The Oregon Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Oregon, Illinois, that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2006. The district is roughly bordered by Jefferson, Franklin, 5th and 3rd Streets in Oregon. It is one of six Oregon sites listed on the National Register and one of three to be so listed since the turn of the 21st century. The other two are the Oregon Public Library, listed in 2003, and the Chana School, listed in 2005.[2]
Historic districts in the United States are designated historic districts recognizing a group of buildings, properties, or sites by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided into two categories, contributing and non-contributing. Districts greatly vary in size: some have hundreds of structures, while others have just a few.
Oregon is a city in and the county seat of Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,518 in 2017.
Illinois is a state in the Midwestern and Great Lakes region of the United States. It has the fifth largest gross domestic product (GDP), the sixth largest population, and the 25th largest land area of all U.S. states. Illinois is often noted as a microcosm of the entire United States. With Chicago in northeastern Illinois, small industrial cities and immense agricultural productivity in the north and center of the state, and natural resources such as coal, timber, and petroleum in the south, Illinois has a diverse economic base, and is a major transportation hub. Chicagoland, Chicago's metropolitan area, encompasses over 65% of the state's population. The Port of Chicago connects the state to international ports via two main routes: from the Great Lakes, via the Saint Lawrence Seaway, to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, via the Illinois Waterway to the Illinois River. The Mississippi River, the Ohio River, and the Wabash River form parts of the boundaries of Illinois. For decades, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the world's busiest airports. Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and, through the 1980s, in politics.
The Oregon Commercial Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 16, 2006.[2] The National Register of Historic Places Registration form was dated July 12, 2006 and was completed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.[1]
Boundaries
The boundaries for the district are roughly encompassed by Jefferson Street on the south, Franklin Street on the north, and 3rd and 5th Street on the east and west. The grounds cover 30 acres (120,000m2) and include 62 buildings and objects. Of those, 51 are contributing properties, 44 buildings, two structures and five objects. Another eleven buildings are considered non-contributing to the overall general historical character of the historic district.[3]
Architecture
The 44 buildings, five objects and two structures that make up the contributing properties of the historic district represent a wide range of architectural styles and uses. Italianate, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and the Arts and Crafts Movement, and other styles and movements, have all had their influences on the collection of mostly low level commercial architecture in the district.[1]
In the United States, Queen Anne-style architecture was popular from roughly 1880 to 1910. "Queen Anne" was one of a number of popular architectural styles to emerge during the Victorian era. Within the Victorian era timeline, Queen Anne style followed the Stick style and preceded the Richardsonian Romanesque and Shingle styles.
Art Nouveau is an international style of art, architecture and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was most popular between 1890 and 1910. A reaction to the academic art of the 19th century, it was inspired by natural forms and structures, particularly the curved lines of plants and flowers.
Art Deco, sometimes referred to as Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture and design that first appeared in France just before World War I. Art Deco influenced the design of buildings, furniture, jewelry, fashion, cars, movie theatres, trains, ocean liners, and everyday objects such as radios and vacuum cleaners. It took its name, short for Arts Décoratifs, from the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes held in Paris in 1925. It combined modern styles with fine craftsmanship and rich materials. During its heyday, Art Deco represented luxury, glamour, exuberance, and faith in social and technological progress.
Structures
Of the numerous buildings two of them are listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places. They are the Arts and CraftsOregon Public Library and the Romanesque RevivalOgle County Courthouse. The buildings are a mix of commercial, government and private residence usage, mostly some apartments on the upper floors of some buildings. Aside from buildings other sites are included, such as, cannons, a drinking fountain, sculptures and a well house.
The Oregon Public Library is located in Oregon, Illinois, United States, the county seat of Ogle County. The building is a public library that was constructed in 1909. Prior to 1909, Oregon's library was housed in different buildings, none of which were designed to house a library. The library was built using a grant from wealthy philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The grant was obtained after Oregon's citizens voted to change Oregon's library from a city library to a township library. The building was completed by 1908 but the library did not begin operation until 1909.
The Ogle County Courthouse is a National Register of Historic Places listing in the Ogle County, Illinois, county seat of Oregon. The building stands on a public square in the city's downtown commercial district. The current structure was completed in 1891 and was preceded by two other buildings, one of which was destroyed by a group of outlaws. Following the destruction of the courthouse, the county was without a judicial building for a period during the 1840s. The Ogle County Courthouse was designed by Chicago architect George O. Garnsey in the Romanesque Revival style of architecture. The ridged roof is dominated by its wooden cupola which stands out at a distance.
A cannon is a type of gun classified as artillery that launches a projectile using propellant. In the past, gunpowder was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during the 19th century. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees, depending on their intended use on the battlefield. The word cannon is derived from several languages, in which the original definition can usually be translated as tube, cane, or reed. In the modern era, the term cannon has fallen into decline, replaced by guns or artillery if not a more specific term such as mortar or howitzer, except for high calibre automatic weapons firing bigger rounds than machine guns, called autocannons.
The 300 Block of Washington, including the F.G. Jones Block.
This two-story Italianate structure is attached to two other historically significant buildings at the corner of Washington and Third Streets in Oregon. It is the most ornately detailed of the three.
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture.
The three-story Italianate Jacobs Block was known also as the National Clothing House.[1] The structure was built sometime around 1870 and the aluminumawning was added in the 1960s.[1]
This three story yellow brick building is in the 100 Block of South Fourth Street. Its exterior is decorated with ivory brick detailing and it sports a three globe milk glass sign over the door on its second story.
The Romanesque Revival Ogle County Courthouse stands in the middle of a large public square. Though no longer the county's primary judiciary center some county office still occupy the first two floors. The building was designed by Chicago architect George O. Garnsey and constructed in 1891.[1]
The Oregon City Hall was constructed in 1920, though its front facade, specifically the windows, have seen some renovations and replacement.[1] The building is still home to the city government in Oregon, Illinois.
The Oregon Coliseum stands on the corner of Fourth Street and Franklin Street on the north end of the historic district. The largely stucco exterior is heavily influenced by Art Deco style.[1]
The design of the Oregon Public Library is a product of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Its second story includes an art gallery which displays works from its permanent collection which includes donated works created by Lorado Taft and Nathaniel Currier.[1]
Oregon Theater
This 1910 theater building started as the Star Theater and was later the Oregon Theater. The facade was re-clad around 1940.[1] Though now converted for commercial use the building still features its marquee with "OREGON" written on it in large neon letters.
This traditional I-house structure was built around the beginning of the American Civil War and began its history as a private residence. Later it was converted into the Rock River Hotel and then later the Blackhawk Hotel. Oregon once had three historic hotel buildings, the Rock River Hotel is the last of those standing.[1]
Historically Ogle County's largest employer the Schiller Piano Company building is a 120,000-square-foot (11,000m2) industrial building on the northern end of the district.[1] Its iron water tower base still stands in the northwest section of the lot. Both separately contribute to the integrity of the historic district.
The two-story Italianate T. Goings Building stands out because of wooden pediment over the brick parapet which is emblazoned with the name "T. Goings". The building was constructed of red brick in 1895.[1]
The Soldiers' Monument is located on the courthouse square. It features three sculptures by Lorado Taft and an exedra designed by the architects Allen and Iriving Pond. It was originally dedicated to Ogle County veterans of the Civil and Spanish–American Wars, later World War I veterans were added.[1]
The Unity Building is an ornate Queen Anne commercial building. It has a large second story oriel which causes it to stand out from the surrounding buildings which are designed in a more sedate Classical Revival and Italianate styles.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Related Research Articles
The Sycamore Historic District is a meandering area encompassing 99 acres (400,000 m2) of the land in and around the downtown of the DeKalb County, Illinois, county seat, Sycamore. The area includes historic buildings and a number of historical and Victorian homes. Some significant structures are among those located within the Historic District including the DeKalb County Courthouse and the Sycamore Public Library. The district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 2, 1978.
Pittsfield Historic District is a historic district in Pittsfield, Illinois, the county seat of Pike County. The district is centered on the Pike County Courthouse and the surrounding courthouse square; it also encompasses nearby residential areas. The courthouse was built in 1894-95; architect Henry Elliott based its Romanesque design off his earlier design for the Edgar County, Illinois, courthouse. The district's historic commercial buildings are mostly located on the courthouse square, which surrounds the courthouse; these buildings are mainly two-story brick structures. The Italianate and Queen Anne styles are prevalent among the district's houses, with the former being the most prominent; the Greek Revival and Federal styles are also common in the district's earlier homes.
The Masonic Temple Lodge No. 420 is a building in the Ogle County, Illinois city of Oregon. It has historically been known as 628-628 S. Fourth St. The building is one of several in the 100 Block of Oregon's South Fourth Street that is a contributing property to the Oregon Commercial Historic District, some others include the buildings at 125 S. Fourth St. and 127 S. Fourth St. As part of the historic district the Temple Lodge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as of August 2006.
The Soldiers' Monument is a memorial consisting of three statues, one in bronze and two in marble by sculptor Lorado Taft, grouped around an exedra designed by the architectural firm of Pond and Pond. It is located in Oregon, Illinois, the county seat of Ogle County, Illinois. It was dedicated in 1916. The sculpture is part of the Oregon Commercial Historic District. The district was designated and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2006.
Oregon City Hall is the main municipal building for the Ogle County, Illinois city of Oregon. It stands on Oregon's Third Street, in the middle of the Oregon Commercial Historic District. The building is considered a contributing structure to the overall historical integrity of the historic district. Erected in 1920, the building, along with the rest of the historic district joined the National Register of Historic Places in August 2006.
The historic Rock River Hotel, later the Blackhawk Hotel and currently known as the Patchwork Innwww.patchworkinn.com bed and breakfast, is a two-story I-house brick building in the Ogle County, Illinois city of Oregon. The Hotel is within the Oregon Commercial Historic District. The district and its contributing properties were added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2006. Today it operates as a bed and breakfast but in its earliest years it was a private residence, by 1899 it had been converted for use as a hotel.
The T. Goings Building is a late 19th-century commercial building within the boundaries of the Oregon Commercial Historic District in Oregon, Illinois, U.S.A. The building is listed as a contributing structure to the overall integrity of the historic district, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. The building, found on Oregon's North Fourth Street, is an 1895 example of commercial Italianate style, albeit more muted than the other Italianate buildings in the district.
The Eagle's Nest Art Colony, the site known in more modern times as the Lorado Taft Field Campus, was founded in 1898 by American sculptor Lorado Taft on the bluffs flanking the east bank of the Rock River, overlooking Oregon, Illinois. The colony was populated by Chicago artists, all members of the Chicago Art Institute or the University of Chicago art department, who gathered in Ogle County to escape the summer heat of Chicago. The colony complex has been used as a field campus for Northern Illinois University since 66 acres (27 ha) of Lowden State Park were turned over to the university by the state of Illinois.
As of 2007 there are five church buildings in the Sycamore Historic District, located in Sycamore, Illinois, United States which are listed as contributing properties to the district. The Sycamore Historic District was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1978. When it was nominated to join the National Register there were seven church buildings within the district. One of those included is a residential structure that was utilized as a church when it was first constructed; the Arthur Stark House was once home to the Sycamore Universalist Church congregation. In the time since its listing, two churches have been destroyed or demolished. The Evangelical Church of St. John was destroyed by fire in 2004 and the United Methodist Church in Sycamore is no longer extant, replaced by a modern office building.
Central House is an 1860s hotel building located in the 800-person village of Orangeville, in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The building was built by Orangeville founder John Bower and operated as a hotel from its construction until the 1930s, when it was converted for use as a single family residence. The three-story building was the first commercial brick structure in downtown Orangeville. Architecturally, the building is cast in a mid-19th-century Italianate style. Central House was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
The Rochester Downtown Historic District is a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in Rochester, Indiana, United States. It was placed on the Register on June 24, 2008. The majority of buildings in the area are masonry and Italianate while structures outside the district are largely residential frame built structures.
The Warsaw Courthouse Square Historic District is a historic district in Warsaw, Indiana that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Its boundaries were increased in 1993.
Crown Point Courthouse Square Historic District is a historic district in Crown Point, Indiana, that dates back to 1873. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Its boundaries were changed in 2005, and it was increased in 2007 to include a Moderne building at 208 Main Street. The late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century commercial and public buildings represent a period of economic and political growth. The Lake County Courthouse stands in the center of the district. Designed by architect John C. Cochrane in 1878, this brick building is a combination of Romanesque Revival and Classical styles. Enlarged in 1909 with the addition of north and south wings, designed by Beers and Beers. Continued growth in the county required second enlargement in 1928. This local landmark was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The Monticello Courthouse Square Historic District is a historic district in downtown Monticello, Illinois. The district includes the historic commercial center of the city, the county seat of Piatt County, and is centered on the Piatt County Courthouse. 80 buildings are included in the district, 73 of which are considered contributing to its historic character. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 5, 2009.
The Cherokee Commercial Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Cherokee, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. At the time of its nomination it contained 70 resources, which included 50 contributing buildings and 20 non-contributing buildings. The historic district covers most of the city's central business district. Most of the buildings are two and three stories tall, and built of brick. There are two frame buildings from the city's earliest years. Cherokee is somewhat unusual in that it did not have a devastating fire in its history, therefore the downtown area was able to grow incrementally. Unlike many county seats, it does not have a focal point such as a centrally located courthouse square. The Cherokee County Courthouse was built on a hill to the west of the downtown area.
Downtown LaPorte Historic District is a national historic district located at LaPorte, LaPorte County, Indiana. The district encompasses 70 contributing buildings in the central business district of LaPorte. It developed between about 1860 and 1930, and includes examples of Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, and Neoclassical style architecture. Notable buildings include the Zahrt Blocks, Ridgway Hotel (1863), Higday and Collins Blocks (1886–1888), LaPorte County Courthouse (1890–1894), Odd Fellows Building (1895), Lonn's Block (1889), People's Bank (1912), U.S. Post Office (1912), New York Central Depot (1909), Masonic Temple (1910), and Hotel Rumely (1912).
Winterset Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. At the time of its nomination the district consisted of 82 resources, including 74 contributing buildings, seven noncontributing buildings, and one noncontributing object. The historic district covers most of the city's central business district in the original town plat. Most of the buildings are two-story, brick, commercial buildings. The commercial Italianate style is dominant, with Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, and Neoclassical styles included. The Madison County Courthouse (1878) is a Renaissance Revival structure designed by Alfred H. Piquenard. Most of the buildings are brick construction, but four were constructed using locally quarried limestone. The stone buildings include the courthouse, the White, Munger and Company Store (1861), and the Sprague, Brown, and Knowlton Store (1866), all of which are individually listed on the National Register.
The Howell Downtown Historic District is a primarily commercial historic district located along five blocks of Grand River Avenue in the center of Howell, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
