National Register of Historic Places

Van Buren Street Historic District

Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan
Listed
April 3, 1996
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
96000367

About this property

The Van Buren Street Historic District is a cultural historic district located roughly along Van Buren Street from Capital and Cherry Streets to Calhoun Street and North Avenue in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. In the late 19th century, this section of Battle Creek lay between the commercial center of the city and the most prestigious residential neighborhoods. As such, what is now the Van Buren Street Historic District became the location of some of the city's oldest cultural institutions. This began in 1847 and 1858, when the first high school and St. Thomas Episcopal church were constructed in the district, on sites that now house current buildings for the same organizations. The 1870s brought the construction of successor buildings for both the high school and Episcopalian church, as well as a new St. Philip Catholic Church. In the 1880s the Michigan Central Railroad constructed a new depot. By the 1930s, the district was home to four churches, a public junior high and a Catholic school, and the local YMCA. The Van Buren Street Historic District contains 22 buildings and structures, of which 19 contribute to the historic character of the neighborhood. Most of the buildings are large public and cultural structures, including churches, schools, and a railroad depot; three houses are also included. The structures are mostly located within a block of the intersection of Van Buren Street and Capital Streets. St Philip Catholic Church complex (92 Capital NE): This includes seven buildings: the main church, a rectory, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, an elementary school, high school, convent, fine arts building, and the American Marsh Pumps Pattern Building, purchased by the church in the 1960s. W.K. Kellogg Memorial Junior High (60 W. Van Buren) Battle Creek Central High School (100 W. Van Buren)

Location

Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan
42.32320, -85.18141

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTEDUCATIONSOCIAL HISTORYTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTUREART
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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Overview
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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
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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
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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

Penn Central Railway Station
Industrial
0.1 mi
Central National Tower
Industrial
0.2 mi
Record Printing and Box Company Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Old-Merchants National Bank and Trust Co. Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Arnold, Adam C., Block
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Van Buren Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Van Buren Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Van Buren Street Historic District?

Van Buren Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Van Buren Street Historic District?

The period of significance for Van Buren Street Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Van Buren Street Historic District?

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