7.1. SR 07-29-2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Study Objectives The Phase II historic resources inventory conducted between January and April 2002 focused on 23 downtown properties located within a four-block area. The study area was bounded roughly by Highway 10 at the north, Main Street at the south, King Street at the east, and Jackson Street at the west. (See Study Area Map, page 51.) The study boundary was determined by the City of Elk River and is consistent with the area being considered for future downtown redevelopment. The study was conducted to determine if any properties are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Downtown redevelopment is planned for this area, but plans have not been completed, so no exact area of potential effect can be determined. A companion study "Industry and Commerce, 1851-1950," was prepared as part of a city-wide historic contexts report. (See Part One, pages 25-36, of this report.) The National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) was established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. It is the official federal listing of the nation's cultural resources deemed worthy of preservation. The National Park Service maintains the list that includes properties of local and state significance as well as those of national significance. If any federally-funded new development, road construction, or other activities are planned that might have an effect on National Register listed or eligible properties, the project receives careful review at the state and federal level to assess the impact and plan mitigation if necessary. With the Commerce and Industry historic context, the Phase II study can contribute to planning for downtown revitalization and also assist the Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission in determining local designations, including a potential downtown historic district along one block of Jackson Street (304-323 Jackson). A property listed on the National Register must meet at least one of four criteria. Under the first criterion, a property may be registered if it is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of national, state, or local history. Under the second, a property may be registered if it is associated with the lives of persons important in the past. The third criterion addresses architectural significance, and the fourth addresses archaeological significance. In addition, listed properties must be at least fifty years old, should not have been significantly altered, and should have not been moved. National Register nominations must receive approval from the State Historic Preservation Review Board, the State Historic Preservation Officer, and the National Park Service. Methods Property records were supplied by the City of Elk River and the Sherburne County Historical Society (SCHS). Of 26 properties currently listed on the State Historic Preservation Office database, none are downtown properties. Some information has been compiled by the SCHS, but there are no building permits or nineteenth- or early twentieth-century directories for Elk River, and little information about previous building uses. Historic photos were useful in determining some early business uses and tenants or owners. Fieldwork included preparation of exterior descriptions and photographs for each property. Summary of Findings None of the 23 properties appear to be NRHP- eligible. However, the five buildings on the west side of Jackson Street (304-323 Jackson) are recommended for further preservation study. In particular, 313 Jackson Street retains a good deal of historic character, especially at the upper story. The Jackson Street buildings are locally significant as the core of early twentieth-century downtown Elk River, and retain varying amounts of their historic facades. With its flat roof, Elk River Historic Contexts and Phase II Downtown Commercial Area Study 50