Chautauqua Park Historic District (Sac City, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chautauqua Park Historic District
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 106 Park Ave. Sac City, Iowa |
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| Built by | W.J. Gordon |
| Architect | Proudfoot & Bird |
| NRHP reference No. | 13001138 |
| Added to NRHP | February 5, 2014 |
The Chautauqua Park Historic District is a special historical area in Sac City, Iowa, United States. It's recognized nationally as a historic district. This means it's an important place with old buildings and features that tell a story about the past. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
The park is home to several interesting parts. These include the Chautauqua Auditorium, the Asa Platt gates, the Metcalf cabin, a fish house, a small stone bridge, and a shelter house. Each of these elements has its own history and helps make the park unique.
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What is Chautauqua?
Chautauqua was a popular movement in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It offered education and entertainment to communities across America. Think of it like a traveling summer school and festival rolled into one! People would gather to hear speakers, enjoy music, watch plays, and learn new things. It was a big deal before radio and television became common.
History of Chautauqua Park
Early Days and the Auditorium
The Sac City Chautauqua Association was created in December 1904. About 120 people joined by buying subscriptions. For the first few years (1905-1907), the Chautauqua programs were held at the local fairgrounds.
In 1908, the association bought land between the fairgrounds and the North Raccoon River. They paid $1,275 for this property. A famous architectural firm from Des Moines, Proudfoot & Bird, designed the main building. This was the Chautauqua Auditorium. A local builder named W.J. Gordon constructed it.
The auditorium was ready just in time for the 1908 Chautauqua season. It was designed to look like a large Chautauqua tent. It has an eight-sided front, tall pillars, and open rafters. The ceiling is about 33-foot (10 m) high. The sides were open, and glass windows in the upper part could be opened for fresh air. When it was first built, the floor was just dirt.
Changes Over Time
By 1926, the Chautauqua movement in Sac City had ended. The next year, in 1927, the Sac City Park Board took over the ownership of the park. Most of the other historical parts of the park were added after the Park Board took control.
Asa Platt Gates
The gates in the park are named after Asa Platt. He was a very important person in Sac City's early history. He built the very first house in Sac City in 1854. Asa Platt was also known for being very generous, especially in supporting the local Chautauqua events. The gates were built sometime before 1931. Over the years, streets and the park entrance have changed, so the gates are no longer the main way into the park.
Metcalf Cabin
The Metcalf cabin is another old building in the park. It was built by David Metcalf in 1854. This cabin was the very first home built in what would become Sac County. It was moved to Chautauqua Park around the time the city took over the park's management.
Fish House and Stone Bridge
There is a simple wooden fish house in the park. This building was made for people who like to fish. It gives them a place to clean their catch. There used to be a fish pond near the auditorium. A small stone walking bridge crossed over this pond. The bridge was built before 1935. However, the fish pond was removed in the 1970s.
Shelter House
The stone shelter house is a great place for picnics. It was built in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program during the Great Depression. It helped put many people to work by building public projects like parks, roads, and buildings.
