The National Park Service announces that the Collegiate Neighborhood Historic District is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as nominated on June 9, 2017.

The Collegiate Neighborhood Historic District spans from Main Street to W. 1st Street; Independence Street to Union Street; and the West side of W. 1st Street to Liberty Street. This section spans approximately six blocks near the heart of Pella.

Pella is the only city listed for not only Marion County, but also throughout the state of Iowa. The Collegiate Neighborhood Historic District made the list of 22 other districts throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

As printed in a Historic Pella Trust’s newsletter:

“The neighborhood, part of Pella’s original plat laid out in 1848 for Dominie Henry P. Scholte, contains about 70
single-family dwellings, garages, and brick streets—most dating from the mid-19th to the mid-20th centuries and
contributing as National Register resources. The Collegiate Neighborhood Historic District possesses a locally significant collection of architectural designs with Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman styles predominating. The incidence of buildings of such fashionable quality is noticeably higher than in many surrounding neighborhoods of comparable age, where folk vernacular dwellings are more in evidence. The level of integrity within the

“Collegiate Neighborhood Historic District is high and with few intrusions. Properties have been well maintained, and residents obviously take pride in them. Historian Will Page did extensive historic research on each home in the neighborhood. The process to become a designated historic neighborhood requires an exhaustive write up on each home in the area and its historical significance, which in this case is based upon the architectural significance of the homes. The write-up is then submitted to the State Historic Preservation office for review.

These reviews are conducted twice a year. After making recommended changes by review board, the write-up is
resubmitted and eventually presented orally. The review is now in its final stages of approval. With its approval, homeowners have a unique and substantial financial incentive to maintain the historic quality of their homes. If a homeowner conducts renovations that follow the Department of Interior Standards, they can recoup up to 45{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} of the costs of renovation. The financial aid acts as an incentive to encourage quality restorations.”

Check out the full list with the National Register of Historic Places Program.