Former Rodeo Grounds and Wooded Bellevue Parkland
Bellevue, NE
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free public park.
Access
Limited Access
Wooded trails, uneven natural surfaces, some hill terrain
Equipment
Photos OK
Arthur Jewell developed the park that bears his name around 1908, when he platted his 160-acre farm into residential lots designed around a natural wooded core. A streetcar line ran through the property, making the park an accessible destination from Omaha and encouraging the development of homes along its winding avenues. Jewell himself passed away in 1938.
In 1917, residents mounted a successful legal challenge to prevent the park's sale, establishing it as permanent public green space — an early preservation victory that protected the wooded grove for the following century.
The park developed a strong equestrian identity. Horse shows became a regular feature, and the park's small arena hosted regional rodeos that drew competitors and crowds from across the area. Bellevue's 'Arrows to Aerospace' rodeo — a name that reflected the city's proximity to Offutt Air Force Base — included bronc riding, steer wrestling, bull riding, and roping. A youth equestrian program called Barebacks and Bells operated at the park until the city denied their stable construction request, at which point the program relocated.
In 1985, Jewell Park served as the last regular-season venue for the Mid-States Rodeo Association. The equestrian era ended, and the arena structure eventually fell into disuse.
Decades of neglect took a toll. The park deteriorated from what had been one of the finest in the Omaha metro area — invasive Tree of Heaven species colonized the understory, trails became overgrown, and litter accumulated. Recent restoration efforts have included mountain biking trail installation by the THOR club and the conversion of the old rodeo arena into a dog park. The site sits adjacent to Bellevue Cemetery with views of the Missouri River to the east.
Sources
The paranormal accounts from Jewell Park align closely with what the site once was. Rodeo sounds — the crowd, the animals, the particular percussion of a rodeo arena — have been reported in and around the old grounds, on nights when no event is occurring and no explanation is present. Animal sounds, with no animals on the property in months, are a consistent element of the accounts.
Witnesses describe extra footprints appearing in bare dirt when they are alone — not their own prints, appearing beside theirs or ahead of them. Objects are reported to appear and then be gone before the witness can turn around. Thick mist appears on nights when atmospheric conditions would not explain it. Figures of people — shapes that read as human — are observed among the trees when the park is empty.
One account describes being run over by something that was not there — a physical impact with no physical source. The witness was not injured but described a distinct sensation of collision.
The park's adjacency to Bellevue Cemetery adds a spatial dimension to the accounts that some observers note. The wooded terrain between the park and the cemetery creates a transitional zone that, in the reports collected from this area, is described as particularly active.
Whispering sounds, not localized to any one position, are mentioned in multiple accounts. The whispering does not resolve into words.
Jewell Park's wooded trails wind through the former equestrian grounds where regional rodeos were held through 1985. The old arena area has been converted to a dog park. Mountain biking trails installed by THOR are available. The park sits adjacent to Bellevue Cemetery and overlooks the Missouri River.
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