Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben
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The Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben is a civic and philanthropic organization in Omaha, Nebraska.
The organization was formed in 1895 in an attempt to keep the Nebraska State Fair in Omaha after receiving an ultimatum to provide entertainment "other than saloons, gambling houses and honky tonks."
The board's solution was to strike out to secure all the floats used that year in the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. While in New Orleans, they decided to model their organization on the parade's Krewe concept complete with "royalty" and "coronations."
According to the organization's web site, Dudley Smith suggested a name for the new organization:
| “ | Why not reverse the name of our beloved state, since everything seems to be going backwards these days? | ” |
So the name ("Nebraska" spelled in reverse) was born. The group was to save the fair temporarily for Omaha (but it was to eventually go to Lincoln).
Among other initiatives the group has pursued was the purchase of the Douglas Street Bridge (the first road bridge across the Missouri River) in hopes of taking its tolls off (the bridge was renamed the Ak-Sar-Ben Bridge). In the 1920s, the Knights built and operated a horse racing track and arena complex, also named Ak-Sar-Ben. In 2005, the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights of the American Hockey League were named after the Knights, who have a minority ownership stake in the team.
The organization has scholarship programs and administers Nebraska's Century Farm program. It sponsors the Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Livestock Show, River City Roundup and Ak-Sar-Ben Coronation Ball.
