Neal Clothing Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Neal Clothing
|
|
Front of the building
|
|
 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 74 Public Sq., Lima, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| MPS | Lima MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001870 |
| Added to NRHP | October 7, 1982 |
The Neal Clothing Building is the oldest building still standing in the main square of Lima, Ohio, United States. It was built a long time ago, even before the American Civil War ended. This building is important because it shows us what the city looked like in its early days.
Building Design
This building has two stories and is made of brick. It sits on the northeast corner of Public Square, which is the heart of Lima. Some cool parts of its design include three rounded windows with special sash panes. It also has metal brackets and decorative finials. Even though some parts of the outside have changed, an original metal awning still covers the main entrance.
A Look Back in Time
The Neal Clothing Building is the only building left from downtown Lima's very first period. You can even see it in the oldest pictures of this part of the square. Back then, Lima's economy mostly depended on farming from the areas around the city.
In the 1870s, Lima's businesses grew a lot. This happened because railroads started to expand into the area. Several big business buildings were built on Public Square, like the Union Block, which is still there today.
Even more growth happened after petroleum (oil) was found near the city in 1885. Lima's population grew by 300% between 1880 and 1900! This meant the city needed bigger buildings. Many fancy business buildings were built during this time. As the city kept growing into the 1900s, other important buildings were added to Public Square. One example is the First National Bank and Trust Building.
A Special Landmark
In 1982, the Neal Clothing Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important places in the United States that are worth saving. It was recognized for its historic design. Sixteen other buildings in downtown Lima were added to the list at the same time. These buildings were all newer than the Neal Clothing Building. They were part of a group called the "Lima Multiple Resource Area" because they were all important for their architecture.
