Reconnaissance Level Survey For: Nebraska City Nebraska Historic Building Survey 2010 ___________________________ ___________ Prepared ffor: ______________________________________ Nebraska State Historical Society State Historic Preservation Office 1500 R Street • Lincoln, NE 68501 • 4022.471.4787 www.nebraskahiistory.org ___________________________ ___________ Prepared by:________________________________________ Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture P.C. 1516 Cuming Street • Omaha, NE 68102 • 402.341.1544 • F.402.341.4735 • www.alleypoyner.com PrincipalInvestigators:JenniferK.HoneebrinkandChristinaA.Jansen CoverArtbyAlleyPoynerMacchiettoArchitectureP.C.copyright2010 Contents ExecutiveSummary....................................................................................................................................................1 ProjectBackground................................................................................................................................................1 Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................................1 AdministrationandFunding..................................................................................................................................1 Chapter1:HistoricalOverviewofNebraskaCity.......................................................................................................3 PopulationandGrowth..........................................................................................................................................3 TransportationDevelopment................................................................................................................................7 Steamboating.....................................................................................................................................................7 OverlandTrails...................................................................................................................................................9 Railroad............................................................................................................................................................12 Automobiles.....................................................................................................................................................15 EarlyManufacturingandIndustrialDevelopment...............................................................................................17 EarlyCommercialDevelopment..........................................................................................................................21 SocialHistory........................................................................................................................................................25 Chapter2:SurveyResults........................................................................................................................................29 Objective..............................................................................................................................................................29 SurveyArea..........................................................................................................................................................30 Methodology........................................................................................................................................................30 ResearchandFieldwork...................................................................................................................................30 Biases...............................................................................................................................................................31 DatabaseDesign...............................................................................................................................................31 Analysis............................................................................................................................................................32 EndProducts....................................................................................................................................................33 SurveyResults......................................................................................................................................................34 Statistics...........................................................................................................................................................34 IllustratedbyHistoricContext.........................................................................................................................35 Chapter3:Recommendations.................................................................................................................................51 ExistingIndividuallyListedNationalRegisterPropertyRecommendations........................................................51 ExistingHistoricDistrictRecommendations........................................................................................................54 PotentialIndividuallyListedPropertyRecommendations...................................................................................55 PotentialHistoricDistrictRecommendations......................................................................................................62 PreservationPlanningandEconomicDevelopmentRecommendations............................................................62 AdoptPreservationGuidelines........................................................................................................................62 CreateaCLG.....................................................................................................................................................63 EnhanceHeritageTourism...............................................................................................................................63 Chapter4:TheNebraskaStateHistoricPreservationOffice...................................................................................65 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................................65 NebraskaHistoricBuildingSurvey.......................................................................................................................65 NationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces.....................................................................................................................66 CertifiedLocalGovernments...............................................................................................................................67 PreservationTaxIncentives.................................................................................................................................68 ValuationIncentiveProgram...............................................................................................................................68 FederalProjectReview........................................................................................................................................69 PublicOutreachandEducation............................................................................................................................70 NebraskaStateHistoricPreservationOfficeContacts.........................................................................................71 StateofNebraskaHistoricPreservationBoardMembers...................................................................................72 Bibliography.............................................................................................................................................................73 AppendixA:InventoryofActiveSurveyedProperties.............................................................................................75 AppendixB:AdditionalResources...........................................................................................................................95 ExecutiveSummary Executive Summary Project Background The Nebraska State Historical Society awarded the contract for the 2009-2010 reconnaissance survey to Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture P.C. The project included four work items: A map and list of contributing and non-contributing properties in the Tecumseh Historic District, as well as reconnaissance level surveys and resurveys of Johnson County, Nebraska City and Beatrice, Nebraska. These areas were some of the first surveyed when the Nebraska Historic Building Survey (NeHBS) program was started in 1974. Nebraska City was previously surveyed in 1974 and 1987. A total of 928 properties were included in the inventory at the start of this project. The city has since grown and now encompasses 4.4 square miles and 64 miles of public roadway. Within this report, surveyed buildings are cross referenced with their inventory numbers within the text. These numbers begin with an abbreviation for the county and a two-digit number for the city. In this case, all numbers begin with OT06. Nebraska City is further subdivided into seven areas labeled A-G. (See map of areas Chapter 2.) The last three numbers refer to the specific resource. For example, the NeHBS inventory number for Greggsport Public School is OT06:G-015. Acknowledgements We are grateful