NPS Form 10-900-b 0MB No JO?4-OOJ8 (Jan 1987) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service JUL 2 5 1989 National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form RH318TER This form is for use in documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instructions in Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the requested information. For additional space use continuation sheets (Form 10-900-a). Type all entries. A. Name of Multiple Property Listing_________________________________________ Historic Resources of Jamestown, North Dakota B. Associated Historic Contexts___________ Establishment of Jamestown: 1872-1878 Town building in Jamestown: 1878-1886' Expansion of Social Activities in Jamestown: 1887-1900__________ Jamestown's Second Boom: 1900-1917_____________________ Jamestown Between Wars': 1917-1940 C. Geographical Data______________________________________ The corporate limits of Jamestown, North Dakota, and areas adjacent N/A Qsee continuation sheet D. Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this documentation form meets the National Register documentation standards and sets forth requirements for the listing of related]properties consistent with the National Register criteria. This submission meets the procedural and professional requn^rryents set tertian 3KyG0FR Part 60 and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Planning and Evaluation. / ___________________ July 11, 1989 Signg^re of certifying'official f James £} Sperry Date State Historic Preservati/n Officer, North Dakota ____ State or Federal agency and bureau Federal Preservation Officer, USPS I, hereby, certify that this multiple property documentation form has been approved by the National Register as a basis for evaluating related properties for listing in the National Register. Signature of the Keeper of the National Register Date*' E. Statement of Historic Contexts JUL 2 51980 Discuss each historic context listed in Section B. REGISTER The City of Jamestown (1980 population: 16,280) in Stutsman County is located in southwest North Dakota. It straddles the north-south flow of the James River and is on the Burlington Northern Rail line (formerly Northern Pacific) midway in its east-west run between Bismarck and Fargo. Major highways serving the city are Interstate 1-94, U.S. 281, and State Route 20. Jamestown is the seat of Stutsman County and the commercial center for a regional trade area surrounding the town for fifty miles and which includes nine counties. Ongoing development activity gave impetus to the historic structures survey (Cultural Resource and Management, Inc.: 1986, afterward cited as CRM:1986) on which this Multiple Properties Nomination"'is" based."" ' " ; r ORGANIZATION Appended to this contextual statement is a nomination form for an historic district in Jamestown. Within section G, Summary of Identification and Evaluation Methods, is a list of additional properties in Jamestown which may be..nominated by .reference.,to., this document. The following describes the organization of .the. context., statement. .,.<,:, The Division of Archeology and Historic Preservation, State Historical Society of North Dakota, under authority of the State Historic Preservation Officer, has defined 32 historic themes as conceptual divisions of state history. This matrix of 32 themes defines activity p.atte.rns. into, which, the history of .most areas ...can .be ^organized. Within this nomination Jamestown's history is diVided 'into five chronological periods: 1872-1878, 1878-1886, 1887-1900, 1900-1917, 1917-1940. The historic events and cultural environment of each period are distinct enough to warrant such narrow spans. Within each temporal division, all 32 historic themes are considered. Those themes relevant to each period are identified, evaluated, and discussed with respect to resources, both extant and demolished. Non-relevant historic themes are named and eliminated from consideration. The Cultural Research and Management, Inc., survey of Jamestown (hereafter referred to as CRM) provides data on all properties surveyed. The data obtained from the CRM report is evaluated in Section G, below. The report provides sufficient information to evaluate commercial and some residential properties under all National Register criteria. This survey forms the basis for assessing the actual built environment for the identification of appropriate property types and specific eligibility criteria. Many residential properties were researched to allow evaluation under Criterion C, and partial assessment of eligibility under Criteria A, B, and D. Amendment of this nomination by future research will take two forms. Additional research will establish historic associations for residences and pertinent research questions (found at the end of this section of the nomination) will be answered for several non-residential properties. This multiple property nomination for Jamestown has two purposes, one immediate and another long term. First, it documents the significance of Jamestown's historic business district and adjacent properties. Second, the contextual statement will allow future users to evaluate other properties in Jamestown since all important historic themes and historic periods are discussed. Research relating to commercial properties has been most thoroughly investigated. However, the framework for other historic See continuation sheet NM Form 104004 M (M6) OMtAppnvtINo, United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet JUL 2 5 Section number ___ Page themes is also established herein. These thematic sections can be expanded as further research is undertaken to document the significance of specific properties. Of course, those themes which play a larger role in defining the town's development receive more extended coverage. Conversely, themes which have had little research or impact on the historic development are identified as such. Comprehensively, the nomination attempts to address the historic development in the town. Currently, cultural resource surveys of North Dakota communities loosely follow such a format. Each theme is named, described, and evaluated for its importance in defining local development. This practice allows researchers to compare the findings in one community survey with findings from other surveys. Within such an organization, community focused surveys can be particular enough to assess local resources, but general enough structurally to contribute to the statewide historic preservation plan. THE NATURAL SETTING Jamestown lies within the Drift Prairie, the largest of nine ecological zones characterizing state geography. The area is dominated by ground morraines which consist of nearly level to gently rolling topography. The Drift Prairie landscape mediates between the very flat Red River valley to the east and the hillier Missouri Coteau to the west (Bluemle: 17). Much of the region is cultivated farmland but wheatgrass, bluestem, and needlegrass prairie comprises the recent natural vegetation (Snortland Coles: 9). The James River trench consists in mainly level flood plain (Bluemle: Plate 1). The terrain is advantageous for agricultural pursuits. Most of Jamestown lies east of the James River. Lowest elevations near the river embrace the historic portions of the survey area and are in the 1390-1400 foot range. Elevations rise sharply to 1450-1480 feet east and west of the flood area and provided scenic overlooks for historic sites such as Fort Seward, Jamestown College, and the State Hospital. Prior to Euro-American contact, the juxtaposition of two natural habitats, the river bottom and rolling upland prairie, provided a variety of flora and fauna conducive to prehistoric settlement of the James River valley (Snortland-Coles, 1980: 3). PREHISTORIC JAMESTOWN A contextual statement, "Overview of Archeological Research in the James River Drainage" is in preparation as part of the "North Dakota Comprehensive Plan for Prehistory." The CRM survey upon which the nomination is based inventoried only NPI Perm 10-900* (Mi) OMtApprovHHo.10144011 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number E Page -1__ architectural resources. Thus, prehistoric archeological resources of Jamestown are not the focus of this effort. Discussion of Jamestown area archeology is included to encourage integration of those components when available and as appropriate. Archeological study of the James River Valley was initiated in 1873 by Cyrus Thomas. Thomas recorded four sites on the western river bank, including one, 32SN22, within the present survey area. Since that first investigation, hundreds of sites have been recorded along the James River and its tributary streams. Despite a long history of survey and the identification of hundreds of sites, the knowledge of area prehistory is in a youthful stage. With a lack of diagnostic surface materials and limited number of excavations, few sites have been assigned to specific traditions. Excavation of particular sites has culminated in evaluatory tests which have yielded site-specific data. There is need for synthesis of existing data and the development of a comprehensive research program. Identification