Belvidere South State Street Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Belvidere South State Street Historic District
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| Location | State Street between Logan Avenue & Madison Street, Belvidere, Illinois |
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| Area | 16 acres (6.5 ha) |
| Built | 1852 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Commercial Style, Prairie School, Art Deco, Modern Movement |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000325 |
| Added to NRHP | June 6, 2012 |
The Belvidere South State Street Historic District is a special area in Belvidere, Illinois. It is on the north side of the Kishwaukee River. This district is full of old commercial buildings. These buildings show different styles of architecture. They were built between 1852 and 1962. This was after the city got its first railroad connection.
The Story of Belvidere's Downtown
Belvidere, Illinois, was first settled in 1834. The main business area first grew on the north side of the river. But in 1851, something big happened. The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad decided to build a train station. They chose the south side of the river for it.
This new train station helped a second business area grow. This area was south of the railroad tracks. The space between the tracks and the river became a busy industrial spot. A famous factory there was the National Sewing Machine Company.
On June 6, 2012, this area became very important. The North and South State Street Historic Districts were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places important to history. They were meant to be one big district. But some buildings were torn down. This caused them to be split into two smaller districts.
Cool Building Styles
About two-thirds of the buildings here are very old. They were built before the year 1900. Many of these old buildings are in the Italianate style. You can spot this style by its tall, narrow windows. They also have fancy metal decorations at the top called cornices. The four buildings near State Street and Pleasant are great examples.
Other buildings show different styles. The William H. Piel Building is a good example of the Chicago School style. The Belvidere National Bank and Trust has a Classical Revival look. It features round Roman arches and sticking-out tops.
The Belvidere City Hall is one of the newest buildings. It shows the International Style. The Old Belvidere High School is unique. It is the only building in the Prairie School style. It also has some Classical Revival details. Inside, its auditorium is in the Art Deco style. This is the only Art Deco design in the whole district.
Where is the District?
The Belvidere South State Street Historic District covers a few city blocks. It includes the area between East Pleasant Street, South State Street, Whitney Boulevard, and Logan Avenue. It also includes the block surrounded by State, West 1st Street, Pleasant, and Pearl Street. The building at 621 South State Street is also part of it.
There are 43 buildings that help make this district special. These are called "contributing" buildings. Six newer buildings are not considered part of the historic look. The Old Belvidere High School is one of the important buildings here. It was even listed on the National Register of Historic Places by itself in 1997.
