Greenfield Public Square Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Greenfield Public Square Historic District
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 102–362 Public Square, 201–215 S. 1st St., 107–110 E. Iowa St., Greenfield, Iowa |
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| Area | 7.5 acres (3.0 ha) |
| Architect | Charles E. Bell William Gordon |
| Architectural style | Italianate Classical Revival Late 19th & Early 20th Century American Movements |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000623 |
| Added to NRHP | September 17, 2014 |
The Greenfield Public Square Historic District is a special area in Greenfield, Iowa. It's recognized across the country for its history. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
This historic area is like the main downtown part of Greenfield. It has many old buildings, mostly made of brick. Most buildings are one or two stories tall. You can see a lot of buildings in the Commercial Italianate style. This was a popular building style in the late 1800s.
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What Makes This Square Special?
The most unique part of this district is the square itself. It's called a "Lancaster Square." There was only one other like it in an Iowa county seat. That other square is in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
How is a Lancaster Square Different?
In most towns, streets enter a public square at the corners. This is called a "Shelbyville Square." But in a Lancaster Square, the streets enter the square in the middle of the blocks around it. This design makes the Greenfield Public Square very unique.
Buildings You'll Find Here
When the district was first recognized, it had 52 important features. Most of these were historic buildings. These buildings show what the town was like long ago.
Most of the buildings are shops and businesses. But there are also four government buildings in the district. These include the Adair County Courthouse built in 1892. There's also the public library from 1916 and the city hall from 1930. The municipal light plant, built in 1940, is also part of the district.
Other Important Buildings
Besides the courthouse, some other buildings are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places by themselves. These are very important historical spots. They include:
- The Warren Opera House Block and Hetherington Block (built in 1896)
- The Adair County Democrat-Adair County Free Press Building (built in 1903)
- The Hotel Greenfield (built in 1920)
How Addresses Work Here
The streets around the square don't have names. So, building addresses use "Public Square" instead. For example, an address might be "102 Public Square." Building numbers start on the west side of South First Street. They go clockwise around the square. They end on the east side of South First Street.
