Grinnell Historic District (Boundary Increase)

The story

Written by AI from this property's National Register nomination and the record above; every sentence is checked against its sources before it appears here. Corrections: privacy@treealive.com

The Grinnell Historic District (Boundary Increase) is a historic district in Grinnell, Poweshiek County, roughly bounded by Main, 6th, Broad and Park Streets and the railroad. Listed in the National Register in 2013, it adds 24 acres of commercial buildings built in styles from Victorian commercial to Art Moderne and Neo-Classical.

Why it's listed

The district holds local-level significance in commerce and architecture.

Physical character

Walls across the district are brick veneer, stone or stucco, set on limestone foundations, with tile mansard roofing among them. Facades show an ornamental metal cornice, a raised brick parapet with quoin-like panels, and Flemish bond brickwork, and one building has Grinnell's first curved corner entryway. Many storefronts were remodeled during the 1950s and 1960s, with upper-level windows covered in glass block, concrete block or brick, enlarged display windows, and facade-wide signage, some rebuilt as freestanding single-story stores with parking; a 1990s restoration later replicated an original storefront.

Historical context

Streets were first paved in 1909, the Grinnell State Bank built its first building at 814 4th Avenue in 1914, and electric lighting reached Broad Street, the park and 4th Avenue between 1914 and 1919. Downtown served as the stage for the World War II effort in 1942, and the Grinnell Day parade drew 11,000 spectators in 1949. Interstate 80 was named in 1960, and its first segments opened in 1962.