Decatur Downtown Historic District (Decatur, Illinois)

Decatur Downtown Historic District
Location Merchant St. roughly bounded by North, Water, Wood, and Church Sts., Decatur, Illinois
Coordinates 39°50′32″N 88°57′20″W / 39.84222°N 88.95556°W / 39.84222; -88.95556Coordinates: 39°50′32″N 88°57′20″W / 39.84222°N 88.95556°W / 39.84222; -88.95556
Area 18 acres (7.3 ha)
Built 1854 (1854)
Architect Multiple
Architectural style Romanesque, Classical Revival, Commercial Italianate
NRHP reference # 85001011[1]
Added to NRHP May 9, 1985

The Decatur Downtown Historic District is a historic commercial district located in downtown Decatur, Illinois. The district includes 75 buildings, 61 of which are considered significant or contributing to its historic character. While downtown Decatur was platted in 1829, it did not experience significant commercial development until 1854, when two railroads built lines through the city; all but one of the district's contributing buildings were built between 1854 and 1916. The district includes many of the commercial buildings which were built in the economic boom following the railroad's construction. These buildings represent several popular commercial architectural styles of the period, including Classical Revival, Italianate, Romanesque, and Chicago School. The district also includes several sites connected to Abraham Lincoln's legal and political career.[2]

The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 9, 1985.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Marshall-Lewis, Laura; Poland, Brian (September 13, 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Decatur Downtown Historic District" (PDF). Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved March 29, 2015.


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