January 15, 2022

“Ecotone” comes from the field of ecology and generally refers to a transitional area between two different communities. That word comes to my mind frequently walking in Omaha. An area of town north of Cuming street near Creighton University is a major conglomeration of ecotones. It’s an area in which old factory-turned apartment buildings combine with industrial areas, low-income housing, and cookie-cutter housing tracts that look straight out of suburbia. The photo below caught my eye on a cold January day exploring the area. I think it’s also a new addition to my series Omaha Gothic.

Grain silo and other factory buildings lit by late afternoon light with a snowy abandoned lot strewn with conex containers in front.
Omaha, NE. January 15, 2022.