Niles Downtown Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Niles Downtown Historic District
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200 and 300 block of Main Street
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 Niles Downtown Historic District
Location in Michigan
Niles Downtown Historic District
Location in the United States
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| Location | Sycamore, Main and Cedar bet. Front and 5th, Niles, Michigan |
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| Area | 12 acres (4.9 ha) |
| Built | 1884 |
| Architect | Myrle E. Smith, et al. |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000568 |
| Added to NRHP | June 21, 2007 |
The Niles Downtown Historic District is a special area in Niles, Michigan. It's a collection of old buildings along Sycamore, Main, and Cedar Streets, between Front and 5th. This important district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. This means it's recognized for its historical value. It helps us see what the town looked like long ago!
Contents
History of Downtown Niles
Early Beginnings (1820s-1840s)
The downtown area of Niles has been its main business center since the 1820s. This was after the Odawa people gave the land to the United States. Soon after, some settlers arrived. In 1828, Obed P. Lacey and Samuel B. Walling opened the very first store here.
The downtown area was officially mapped out in 1829. A major road, the Chicago Road, was finished in 1832-1833. This road connected Detroit and Chicago and brought many new settlers to the area. By 1835, Niles had hundreds of people. A village government was then created. By 1840, the population grew to 1,200.
The first buildings in Niles were made of logs. These were soon replaced by wooden buildings. Later, these wooden buildings were replaced by stronger ones. One of the oldest surviving wooden buildings is the 1843 Paine Bank. It was originally on Main and Third Street. However, it was later moved outside the historic district.
Growth with the Railroad (1850s-1890s)
Railroad service came to Niles in 1850. This caused a big jump in population and business. The village became a city in 1859. By 1860, over 2,700 people lived there.
In the business area, solid rows of buildings stretched along Main Street. Many were also on Front and Second Streets. Some brick buildings from before 1860 still stand today. These are in the 100 and 200 blocks of Main Street. Niles grew slowly through the 1870s, 80s, and 90s. The business section in 1895 was not much bigger than it was in 1870. New buildings only started to appear all the way to Third Street in the late 1890s.
Changes in the 20th Century
In the early 1900s, a new Carnegie library and post office were built. However, almost no new business buildings were constructed until after World War I. During the 1920s, many old buildings were replaced. Also, almost every other older building had its storefront updated. The business district also grew bigger, with new buildings further up Main Street.
However, the Great Depression hit, and building stopped almost completely until after World War II. Starting in the late 1940s, new buildings were constructed. Other storefronts were updated with modern metal finishes.
By the 1950s, new businesses started opening outside the city center. So, the city decided to renew the downtown area. Many plans were suggested. Finally, in 1971, a section along Front Street was cleared. This was to make room for a new shopping center. After some delays, the center was built in 1984.
By this time, a new group called the Downtown Development Authority was pushing for renovations. By the 2000s, projects to fix up building fronts were happening. This resulted in a beautiful stretch of historically appropriate buildings along Main Street.
What the District Looks Like Today
The Niles Downtown Historic District covers a four-block area of Main Street. It also includes the first block of the side streets next to Main. The district has 86 buildings. Most of these buildings are two or three stories tall. Some are one or four stories.
Seven buildings on the edges of the district were originally houses. Most of these have now been changed into businesses. The buildings were built between the 1850s and the 1960s. They show different styles, from Greek Revival and Italianate to 1950s and 60s modern. The oldest buildings are from the 1850s and early 1860s. They are made of brick and are found along Main Street, between Front and Third. You can also see them on parts of Front and Second Streets.
Gallery
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Niles Post Office (322 E Main)
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Carnegie Library (321 E. Main)
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Four Flags Hotel (404-06 E. Main)
