National Register of Historic Places

Pentacrest

Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
Listed
March 28, 1978
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78001230

About this property

The Pentacrest is the Old Capitol and a collection of four buildings on the campus of the University of Iowa that surround the Old Capitol — Jessup Hall, Macbride Hall, MacLean Hall, and Schaeffer Hall — on a four-block-sized parcel of land in Iowa City, Iowa. The Old Capital exhibits the Greek Revival style while the four buildings that surround it display Beaux-Arts architecture. The Pentacrest is a four-block park-like area including the zero-point of the street grid of Iowa City. The axes are defined by Iowa Avenue and Capitol Street. The exact center is marked by the Iowa Old Capitol Building, which was used as the first state capitol. The borders of the Pentacrest are Jefferson Street on the north, Washington Street on the south, Madison Street on the west, and Clinton Street on the east. The present configuration is a relatively recent one that was established during the 20th century; beforehand, the site was occupied by other buildings. Calvin Hall once belonged to the Pentacrest, and was located where Macbride Hall currently is. The decision was made that all buildings of the Pentacrest should be the same color; therefore, Calvin Hall was moved intact across Jefferson Street and Macbride Hall was built in its place. National Register of Historic Places listings in Johnson County, Iowa

Location

Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
41.66155, -91.53639

Categories

SCIENCEARCHITECTURE
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 Pentacrest

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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

Old Capitol
Industrial
0 mi
Congregational Church of Iowa City
Industrial
0.1 mi
Park House Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi
North Presbyterian Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Franklin Printing House
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Pentacrest listed on the National Register?

Pentacrest was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Pentacrest?

Pentacrest is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Pentacrest?

The period of significance for Pentacrest is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Pentacrest?

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