Northwood Central Avenue Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Northwood Central Avenue
Historic District |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly Central Ave., W. near 5th St. to 9th St. on the east, Northwood, Iowa |
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| Area | 11.3 acres (4.6 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals |
| MPS | Iowa's Main Street Commercial Architecture MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000857 |
| Added to NRHP | September 19, 2006 |
The Northwood Commercial Historic District is a special area in Northwood, Iowa, United States. It's like a time capsule showing what the town's main street looked like long ago. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. It includes 59 different properties, such as buildings, a special outdoor spot, a structure, and even some unique objects.
This historic district covers most of the main shopping area along four blocks of Central Avenue. Out of the 59 properties, 40 are important "contributing" buildings. This means they help tell the story of the district's history. There are also 14 buildings that are not considered "contributing" to the historical importance.
Contents
Buildings and Styles
The buildings in the Northwood Commercial Historic District are made from either wood or brick. They are usually one to three stories tall. Many of these buildings show off popular architectural styles from the past.
Popular Architectural Styles
Two main styles you can see here are Queen Anne and Italianate.
- The Queen Anne style often features towers, turrets, and decorative details.
- The Italianate style usually has tall, narrow windows and decorative brackets under the roof.
Most of the buildings in this district were designed by local builders or contractors. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, local builders like H. Quandahl and James McQuarrie were very busy building these commercial spaces.
Famous Architects' Designs
A few buildings, however, were designed by trained architects.
- The Holland-Haraldson Block was designed by Omeyer & Thori. They were architects from Saint Paul, Minnesota.
- The Odd Fellows-Erickson Block was designed by J.L. Rood. He was also from St. Paul. Rood might have also designed the Index Building.
- The Emery Building was designed by Glenn L. Saxton and Hans Enger. They also had an office in St. Paul.
Special Features and Objects
The historic district is located right next to a bend in the northern part of the Shell Rock River. This river location adds to the district's unique charm.
Unique Structures and Objects
There are a few special features that are also part of the historic district:
- A staircase pathway leads down to the river. It has stone piers on either side. This staircase is considered a "contributing structure."
- The L.T. Dillon Clock is another important object in the district.
- The Haugen Water Fountain is the third special object that adds to the district's historical value.
These features help tell the story of Northwood's past and how people used to live and work in the town's center.
