National Register of Historic Places

Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association

Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa
Listed
August 23, 2005
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
05000907

About this property

Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association , also known as Your Family Center, is a historic building located in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. Its significance is related to the local social movement that provided a safe place to live for young women and education programs that encouraged their business and professional development. The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) was established in Ottumwa in 1894 by 64 charter members. They began with opening reading and rest rooms before they opened a boarding house. In 1903 they acquired the former First Baptist Church building for their use. They cooperated with the local Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) for recreational and camping activities. The YMCA built a new larger facility in 1921 and the YWCA considered buying their old building, but they decided to build their own building instead. The YWCA hired the Minneapolis architectural firm of Croft & Boerner to design the Renaissance Revival building. It was completed in 1925 by contractor C.W. Ennis. The three-story brick structure features round arch openings on the first floor and windows that diminish in size on the upper floors. The interior features terrazzo floors and oak woodwork that exhibits an American Craftsman influence. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Location

133 W. Second St.
Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa
41.02132, -92.41284

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORYARCHITECTURE
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Hotel Ottumwa
Industrial
0.1 mi
Historic Railroad District
Listed
0.1 mi
Hofmann Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Wapello County Courthouse
Industrial
0.2 mi
Jay Funeral Home
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association listed on the National Register?

Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 23, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association?

Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association?

The period of significance for Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association is recorded as the industrial era.

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