Nevada City Downtown Historic District

Nevada City Downtown Historic District
Broad Street through the district in 2012
Nevada City Downtown Historic District is located in California
Nevada City Downtown Historic District
Location of district in California
LocationNevada City, California
Area16 acres (6.5 ha)
Built1856–1917, 1937
ArchitectMultiple
NRHP reference No.85002520[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 23, 1985

The Nevada City Downtown Historic District is a 16-acre (6.5 ha) historic district in Nevada City within the U.S. state of California. Located in Nevada County, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The period of significance is 1856–1917. The historic district covers the downtown section roughly bounded by Spring, Bridge, Commercial, York, Washington, Coyote, and Main Streets. It includes 70 contributing buildings, several of which have been separately listed on the National Register and as California Historical Landmarks.[2]

NRHP contributing properties

The following buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places as contributing properties in the Nevada City Downtown Historic District:[2]

National Register of Historic Places contributing properties
Listed Name Alternate Name Image Address Type Style Architect Year Built Additional Information
National Hotel National Exchange Hotel, Bicknell Block 211 Broad St. Hospitality Brick masonry 1856 CHL #899,
NRHP #73000416
Alpha Hardware 210 Broad St. Commercial 1917
Dickerman's Drugs 219 Broad St. Commercial Vernacular 1856
Citizen's Pizza (Citizen's Bank Building) 221 Broad St. Commercial Classical pre-1859
I.O.O.F. Hall 225 Broad St. Fraternal hall William Bettis 1873
Lowell's Jewelry
3rd left: 218 Broad
2nd left: 220 Broad
Far left: 222 Broad
218 Broad St. Commercial, residential[3] 1864
Family Barber Shop 220 Broad St. 1864
Mine Shaft 222 Broad St. 1864
M'Lady's
3rd right: 227 Broad
2nd right: 231 Broad
Far right: 233 Broad
227 Broad St. 1868
Fur Trader #2 231 Broad St. Italian Renaissance Revival, Victorian 1865
Eddy's (Schrieber's Corner) Flagg Building[4] 233 Broad St. Hospitality Italian Renaissance Revival 1856
Kidd, Knox Building Brown and Morgan Block, Durbrow Building, Freeman Building, Baker-Tintle Building[5] 228 – 236 Broad St. Office, commercial[5] Brick masonry 1856
Union Building Independent Building[6] 301 Broad St. Mr. Burlington (1854),
C. E. Wilson (1904)
1854, 1904
Hartung Building 306 Broad St. 1864 These addresses are listed separately even though they are the same building
308 and 308 ½ Broad St.
Prospector's Furniture
Far left: 303 Broad
Left: 305 Broad
Center: 307 Broad
Right: 309 Broad
303 Broad St. 1856
Novaks 305 Broad St. pre-1869
Apple Faire 307 Broad St. Office[3] 1895
Cirino's 309 Broad St. c. 1890
Utopian Stone
Right: 310 Broad
Left: 312 Broad
310 – 310 ½ Broad St. Commercial, office Victorian remodel c. 1900 1863
Merril's Real Estate 312 – 312 ½ Broad St. Oscar Brown 1913
Antique Emporium
Left: 313 Broad
Right: 315 Broad
313 Broad St. c. 1879
McGee's 315 Broad St. Food service, residential c. 1880
City Hall 317 Broad St. Government Art Moderne George C. Sellon 1937
Posh–Nosh Nugget Building[3]
left bldg.
318 Broad St. c. 1881
Selay's 320 Broad St. Vernacular c. 1880
New York Hotel 408 Broad St. Hospitality George M. Hughes (contractor) 1880
Nevada Theater The Cedar Theatre[7] 401 Broad St. Theater George Pierce (builder) 1865 CHL #863,
NRHP #73000417[7]
Darlene Crovley Residence
Right: 414 Broad
Center: 416 Broad
Left: 418 Broad
414 Broad St. Residential 1880
Nevada City Engineering Co. 416 Broad St. L. N. Nihell 1881
Antiques/American Art 418 Broad St. Commercial, residential L. N. Nihell 1881
Pennsylvania Engine Co. No. 2 Nevada City Firehouse No. 2[8] 420 Broad St. Fire station Classical Revival[8] Kent and Mackay 1861 NRHP #74000544[8]
Love Your Feet 228 Commercial St. pre-1885
Chief Crazy Horse 230 Commercial St. c. 1863
Sitting Bull Leather 232 Commercial St. Commercial, residential[3] c. 1863
Gray Goose 234 – 234 ½ Commercial St. c. 1863
Transcript Building 244 Commercial St. c. 1862
Osborn and Woods 244 Commercial St. c. 1863
Royal Gardens 300 Commercial St. 1861
Vacant Building
Far left: 309 Comm.
2nd left: 311 Comm.
2nd right: 313 Comm.
Far right: 315 Comm.
309 Commercial St. 1890s
Vacant Building 311 Commercial St. 1881
Vacant Building 313 Commercial St. 1881
Vacant Building 315 Commercial St. 1880
The Gallery Old Chinese Laundry[3]
Right: 312 Comm.
Left: 316 Comm.
312 Commercial St. Commercial, residential 1884
Sierra Mountain Coffees 316 Commercial St. 1896
Victorian Christmas (Ott Assay Office)
Right: 30 Main
Left: 132 Main
30 Main St. Commercial 1855 County Historical Registered Landmark #1
Chamber of Commerce (South Yuba Canal Building) Potter Building[9] 132 Main St. Commercial then office[10] 1855 CHL #832[11]
Westamerica Bank
Far right bldg.
206 – 208 Main St. Commercial, residential c. 1864
Shaw's Antiques 210 Main St. pre-1870
Firehouse Museum Nevada City Firehouse No. 1[12]
Right: 214 Main
Left: 216 Main
214 Main St. Fire station Eastlake movement 1861
Antiques 216 Main St. Commercial c. 1861
Michael's Garden Restaurant
Right: 216 Main
Center: 220 Main
216 Main St. Food service Victorian 1870/1890
Mackay's Reality, et al 220 Main St. Residential then hospitality then office pre-1880
Berliner Office Building 224 Main St. Residential then commercial then office 1890s
Hatfield Offices 230 Main St. Office, residential c. 1870
First Baptist Church Old Brick Gothic Building[13] 300 Main St. Religious Gothic 1857
Waggoner House 308 Main St. Residential 1874
Nevada City Baptist Church Powell House[14] 203 S. Pine St. Religious then residential[14] 1860
Mama Sue's Restaurant 108 S. Pine St. Food Service c. 1900
Elk's Club 109 ½ N. Pine St. J. H. Rogers c. 1900
Masonic Hall 108 ½ N. Pine St. Brown and Palmer 1864/1900
John L. Larue Building 205 – 207 N. Pine St. Residential 1881
Nevada City Public Library Carnegie Library,[15] Doris Foley Library[16] 231 N. Pine St. Library Romanesque[15] William H. Weeks[15] 1904[2] or 1907[15] NRHP #90001809[15]
Spring Street Cafe 315 Spring St. Food service 1884
Heidelberger's Law Office 317 Spring St. Office 1884
Vacant Residence 320 Spring St. Residential 1885
American Victorian Museum Miner's Foundry 325 Spring St. Industrial 1859–1900 CHL #1012[11]
Searls Historical Library Searls Law Office[17] 214 Church St. Office 1872
Nevada County Courthouse Courthouse Square Government Art Moderne George C. Sellon 1937
St. Canice's Catholic Church 317 Washington St. Religious Gothic 1864

Additional buildings

The city of Nevada City, when they designated their own historic district in 1968, included buildings not listed by the NRHP.[3] Even more buildings were listed by Nevada County in 1975.[17] These buildings include:

Additional properties recognized by Nevada City and County
Listed Name Alternate Name Image Address Type Style Architect Year Built Additional Information
Methodist Church 433 Broad St. Religious
Trinity Episcopal Church 226 Nevada St. Religious 1873[18]
Emil Ott House Residential 1890s
E. E. Berggron House Residential
Englebright House Residential Between 1856 and 1860 CPHI #P326[19]
Searls House Residential
Rector House 316 Nevada St. Residential Victorian 1888
Nafziger House Residential
Martin Luther Marsh House 254 Boulder St. Residential Georgian[20] 1873 CPHI #P241[19]
NRHP #73000415[20]
Red Castle 109 Prospect St. Residential Carpenter Gothic 1862 CPHI #P191[19]
William Morris Stewart House 416 Zion St. Residential 1855 CPHI #P272[19]
Aaron A. Sargent House 449 Broad St. Residential Italianate[21] prior to 1856[21] CPHI #P305[19]
NRHP #80000825[21]
Aaron Baruh House 516 Main St. Residential 1852 CPHI #P382[19]
Mr and Mrs W. Lon Cooper Residence Residential pre-1855, possible 1853
Plaza Grocery 101 Broad St. Commercial 1882 CPHI #P325[19]

Additional sites

Additional sites mentioned by the city, county, or NRHP include:[2][3][17]

  • Calanan Park, 210 Broad St.
  • Pioneer Cemetery, West Broad St.
  • Medicine Rock, East Broad St.
  • Ghidotti Gold Collection

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d "Nevada City Downtown Historic District". National Park Service. September 23, 1985. and accompanying photos
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Ordinance No. 338". City of Nevada City. August 12, 1968.
  4. ^ E Clampus Vitus (October 7, 1989). "The Flagg Bldg". City of Nevada City – via hmdb.org.
  5. ^ a b "40 years in a landmark's life". The Union. October 26, 2002.
  6. ^ "The Independent building, Nevada City". California Revealed. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Nevada Theatre". National Park Service. March 5, 1973.
  8. ^ a b c Lewis, Mrs. Leland S. (September 1973). "Nevada City Firehouse #2". National Park Service. Retrieved March 2, 2015. Accompanied by a photograph.
  9. ^ "Ott's Assay Office & The South Yuba Canal Building". malakoff.com. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  10. ^ "California Landmark 832". noehill.com. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  11. ^ a b "California Historical Landmarks By County". State of California. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  12. ^ "Firehouse No. 1 Museum". Nevada County Historical Society. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  13. ^ Native Daughters of the Golden West (April 13, 1987). "Old Brick Gothic Building". City of Nevada City – via hmdb.org.
  14. ^ a b "Powell Home". City of Nevada City. October 5, 1985 – via The Powell House.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Nevada City Free Public Library". National Park Service. December 12, 1990.
  16. ^ "Doris Foley Library for Historical Research". carnegie-libraries.org. 2009.
  17. ^ a b c "Historical Landmarks in Nevada City". Nevada County, California. 1975.
  18. ^ "Trinity Episcopal Church". City of Nevada City. November 4, 1973 – via hmdb.org.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g "California Historical Resources". State of California. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  20. ^ a b "California SP Marsh, Martin Luther, House". National Park Service. April 11, 1973.
  21. ^ a b c "California SP Sargent, Aaron A., House". National Park Service. June 20, 1980.