National Register of Historic Places

Old Town Historic District

Ames, Story County, Iowa
Listed
January 2, 2004
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
03001349

About this property

Old Town Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Ames, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. At the time of its nomination it consisted of 249 resources, which included 191 contributing buildings, one contributing site, and 57 non-contributing buildings. The district is a residential area located north of the central business district. Between the two is a "civic corridor" made up of government buildings, churches and fraternal organizations. The earlier residences here were built of brick, but from about 1890 to 1910 they are all of wood construction. Brick reappears in 1910, but as a secondary building material. The houses are from one to two stories in height. They reflect the Late Victorian styles as well as the Colonial Revival styles of the early 20th century. The houses generally have a detached garage behind the house, facing an alley. The Prof. J.L. Budd, Sarah M., and Etta Budd House (1885) is individually listed on the National Register. Most of the houses are single-family, but a few have been converted to multi-family dwellings. There are also nine apartment buildings and a condominium building located here. All date from the 1960s onward, and do not contribute to the historic nature of the district. They are generally two to three stories tall, but the tallest is five stories. They are large boxy buildings, except the most recent one (1997), which reflects the district's architectural heritage. First Church of Christ Scientist, a frame structure built in 1938, is also a contributing property in the district.

Location

Ames, Story County, Iowa
42.02962, -93.62258

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTTRANSPORTATIONEDUCATIONARCHITECTURELANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
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.

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Everything a full report reveals about Old Town Historic District

This page lists Old Town 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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Roosevelt School
Industrial
0.2 mi
Ames High School
Industrial
0.4 mi
Municipal Building
Industrial
0.5 mi
Masonic Temple
Industrial
0.6 mi
Bandshell Park Historic District
Industrial
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Town Historic District listed on the National Register?

Old Town Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 2, 2004.

What type of historic resource is Old Town Historic District?

Old Town Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Town Historic District?

The period of significance for Old Town Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

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

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