Eldora Downtown Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Eldora Downtown Historic District

Eldora, Hardin County, Iowa
Listed
May 11, 2009
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
09000297

About this property

The Eldora Downtown Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Eldora, 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 84 resources, including 65 contributing buildings, one contributing site, three contributing objects and 15 non-contributing buildings. The district takes in the city's central business district, which also includes its governmental, educational, and religious activities. It is located in the original town plat from 1853. Development began around the public square and spread out from there. The present building stock is second generation at the earliest. The oldest extant buildings were built in the 1870s, although the greatest number of buildings were constructed in the 1890s. There were also peak years of construction in the 1910s, and the late 1930s and 1940s. The commercial buildings generally range from one to two stories, but the tallest structure is three stories in height. They are primarily composed of brick construction. Late Victorian and various revival styles from the late 19th and 20th centuries are dominant. The non-commercial buildings include four government buildings, four churches, three residences, a hospital, and a school. Three buildings that were individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places are contributing properties in the district. They include: the Hardin County Courthouse (1892), the First Congregational Church (1894), and the former Eldora Public Library (1903). The three contributing objects include the Civil War monument, a Civil War cannon, and a World War I gun. They are all located on the courthouse square, which is the contributing site.

Location

Eldora, Hardin County, Iowa
42.36401, -93.09842

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMERCE
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 Eldora Downtown Historic District

This page lists Eldora Downtown 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 Eldora Downtown Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

First Congregational Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Hardin County Courthouse
Industrial
0.4 mi
Civilian Conservation Corps-Prisoner of War Recreation Hall
Colonial
0.5 mi
Eldora Public Library
Industrial
3.3 mi
Steamboat Rock Consolidated Schools Building
Industrial
3.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Eldora Downtown Historic District listed on the National Register?

Eldora Downtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 2009.

What type of historic resource is Eldora Downtown Historic District?

Eldora Downtown Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Eldora Downtown Historic District?

The period of significance for Eldora Downtown Historic District is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1853.

Can I research the history near Eldora Downtown 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 Eldora Downtown Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hardin County

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

Explore HardinCounty ›

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 Eldora Downtown Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report