Decatur Downtown Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Decatur Downtown Historic District

Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
Listed
May 8, 1985
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
85001011

About this property

The Decatur Downtown Historic District is a historic commercial district located in downtown Decatur, Illinois. The district includes 75 buildings, 61 of which are considered significant or contributing to its historic character. While downtown Decatur was platted in 1829, it did not experience significant commercial development until 1854, when two railroads built lines through the city; all but one of the district's contributing buildings were built between 1854 and 1916. The district includes many of the commercial buildings which were built in the economic boom following the railroad's construction. These buildings represent several popular commercial architectural styles of the period, including Classical Revival, Italianate, Romanesque, and Chicago School. The district also includes several sites connected to Abraham Lincoln's legal and political career. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 9, 1985.

Location

Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
39.84257, -88.95555

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.

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Everything a full report reveals about Decatur Downtown Historic District

This page lists Decatur 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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Transfer House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Decatur Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
Wabash Railroad Station and Railway Express Agency
Industrial
0.6 mi
Millikin, James, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Roosevelt Junior High School
Industrial
1.1 mi

Questions about this property

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

Decatur Downtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Decatur Downtown Historic District?

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

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

The period of significance for Decatur Downtown Historic District is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1829.

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

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