Nevada City Downtown Historic District

	Nevada City Downtown Historic District
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	U.S. Historic district
	Broad Street through the district in 2012
	Location within California
Location	Nevada City, California
Area	16 acres (6.5 ha)
Built	1856–1917, 1937
Architect	Multiple
NRHP reference No.	85002520
Added to NRHP	September 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]^[3]

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		Right: 218 Broad Center: 220 Broad Left: 222 Broad	218 Broad St.	Commercial, residential^[4]			1864
Family Barber Shop			220 Broad St.				1864
Mine Shaft			222 Broad St.				1864
M'Lady's		Far left: 227 Broad Left: 231 Broad Center/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^[5]		233 Broad St.	Hospitality	Italian Renaissance Revival		1856
Kidd, Knox Building	Brown and Morgan Block, Durbrow Building, Freeman Building, Baker-Tintle Building^[6]		228 – 236 Broad St.	Office, commercial^[6]	Brick masonry		1856
Union Building	Independent Building^[7]		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
Hartung Building			308 and 308 ½ Broad St.				1864
Prospector's Furniture		Far left: 303 Broad Left: 305 Broad Right: 307 Broad Far right: 309 Broad	303 Broad St.				1856
Novaks			305 Broad St.				pre-1869
Apple Faire			307 Broad St.	Office^[4]			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		Right: 310 Broad Left: 312 Broad	312 – 312 ½ Broad St.			Oscar Brown	1913
Antique Emporium		Left: 313 Broad Right: 315 Broad	313 Broad St.				c. 1879
McGee's		Left: 313 Broad Right: 315 Broad	315 Broad St.	Food service, residential			c. 1880
City Hall			317 Broad St.	Government	Art Moderne	George C. Sellon	1937
Posh–Nosh	Nugget Building^[4]		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^[8]		401 Broad St.	Theater		George Pierce (builder)	1865	CHL #863, NRHP #73000417^[8]
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^[9]		420 Broad St.	Fire station	Classical Revival^[9]	Kent and Mackay	1861	NRHP #74000544^[9]
Love Your Feet			228 Commercial St.				pre-1885
Chief Crazy Horse			230 Commercial St.				c. 1863
Sitting Bull Leather			232 Commercial St.	Commercial, residential^[4]			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^[4]	Right: 312 Comm. Left: 316 Comm.	312 Commercial St.	Commercial, residential			1884
Sierra Mountain Coffees		Right: 312 Comm. Left: 316 Comm.	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^[10]	Right: 30 Main Left: 132 Main	132 Main St.	Commercial then office^[11]			1855	CHL #832^[12]
Westamerica Bank			206 – 208 Main St.	Commercial, residential			c. 1864
Shaw's Antiques			210 Main St.				pre-1870
Firehouse Museum	Nevada City Firehouse No. 1^[13]	Right: 214 Main Left: 216 Main	214 Main St.	Fire station	Eastlake movement		1861
Antiques		Right: 214 Main Left: 216 Main	216 Main St.	Commercial			c. 1861
Michael's Garden Restaurant		Right: 216 Main Left: 220 Main	216 Main St.	Food service	Victorian		1870/1890
Mackay's Reality, et al.		Right: 216 Main Left: 220 Main	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^[14]		300 Main St.	Religious	Gothic		1857
Waggoner House			308 Main St.	Residential			1874
Nevada City Baptist Church	Powell House^[15]		203 S. Pine St.	Religious then residential^[15]			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,^[16] Doris Foley Library^[17]		231 N. Pine St.	Library	Romanesque^[16]	William H. Weeks^[16]	1904^[2] or 1907^[16]	NRHP #90001809^[16]
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^[12]
Searls Historical Library	Searls Law Office^[18]		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.^[4] Even more buildings were listed by Nevada County in 1975.^[18] These buildings include:

Additional properties recognized by Nevada City and County

Listed Name	Address	Type	Style	Year built	Additional information
Methodist Church	433 Broad St.	Religious
Trinity Episcopal Church	226 Nevada St.	Religious		1873^[19]
Emil Ott House		Residential		1890s
E. E. Berggron House		Residential
Englebright House		Residential		Between 1856 and 1860	CPHI #P326^[20]
Searls House		Residential
Rector House	316 Nevada St.	Residential	Victorian	1888
Nafziger House		Residential
Martin Luther Marsh House	254 Boulder St.	Residential	Georgian^[21]	1873	CPHI #P241^[20] NRHP #73000415^[21]
Red Castle	109 Prospect St.	Residential	Carpenter Gothic	1862	CPHI #P191^[20]
William Morris Stewart House	416 Zion St.	Residential		1855	CPHI #P272^[20]
Aaron A. Sargent House	449 Broad St.	Residential	Italianate^[22]	prior to 1856^[22]	CPHI #P305^[20] NRHP #80000825^[22]
Aaron Baruh House	516 Main St.	Residential		1852	CPHI #P382^[20]
Mr and Mrs W. Lon Cooper Residence		Residential		pre-1855, possible 1853
Plaza Grocery	101 Broad St.	Commercial		1882	CPHI #P325^[20]

Additional sites

Additional sites mentioned by the city, county, or NRHP include:^[2]^[4]^[18]

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

References

↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
1 2 3 4 "Nevada City Downtown Historic District". National Park Service. September 23, 1985. and accompanying photos
↑ "Nevada City California". Western Mining History. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Ordinance No. 338". City of Nevada City. August 12, 1968.
↑ E Clampus Vitus (October 7, 1989). "The Flagg Bldg". City of Nevada City – via hmdb.org.
1 2 "40 years in a landmark's life". The Union. October 26, 2002.
↑ "The Independent building, Nevada City". California Revealed. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
1 2 "Nevada Theatre". National Park Service. March 5, 1973.
1 2 3 Lewis, Mrs. Leland S. (September 1973). "Nevada City Firehouse #2". National Park Service. Retrieved March 2, 2015. Accompanied by a photograph.
↑ "Ott's Assay Office & The South Yuba Canal Building". malakoff.com. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
↑ "California Landmark 832". noehill.com. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
1 2 "California Historical Landmarks By County". State of California. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
↑ "Firehouse No. 1 Museum". Nevada County Historical Society. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
↑ Native Daughters of the Golden West (April 13, 1987). "Old Brick Gothic Building". City of Nevada City – via hmdb.org.
1 2 "Powell Home". City of Nevada City. October 5, 1985 – via The Powell House.
1 2 3 4 5 "Nevada City Free Public Library". National Park Service. December 12, 1990.
↑ "Doris Foley Library for Historical Research". carnegie-libraries.org. 2009.
1 2 3 "Historical Landmarks in Nevada City". Nevada County, California. 1975.
↑ "Trinity Episcopal Church". City of Nevada City. November 4, 1973 – via hmdb.org.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "California Historical Resources". State of California. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
1 2 "California SP Marsh, Martin Luther, House". National Park Service. April 11, 1973.
1 2 3 "California SP Sargent, Aaron A., House". National Park Service. June 20, 1980.

[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

[nrhpdoc-2] 1 2 3 4 "Nevada City Downtown Historic District". National Park Service. September 23, 1985. and accompanying photos

[3] "Nevada City California". Western Mining History. Retrieved August 25, 2025.

[ord338-4] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Ordinance No. 338". City of Nevada City. August 12, 1968.

[5] E Clampus Vitus (October 7, 1989). "The Flagg Bldg". City of Nevada City – via hmdb.org.

[kiddknox-6] 1 2 "40 years in a landmark's life". The Union. October 26, 2002.

[7] "The Independent building, Nevada City". California Revealed. Retrieved August 5, 2025.

[nev_th-8] 1 2 "Nevada Theatre". National Park Service. March 5, 1973.

[firehouse_no2-9] 1 2 3 Lewis, Mrs. Leland S. (September 1973). "Nevada City Firehouse #2". National Park Service. Retrieved March 2, 2015. Accompanied by a photograph.

[10] "Ott's Assay Office & The South Yuba Canal Building". malakoff.com. Retrieved May 28, 2010.

[11] "California Landmark 832". noehill.com. Retrieved May 28, 2010.

[chl_list-12] 1 2 "California Historical Landmarks By County". State of California. Retrieved April 3, 2019.

[13] "Firehouse No. 1 Museum". Nevada County Historical Society. Retrieved August 5, 2025.

[14] Native Daughters of the Golden West (April 13, 1987). "Old Brick Gothic Building". City of Nevada City – via hmdb.org.

[powellhouse-15] 1 2 "Powell Home". City of Nevada City. October 5, 1985 – via The Powell House.

[libnrhp-16] 1 2 3 4 5 "Nevada City Free Public Library". National Park Service. December 12, 1990.

[17] "Doris Foley Library for Historical Research". carnegie-libraries.org. 2009.

[addtlbldgs-18] 1 2 3 "Historical Landmarks in Nevada City". Nevada County, California. 1975.

[19] "Trinity Episcopal Church". City of Nevada City. November 4, 1973 – via hmdb.org.

[cphi-20] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "California Historical Resources". State of California. Retrieved August 10, 2025.

[mlmh-21] 1 2 "California SP Marsh, Martin Luther, House". National Park Service. April 11, 1973.

[aash-22] 1 2 3 "California SP Sargent, Aaron A., House". National Park Service. June 20, 1980.

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Nevada City Downtown Historic District
Contributing properties	American Victorian Museum Chamber of Commerce (South Yuba Canal Building) City Hall Firehouse Museum Kidd, Knox Building National Hotel Nevada City Baptist Church Nevada City Public Library Nevada County Courthouse Nevada Theater Pennsylvania Engine Co. No. 2
Featured architects	George C. Sellon William H. Weeks
Other individuals	Eugene J. de Sabla Henry Durant Charles Marsh Emma Nevada Lester Allan Pelton
Related topics	California gold rush Historic districts in the United States History of California before 1900 National Register of Historic Places

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