, in 1892 the United States Supreme Court finally ruled that Carter Lake belonged to Iowa (145 U.S. 519).
Legally considered part of Council Bluffs, residents lacked the basic city services enjoyed by residents east of the Missouri but were still subject to city taxes. The community successfully seceded in the 1920s, intending to become part of Omaha, but the Nebraska city did not want to pay to extend sewers or water lines either and in 1930 Carter Lake was incorporated as its own municipality.
During the late 1930s and 1940s the Chez Paree nightclub and casino operated openly in Carter Lake because casinos were legal in Iowa but illegal in Nebraska. Consequently, Carter Lake gained the reputation as the biggest gambling spot between Chicago and Reno.
Carter Lake creates a geographic oddity for travelers going to Eppley Airfield which it surrounds on the south and west. Consequently travelers going to Eppley Airfield from anywhere except North Omaha will be going through Carter Lake, Iowa. It has caused great confusion when travelers not used to the area go through and see a "Welcome to Iowa" sign on their way to and from the airport.

Wild huh? I was only 5 minutes from Creighton. It was really handy.

My conference was a good one and it was nice to see all my Nursing buds. I was able to have lunch with my old friend and former roommate Terri M, who lives in Omaha. Good times.

I started home last night and spent the night with my other old friend and former roommate Brenda in Cozad. She and Terri and I all had an apartment together in Lincoln when we were in college there. Really good times. Sometime I will blog about those days. We had a lot of fun.

I am glad to be home. It feels like I was gone for weeks instead of days.