Civic Center Historic District (Kenosha, Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Civic Center Historic District
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The United States Post Office (1933)
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by 55th St., 8th Ave., 58th St., and 10th Ave., Kenosha, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Architect | Charles D. Chubb (Kenosha High School) Lindl, Lesser & Schutte (Kenosha County Courthouse and Jail) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000069 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1989 |
The Civic Center Historic District is a special area in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It has six large, important buildings. These buildings are designed in a style called Neoclassical Revival. They are all built around Civic Center Park. This district shows Kenosha's history as the main government center for Kenosha County.
Contents
Building a Beautiful City Center
The City Beautiful Idea
In the early 1900s, a movement called the City Beautiful movement became popular. People wanted cities to be more organized and beautiful. They believed that pretty public spaces could make cities better for everyone. Cities like Kenosha wanted to create attractive downtown areas.
Planning Kenosha's Center
After World War I ended, leaders in Kenosha decided to make a new city plan. In 1922, the people of Kenosha voted to approve this plan. A big part of the plan was to build a brand new city center. Harland Bartholomew, an expert in city planning, was hired. He presented his ideas for the city in 1925.
The Design Style
Many city centers built during the City Beautiful movement used a style called Neoclassical. This style often looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings. It uses grand columns and balanced designs. Kenosha's civic district also followed this grand style.
Important Buildings in the District
Kenosha County Courthouse and Jail
The Kenosha County Courthouse and Jail was one of the first buildings in the new district. It was designed by Joseph Lindl, Charles Lesser, and Albert Schutte. Joseph Lindl was from Kenosha. This important building was finished in 1925.
Kenosha High School
The Kenosha High School was planned by Charles D. Chubb. He was a specialist in designing schools. The high school was completed in 1926, just one year after the courthouse.
Other Key Buildings
The Loyal Order of Moose built a clubhouse in the district. It was located at 56th Street and Tenth Avenue. They used this building until 1943. Today, it is the Kenosha County Administration building. It holds offices that handle important public records.
Two more buildings were added to the district in 1933. One was an old United States Post Office. It was built in 1909 in a different part of the city. This building was carefully moved to the civic district. It was designed by James Knox Taylor, a famous architect. Now, this building is the Kenosha Public Museum. The very last building built in the district was a new post office. It was constructed on Sheridan Road.
National Recognition
On July 26, 1989, the National Park Service officially recognized the Civic Center Historic District. They added it to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places across the United States. The courthouse and jail building had already been listed on its own in 1982.
