Historical and Architectural Survey of Downtown Fort Dodge, Iowa

Pathfinder CRM, LLC; Vogel, Robert

From management summary: "The boundaries of the survey area (determined beforehand by the Fort Dodge HPC and the Iowa SHPO) encompassed most of the traditional central business district and contained more than one hundred and seventy properties, predominantly commercial buildings. Survey activities focused on Central Avenue, First Avenue North, and First Avenue South from Third Street westward to Twelfth Street. Two isolated, non-contiguous historic properties were also surveyed at the request of the HPC. The narrative of the report defines a historic context, 'Development of Downtown Fort Dodge, 1854-1964,' which provides a unifying thematic framework for identifying and evaluating historic properties. The influences of economic, architectural, environmental, and landscape forces are described and related to cultural resources on the ground. A range of historic property types are described in terms of architectural and landscape history themes. Significance and integrity requirements for nominating properties to the National Register are discussed. The inventory of historic property data recorded by the survey is summarized in outline form. As a result of the downtown survey, two important conclusions were reached. First, the survey area contains a significant concentration of historic buildings and related urban landscape features that are of particular historic preservation interest and therefore warrant consideration in community development planning. Second, despite the loss of a number of important historic properties and extensive physical modification of downtown streetscapes, the central business district remains a unified entity with a unique historic character that readily distinguishes it from other part of Fort Dodge, and from other historic downtowns." Project funding was provided in part by a 2005 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Fort Dodge Historic Preservation Commission (project number IA-05-001) 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. Fort Dodge, Iowa is a Certified Local Government.

Historical and Architectural Survey of Downtown Fort Dodge, Iowa

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