7.3. HRSR 02-01-2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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November 19, 2012 -Part I, page 33 - Historic Context The study area encompasses the 432-acre core of the City of Elk River. This core includes many of the first generation homes and first platted neighborhoods in the City. In addition, it is the Mississippi River and the railroad, both located in the study area, which largely defines the historic development pattern of the City. In 2002 the HRA and HPC commissioned an independent study of properties within the core downtown area, in response to concerns raised by the Heritage Preservation Commission regarding the then proposed Bluffs and Jackson Place developments. It was conducted by Carole Zellie of Landscape Research. Part I of the study outlined six Elk River Historic Contexts for which to provide a framework with which to evaluate the historic, architectural, and landscape architectural significance of inventoried properties. The Elk River historic contexts identified in the study are: 1) Landscape Setting, 1848-1950 2) Agriculture, 1850-1950 3) Transportation, 1848-1950 4) Industry and Commerce, 1851-1950 5) Residential Architecture, 1851-1920 6) Schools, Churches, and Local Institutions, 1857-1920 Part II of the Historic Context Study included an inventory of 23 properties in the Elk River downtown commercial area. The study assisted in determining the significance of historic resources in downtown Elk River and assessed their potential National Register of Historic Places eligibility. The study concluded that none of the 23 properties appeared to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. However, 5 buildings on the west side of Jackson Ave were recommended for further preservation study as having significance as part of early twentieth-century downtown Elk River and retaining varying amounts of their historic facades. These buildings are commonly referred to as the “Brick and S. Main Blocks”. Jackson Avenue – Brick Block “Then and Now”