Holland Downtown Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Holland Downtown Historic District
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Eighth St. west of College, looking west
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly, Eighth St. from just E of College Ave. to River Ave. and River Ave. from Ninth St. to just N of Eighth St., Holland, Michigan |
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| Area | 14 acres (5.7 ha) |
| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival, Late Victorian, Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001534 |
| Added to NRHP | October 4, 1990 |
The Holland Downtown Historic District is a special area in Holland, Michigan. It's a historic shopping and business district located along Eighth Street and River Avenue. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 because of its important history and unique buildings.
Contents
History of Holland's Downtown
The area along Eighth Street has been the main shopping spot in Holland since the city started in 1847. But in 1871, a huge forest fire sadly destroyed a lot of the town. This included almost all the shops and businesses in the downtown area.
After the fire, people started rebuilding. By 1875, much of downtown was back up. At first, many new buildings were simple, two-story wooden structures. None of these early wooden buildings are still standing today. The first buildings made of brick were likely the VanDerVeen Hardware Building and the original City Hotel.
Growth and Rebuilding
Holland's population grew a lot in the late 1800s. It went from about 2,400 people in 1871 to nearly 7,800 by 1900. With more people, the city also built railroads and shipping areas. This helped Holland's industries grow, and the downtown shopping area grew too.
From the 1880s to the 1920s, there was a big building boom. Many of the older wooden buildings downtown were replaced with stronger brick structures. This is why many of the buildings you see today are from this time period.
Exploring the Historic District
The Holland Downtown Historic District has many interesting buildings. There are 59 buildings that help make the district special and 24 newer buildings. Most of these buildings are two or three stories tall. They were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Their fronts are made of brick, stone, or terra cotta.
The buildings stand right next to the sidewalk. The biggest buildings are in the middle of the district, near the corner of Eighth Street and Central. These include the old Steketee's store and the six-story Hotel Warm Friend.
Architectural Styles You'll See
The oldest buildings in the district show an Italianate design. You can see examples at 24 East and 36 West Eighth Street. Other buildings show different Late Victorian styles. These include Renaissance Revival and Richardsonian Romanesque designs.
Here are some important buildings in the district:
- Holland City State Bank (190 River Avenue, at Eighth): This large, three-story bank is built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. It uses rough, textured stone blocks. It has a unique corner tower with a pyramid-shaped roof, which is easy to spot downtown.
- Knickerbocker (Holland) Theater Building (86 East Eighth): This building from the 1900s has a tall, stepped front. It features classic decorations and a triangular top section.
- First National (now First of America) Bank (1 West Eighth): This is the only building in the district with a Classical Revival style. It's covered in light-colored limestone. It has a special entrance with tall, decorative columns.
- Steketee's Department Store (44 East Eighth): This six-story building has a front that is almost all windows. Bands of terra cotta separate the floors. The roofline has wavy shapes, with raised parts that have colorful Art Deco decorations.
- Hotel Warm Friend (5 East Eighth): This is the largest building in the district. It's a six-story building made of red brick with limestone details. It was finished in 1925. It stands where earlier hotels, like the City Hotel, once were.
Images for kids
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Eighth Street at College, looking west
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Eighth Street east of Central, looking east (south side)
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Eighth Street east of Central, looking east (north side)
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Eighth Street at River, looking east
