Early Omaha: Gateway to the West
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BROWNELL HALL

Bishop Talbot of the Episcopal Church opened a school for young ladies in 1863 located at Saratoga, a small community 3 miles north of downtown Omaha. The town of Saratoga was established in 1858 and so named because if its mineral springs. It was hoped these springs would draw many visitors to the area and so a large hotel was built. Five years later Brownell Hall began classes in this building. It was incorporated in 1869. During this period, a new building was constructed at 16th & Jones streets and the old hotel was vacated. Herman Kountze donated land for a new school at 10th & Worthington. It was 40 x 100 feet and arranged in the shape of a capital “H”. The building was razed in the summer of 1997.

This is the Brownell Hall Chapel: