Architectural and Historical Survey and Evaluation of the "West Hill" Neighborhood, Muscatine, Iowa

SPARK Consulting; McCarley, Rebecca

From executive summary: "The Architectural and Historical Survey and Evaluation of the 'West Hill' neighborhood, Muscatine, Iowa, is part of a phased program to identify, evaluate, register, and protect the cultural resources of Muscatine. The Muscatine Historic Preservation Colnlnission conducted a Planning for Preservation Study during 2002-2003 as the first phase of this program. The development of six historic contexts and survey of the downtown commercial district was the second phase of this survey project, completed in 2004-2005. This West Hill survey is the third phase in this comprehensive survey and evaluation program for the city of Muscatine. Muscatine is the county seat of Muscatine County, which is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in southeast Iowa. This area of Iowa opened for settlement in 1833. The City of Muscatine is one of the oldest in Iowa, having been surveyed and platted in 1836. It was originally known as Bloomington and was designated the county seat in 1837. The location on the Mississippi River directly led to the first two major industries in Muscatine, lumber and pearl buttons. Logs floated down the river provided the raw product to produce not just planks and boards, but more elaborate sashes, doors and millwork. In the 1890s mussel shells from the river provided the material for pearl buttons, which became the major product produced by Muscatine's industries at the turn of the century. In the 20th century Muscatine's industries expanded to include grain processing, furniture manufacturing and the retreading of automobile tires. The town has grown from a village of 71 in 1839 to a thriving city of over 22,000 today. The purpose of this project is to undertake an intensive level historical and architectural survey of the 'West Hill' neighborhood and develop historic contexts relevant to this area. The West Hill neighborhood has been defined as the area along W. 2nd Street, W. 3rd Street, and W 4th Street roughly from Ash to Chestnut streets. It encompasses about 62 acres. The northeast (east) end of this boundary near Chestnut and Pine aligns with the southwest (west) boundary for the downtown commercial survey. Research was conducted to develop three historical contexts for Muscatine: 19th Century Residential and Neighborhood Development, 20th Century Residential and Neighborhood Development, and Cultural and Ethnic Diversity. These historic contexts were utilized to evaluate the historic resources identified during the West Hill intensive survey." Project funding was provided in part by a 2005 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission (project number IA-05-006) administered by the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office (grant number 19-05-20417) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Muscatine, Iowa is a Certified Local Government.

Architectural and Historical Survey and Evaluation of the "West Hill" Neighborhood, Muscatine, Iowa

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