Downtown Plainfield Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Downtown Plainfield Historic District
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lockport Street bounded by Division & Main Streets, Plainfield, Will County, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Richardsonian Romanesque, Queen Anne, International Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000719 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 2013 |
The Downtown Plainfield Historic District is a special historic area in Plainfield, Illinois. This district covers four city blocks. It shows off many popular building styles from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. You can see styles like Greek Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne here.
Contents
A Look Back: Plainfield's History
Plainfield was started in August 1834 by Chester Ingersoll. He planned the first part of the town. Later that year, Levi Arnold bought land nearby and divided it into lots. This area would become the historic district we see today.
Growth Thanks to the Canal
The Illinois and Michigan Canal was built in the 1840s. This canal brought many new people to Plainfield. The canal's main office was only about 6 miles away in Lockport. A road called Lockport Road connected the two towns. This road became very important once the canal opened in 1848. Plainfield was also a handy stop for people traveling between Chicago and Ottawa.
At first, most buildings were homes. But by the late 1840s, shops and businesses started to appear. They gathered where Ingersoll and Arnold's land met. One of the first big businesses was the DuPage Inn and Tavern.
Plainfield Becomes a Village
The northern and southern parts of Plainfield joined together in 1869. This formed the Village of Plainfield. The village officially became a town in 1877. At that time, about 700 people lived there.
Many early buildings were made of wood. Sadly, a series of four fires destroyed them. These fires happened between 1888 and 1899. After the fires, new buildings were constructed. Plainfield's location on important travel routes helped it grow.
Transportation and New Buildings
In 1904, a railway called the Aurora, Plainfield & Joliet Railway started service. It connected Plainfield with Aurora and Joliet. The railway even had a repair shop in Plainfield.
Later, in the 1920s, Lincoln Highway passed through Plainfield. This was the first highway to cross the entire United States! It brought more cars and businesses related to cars. The old Standard Oil station is a great example from this time. It is still standing today.
