Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District

Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District
One of the buildings on Main Street in the district
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District is located in Blackford County, Indiana
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District is located in Indiana
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District is located in the United States
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District
LocationRoughly bounded by Franklin, Walnut, Water and Monroe Sts., Hartford City, Indiana  United States
Coordinates40°27′5″N 85°22′5″W / 40.45139°N 85.36806°W / 40.45139; -85.36806
Area19 acres (7.7 ha)
ArchitectArthur LaBelle;
Burt French;
P.J. Loney;
others
Architectural styleItalianate, Romanesque Revival, Renaissance Revival, Queen Anne, Art Deco
NRHP reference No.06000522[1]
Added to NRHPJune 21, 2006

The Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District is located in Hartford City, Indiana. Hartford City has a population of about 7,000 and is the county seat of Blackford County and the site of the county courthouse. The National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior added the Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 2006—meaning the buildings and objects that contribute to the continuity of the district are worthy of preservation because of their historical and architectural significance.[2][3] The District has over 60 resources, including over 40 contributing buildings, over 10 non-contributing buildings, one contributing object (a World War I statue), eight non-contributing objects, and two other buildings that are listed separately in the National Register.[4]

Much of the District's significance relates to the discovery of natural gas in the east central region of Indiana.[5] The discovery led to a regional economic boom known as the Indiana Gas Boom. Beginning in the late 1880s and lasting for about 15 years, the Gas Boom changed the economy and the appearance of the region.[6] The Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District is situated in what was the center of Hartford City in the 19th and 20th centuries, and most of the buildings within the District were constructed during the Gas Boom era. The buildings within the District were built in several architectural styles, including Commercial Italianate, Romanesque Revival, Renaissance Revival, and others. Many of the buildings' exteriors have not been changed from their original appearance.[7]

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ National Register of Historic Places List of Actions Taken on Properties 6/19/06 through 6/23/06 web page. Archived May 31, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ The National Register of Historic Places web site Archived November 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine has a list of criteria for evaluation.
  4. ^ Hamilton, section 5. Although Hamilton describes exact counts for properties, those counts do not agree with Hamilton's map on page 25 of the Registration Form.
  5. ^ Hamilton, section 8, pages 12–13.
  6. ^ Glass, page 97.
  7. ^ Hamilton, section 7, pages 1–2.