The Public Square Historic District in

Sigourney, Iowa Sigourney ( ) is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,004 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Keokuk County, Iowa, Keokuk County. Keokuk County Court ...

, United States is a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

that was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1999. The listing included 41

contributing buildings In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

, a

contributing structure In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

, and two

contributing objects In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

. The district includes work by architects Wetherell & Gage. The district largely includes commercial buildings that surround the 1911

Keokuk County Courthouse The Keokuk County Courthouse located in Sigourney, Iowa, United States, was built in 1911. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. In 1999 it was ...

, which is separately listed on the National Register. For the most part the buildings are one or two-story brick structures. Two of the building are three stories. Initially, the buildings built around the square were all wood-frame construction. After the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

brick buildings began to replace them, with 1876 being a prominent year for new construction. The change from wood to brick structures continued into the 20th century. There are also two other civic buildings in the district, Memorial Hall (1923; Sigourney City Hall and auditorium), and the post office (1938). Both of these buildings are located just off of the square proper. The contributing structure is a bandstand, and contributing objects are a fountain, and a Civil War Monument. All three are located on the courthouse grounds.

References

External links

National Register of Historic Places in Keokuk County, Iowa Italianate architecture in Iowa Romanesque Revival architecture in Iowa Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa Sigourney, Iowa {{KeokukCountyIA-NRHP-stub