Ames Main Street Historic District | |
Location | Roughly 100-400 blocks of Main & 5th Sts. with cross streets of Burnett, Kellogg, Douglas & Duff Sts., Ames, Iowa |
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Coordinates | 42°01′32″N93°36′49″W / 42.02556°N 93.61361°W |
Area | 17.5 acres (7.1 ha) |
Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements |
NRHP reference No. | 100002399 [1] |
Added to NRHP | May 10, 2018 [1] |
Ames Main Street Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Ames, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. [1] At the time of its nomination it included 81 resources (of which 76 were contributing buildings) as well as 15 non-contributing buildings. [2] The district covers most of the city's central business district. The area began to develop after the Civil War along the Chicago and North Western (CNW) tracks. The district was also served by the Ames & College Railway and its successor, the Fort Dodge, Des Moines, & Southern Interurban Streetcar line, from 1891 to 1929. The later connected downtown Ames and the CNW depot with Iowa State College, now known as Iowa State University.
Most of the buildings in the district are two stories in height and constructed in brick. There are also several single-story structures and a few that rise to three stories. The facades and storefronts run continuously along the blocks with only two breaks for vacant lots that have been transformed into public park plazas. The facades of the commercial buildings in downtown Ames were radically rehabilitated from the late 1910s and into the 1960s, giving them a more modern appearance. While other communities in the state also saw updates to the buildings in their main commercial areas, the difference here is that it was "nearly universal and helped the central business district retain a unified feeling of design." [2] The Municipal Building (1916) and the Masonic Temple (1917) are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [2] [3]
In 2017, the London Underground's building, at 212 Main Street in the district, was to be renovated using grant funding. [4]
The Merchants' National Bank (1914) building is a historic commercial building located in Grinnell, Iowa. It is one of a series of small banks designed by Louis Sullivan in the Midwest between 1909 and 1919. All of the banks are built of brick and for this structure he employed various shades of brick, ranging in color from blue-black to golden brown, giving it an overall reddish brown appearance. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for its architecture. In 1991, it was listed as a contributing property in the Grinnell Historic Commercial District.
The Downtown Commercial Historic District in Muscatine, Iowa is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. At that time, it included 93 contributing buildings, one other contributing object, and 18 non-contributing buildings. The city of Muscatine was established as Bloomington in 1836. The original town was built on land that is generally flat along the Mississippi River. Residential areas were located on the surrounding hills. Commercial and industrial interests developed on the flatter land near the river. Muscatine's commercial and industrial center had developed in a 12-block area along Front Street, now Mississippi Drive, and 2nd Street between Pine Street and Mulberry Street by 1874. This area, represented by the Downtown Commercial Historic District, is the city's original commercial area. Within its boundaries is a large number of 19th-century commercial buildings, many of which were modified in the first half of the 20th century.
The Kahl Building is a historic building located in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. The building also includes the Capitol Theatre.
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Central Office Building is a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. It is located in the center of a block with other historic structures. It now houses loft apartments.
The Henry Berg Building is a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District.
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Schramm Building, also known as Jochims Building, is a historic building located in the central business district of Burlington, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, and it was included as a contributing property in the Downtown Commercial Historic District in 2015.
The First Federal Savings and Loan Association Building is a historic building located in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties and on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District.
Upper Main Street Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. At the time of its nomination it consisted of 24 resources, which included 18 contributing buildings, and six non-contributing buildings. In 2011 the boundaries of the district were expanded to include four additional buildings on the west side of the 900 block of Main Street. The district is the northern end of the city's most important commercial street. It is situated on a level terrace above the downtown area, located to the east. The buildings located on the east side of Main Street have exposed foundations along the alley because the grade descends in that direction. For the most part the district is made up of commercial buildings, although there is one house, four rowhouses, and a church. All of the buildings are masonry construction, and they are between one and four stories tall. The bell tower of St. Luke's United Methodist Church (1896) is equivalent to an eight-story building. St. Luke's Church and the Interstate Power Company Building are individually listed on the National Register.
The Municipal Building, also known as Youth & Shelter Services, is a historic building located in Ames, Iowa, United States. It is significant for its association with the Progressive Movement reforms implemented by the city in the early 20th century. Previous to the construction of this facility in 1916 the city council, mayor, municipal offices, fire department and the police department, including the city jail and police court, were all housed in separate buildings. They were combined here in an effort to increase efficiency, professionalism, and the scope of city services. Per the Progressive Movement, all of these functions were housed in different zones in the building. The fire department was located on the backside of the building, and the archways where the fire engines doors were located are still visible.
The College Block Building is a historic building located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1883, this is the first known architect-designed commercial building in Iowa City. It was designed by local architect Chauncey F. Lovelace, who moved his office into the building. The main facade of this two-story brick structure is capped with an ornate, bracketed, tin cornice with the words "College Block" on an ornamented crest. There are eight windows on the second floor, all with ornate window hoods. The second and third windows on both ends are coupled together under a larger hood. The main floor is occupied by commercial space, and the second floor contains apartments. Urban renewal threatened the building's existence in the 1970s. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In 2021, the building was included as a contributing property in the Iowa City Downtown Historic District.
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