Survey results presented to Sidney Historic Preservation Board

An intensive survey researching the architectural history of more than 170 buildings located within the original town plat of Sidney was presented to the Historic Preservation Board on Tuesday during its monthly meeting.

In the results, nearly 90 buildings were identified as possible local landmarks, and more than 30 buildings, as well as one district, were identified as potentially eligible for the National Register.

The survey began in December last year and covers 175 commercial, governmental and non-residential buildings constructed prior to 1980 within Sidney's original town plat, from Elm Street, on the north, to King Street, on the south. It also goes from 14th Avenue, on the west, to 7th Avenue, on the east.

It was funded through a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant from the Nebraska State Historical Society, and was contracted to Front Range Research Associates out of Denver.

Expanding on a 1994 survey of the area, which was primarily for reconnaissance and focused on commercial properties, the new survey provides historical background, architectural details and current photographs for each building included.

At the meeting, the results were presented by Thomas Simmons, architectural historian with Front Range Research Associates, and Mary Therese Anstey, principal consultant with History Matters, LLC.

Also present for the meeting was Ruben Acosta, National Register and CLG coordinator with the Nebraska State Historical Society.

Simmons began the presentation with an overview of the project, which he said he found to be "very enjoyable."

"I really enjoyed learning about the buildings and history of Sidney," he said. "It's been a little challenging in terms of research versus tracking down some of the information on the buildings, but I think we've put quite a bit together."

Simmons said while nearly 200 buildings were located within the boundaries of the original town plat, only 175 were surveyed as that was the stipulated limit. As such, he said they prioritized buildings within the Sidney Historic Business District, followed by other buildings included in the 1994 survey, then commercial properties, and finally any older buildings that they could fit into the total limit.

Simmons said the buildings not surveyed were "pretty much the very most recent stuff."

"I think that all of the historic buildings were well accounted for in the area," he said.

Simmons said more than 900 photos and other images were collected of the buildings, all of which are included in the full survey results.

"Usually, there's between three to eight pictures for each building," he said. "We tried to get as many views of the building, and any interesting details as well."

In looking at the buildings by the era they were constructed, Simmons said there were very few still existing that predate 1900.

"It doesn't look like a lot happened in the 1890's, or the buildings that were there were later torn down or burned," he said.

Simmons said peaks in construction occurred in the 1910's, where 48 buildings were identified, and the 1920's, when 35 new structures went up within the original plat.

"Basically, the time of the creation of the Lincoln Highway, a lot of gas stations and filling stations, and in the 1920's, the growth in agriculture," he said. "A lot of the implement buildings were created then."

The presentation also covered buildings listed in the National Register, which includes nearly 70 structures in the Sidney Historic Business District as well as one individual building, the Sidney Carnegie Library (1914).

Simmons said an interesting discovery was made in the survey as a potential new National Register district was identified on north side of the railroad tracks.

"What we noticed was, as we were doing the histories of the buildings, we kept seeing agricultural implement dealerships repeatedly in this area, as well as some other industrial warehouse-type functions," he said.

Dubbed the "Sidney Warehouse District," the district included a group of 19 structures, many of which were agriculture implement dealerships, located from Grant St. to just past Forest St., and from 10th Ave. to 12 Ave.

Buildings within the potential district include the Sidney Lumber Yard/Thomas Lumber Co. (circa 1913), Campbell Implement/J.I. Case (circa 1920), Minneapolis Moline/Foland Farm Machinery (1929), Larson Machinery (circa 1930) and Sidney Steam Laundry (1916).

Of the 19 contributing structures contained within the potential district, Simmons said 95 percent of them range from early 1900's to mid-1950's.

"There's enough of a nucleus here to constitute a National Registry district," he said.

Acosta said he was "in total agreement" with the district being potentially eligible for the National Register.

"I'd need to learn more about it, but from the outside, it looks like we could pull it off," he said.

Acosta said a structure's "exterior integrity," the ability for the outside of the building to tell its story, is a big component to being considered for the National Register.

"This is a really an interesting story," Acosta said. "Because as far as I know, in looking through my National Register nominations, we don't have an historic district in Nebraska that's specifically tailored towards the industry that supports agriculture."

Anstey then took over from Simmons, covering individual buildings outside of the existing district that could potentially be eligible for the National Register. In total, 32 buildings were evaluated as eligible.

Included in the results were several buildings on Illinois St. such as the U.S. Post Office (1933), the Collins Sinclair Station (circa 1965), and the Sidney Tractor and Machine Company (circa 1928). While not a building, the 13th Ave. Underpass (1956) was also identified as potentially eligible.

Residential structures that are potentially eligible included the Shoemaker House on King St. (circa 1916-17), the Mueller/Harms House on Forrest St. (circa 1918) and the Dedrick House on 7th Ave. (1926).

In local landmarks, Anstey said 86 buildings were evaluated as eligible, including the John Deere Plow Co. (1929), First Christian Church (1927), the C.D. Mercy Essig Building (1887) and the Kokjer Motor Co. (1929).

"Which is quite a few," Anstey said.

Simmons concluded the presentation with several recommendations for the board, including to continue the historic buildings survey of Sidney, encourage donation and retention of historic research materials, retain and make the survey products available, and nominate the properties eligible or listing in the National Register or as Sidney local landmarks.

He also recommended the board to consider expanding the downtown historical district to recognize contributing buildings now 50 years of age, and include the courthouse and the U.S. Post Office, which Acosta said he encouraged as well.

"I really want to do the 1960's courthouses across the state," he said.

The information collected in the survey will be recorded and sent to the Nebraska State Historical Society's historic preservation office in Lincoln where it will be kept on file. Physical and digital copies of the survey forms will also be provided to the City of Sidney.

For more information on the survey, contact Tina Hochwender at (308) 254-8455 or by email at [email protected], or Tom Simmons with Front Range Research Associates at (303) 477-7597 or by email at [email protected].