Anamosa Main Street Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Anamosa Main Street Historic District

Anamosa, Jones County, Iowa
Listed
January 29, 2009
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
08001381

About this property

The Anamosa Main Street Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Anamosa, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. At the time of its nomination the district consisted of 52 resources, including 42 contributing buildings, one contributing structure, and nine non-contributing buildings. The district takes in most of the city's central business district. For the most part, the buildings here were used for commercial purposes, but some of them housed light industrial operations, the post office, and the Masonic lodge. The buildings generally range from one to two stories, but a couple structures are three stories in height. Built between the 1860s and the early decades of the 20th century, the buildings are composed of masonry construction. Several were built using the areas limestone. The Italianate style is dominate, but other late 19th and 20th century revivals, and late 19th and early 20th century American movements are also found here. Other than its architecture, what makes Anamosa standout is that unlike most other Iowa city's it was never properly platted. Instead, the city grew organically from three commercial nodes. One was located in the flood plain of the Wapsipinicon River, and two others on the higher ground to the east. The two on the higher ground developed together and are the basis for this district's development. The city saw rapid development with the advent of the railroad through town and the demand for the limestone quarried from the area. The development of the Anamosa State Penitentiary beginning in the 1870s also affected the city's economic fortunes.

Location

200-300 block W. Main St., 100 block E. Main St., 100 block N. and S. Ford St., 100 block N. Garnavillo St.
Anamosa, Jones County, Iowa
41.59823, -91.29744

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Anamosa Main Street Historic District

This page lists Anamosa Main Street Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Anamosa Main Street Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Ward, George H. and Loretta, House
Industrial
2.4 mi
Bridge near West Liberty
Industrial
2.5 mi
West Liberty Commercial Historic District
Civil War
2.6 mi
Downey School
Industrial
2.9 mi
Downey Savings Bank
Industrial
3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Anamosa Main Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Anamosa Main Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 29, 2009.

What type of historic resource is Anamosa Main Street Historic District?

Anamosa Main Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Anamosa Main Street Historic District?

The period of significance for Anamosa Main Street Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Anamosa Main Street Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Anamosa Main Street Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Jones County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Jones County.

Explore JonesCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Anamosa Main Street Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report