NPSForm10-900-b (June, 1991) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form This form is used for documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instructions in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Complete each item by entering the requested information. For additional space, use continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to complete all items. New Submission . Amended Submission A, Name of Multiple Property Listing PWA-Era County Courthouses of Iowa B. Associated Historic Contexts (Name each associated historic context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for each) PWA-Era County Courthouses of Iowa, 1934 -1941 C. Form Prepared bv____ name/title Marlvs A. Svendsen organization Svendsen Tvler. Inc. Date January 2003 street & number N3834 Deep Lake Road telephone (715)469-3300 city or town Sarona state Wisconsin zip code 54870 D. Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this o«ov««*tatlo« torn * (/ Ib* AttHoMl R*f liter 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 i*o,«lm»o«l//*t forth ! S6 Oft fort 60 «*4 th* J*o(*taif of Ib* Inferior'/ ft«*tfoitf/ ««d feMoli**/ for ifohooloff a«dl NUtorfo f*Nw*nialio«. ([J see continuation sheet for additional comments). ix~^ /-) ^ ' /n r\ r, ft£ef>4. J^fee d^/^> 2003 Signature and title of certifying official ' Date ______STATF HIRTOHiCAL SOCIETY QF IOWA_______________ State or Federal agency and bureau I hereby certify that this.multiple property docuf ation form has been approved by the National Register as a basis for evaluating rented/properties fqr/fisjii/ig in th^lational Re United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Continuation Sheet Section Number Table of Contents Page . PWA-Era County Courthouses of Iowa. 1934-1941____ Iowa Name of Multiple Property Listing State Table of Contents for Written Narrative Provide the following information on continuation sheets. Cite the letter and the title before each section of the narrative. Assign page numbers according to the instructions for continuation sheets in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Fill in page numbers for each section in the space below. Page Numbers E. Statement of Historic Contexts ............................................................................................................................1 (If more than one historic context is documented, present them in sequential order.) i. Introduction................................................................................_^ ii. Description and Overview of PWA-Era Courthouses in Iowa..............................................................................2 iii. The New Deal Era and the Public Works Administration at the National Level...................................................4 iv. The PWA at Work in Iowa: County Courthouse Building (1934-1941)................................................................8 v. PWA Moderne ..................................................................................................................................................26 vi. Internal Organization of the PWA-Era Courthouse in Iowa ..............................................................................28 vii. PWA Architects in Iowa ...................................................................................................................................32 F. Associated Property Types.................................................................................................................................41 (Provide description, significance, and registration requirements.) i. PropertyType.....................................................................................................................................................^ ii. Descn^tion...................................................................................._^ iii. Significance........................................................................................................................................................42 iv. Registration Requirements........................................ v. Individually Eligible Properties...........................................................................................................................48 G. Geographical Data ...............................................................................................................................................50 H. Summary of Identification and Evaluation Methods ........................................................................................50 (Discuss the methods used in developing the multiple property listing.) I. Major Bibliographical References......................................................................................................................53 (List major written works and primary location of additional documentation: State Historic Preservation Office, other State agency, Federal agency, local government, university, or other, specifying repository.) Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for fisting, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.). Estimated Burden Statement Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Projects (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Section Number E Page 1 ____PWA-Era County Courthouses of Iowa. 1934-1941 Iowa Name of Multiple Property Listing State E. Statement of Historic Contexts /. Introduction In 1980 the State Historical Society of Iowa completed a thematic resource nomination for 52 county courthouses in Iowa, built between c. 1850 and 1930. Of this group, 21 courthouses had already been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. According to that nomination, this group included buildings representing architectural styles ranging from Greek Revival to Art Deco/Moderne with most examples from the Romanesque Revival, Neoclassical Revival, and Beau Arts. These buildings were widely distributed across Iowa's 99 counties. In the summer of 2001 the State Historical Society of Iowa retained a consultant to survey and evaluate eleven courthouses built between 1934 and 1952 to determine their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. Marlys Svendsen with Svendsen Tyler, Inc. of Sarona, Wisconsin was hired to complete the survey, prepare an amendment to the previous multiple property nomination or complete a new multiple property documentation form based on a historic context appropriate to the properties surveyed and determined eligible. Individual nominations would then be prepared for eligible courthouses. Photographer Bruce Meyer of Sioux City, Iowa would complete photographic documentation. During the course of the survey, the decision was made to limit the courthouse cover document to those buildings built with federal funding assistance during the New Deal period and one building for which funding was applied but no assistance received. This included ten courthouses built between 1934 and 1941 scattered across Iowa. Historical documentation was also collected for the courthouse erected in Creston in Union County that was erected in 1952, but it was excluded from National Register consideration due to integrity issues and the lack of an historical link with the other ten courthouses. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Continuation Sheet Section Number Page PWA-Era County Courthouses of Iowa. 1934-1941 Iowa Name of Multiple Property Listing State The map below shows the eleven counties containing courthouses that were documented and evaluated for the courthouse study. Figure 1: Map of Iowa showing eleven counties with courthouses evaluated for National Register eligibility (^Dakota CHy ii. Description and Overview PWA-Era Courthouses in Iowa Ten courthouses were built in Iowa between 1934 and 1941, nine receiving grants to support their construction from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, more commonly referred to as the Public Works Administration (PWA). These courthouses were distributed across the state United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Continuation Sheet Section Number E Page 3 ____PWA-Era County Courthouses of Iowa. 1934-1941 Iowa Name of Multiple