Lincoln Courthouse Square Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Lincoln Public Library
Why it's listed
Lincoln's central business district, about ten square blocks around the Logan County Courthouse square, forms a historic district of 112 buildings. The town was laid out in 1853 parallel to the railroad, and commerce grew in two clusters: one near the tracks and one facing the courthouse. Ten fires between 1870 and 1878 destroyed most early buildings, so the district mainly reflects the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Two and three story brick commercial buildings dominate, 45 of them Italianate with bracketed cornices and decorative hoodmolds. Other styles include Queen Anne duplexes, Mission, Romanesque Revival and Art Deco. The domed neo-classical courthouse of 1903 is the most prominent building. Historically, the area is tied to Abraham Lincoln, who advised the town founders and owned property on the square, and to the Scully family, large farmland owners and early supporters of soil conservation. Storefronts have often been altered, but upper floors and many cornices survive.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant in architecture, history, commerce and politics/government. It has ties to Abraham Lincoln, for whom the town was named, and to the Scully family of farmland owners. It developed around two nodes, the railroad and the courthouse square, and retains a large share of its late 19th and early 20th century buildings despite fires in the 1870s.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85003166, listed December 24, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Sangamon, Pekin, Chicago, Delaware, Broadway, and Pulaski Sts., Lincoln |
|---|---|
| County | Logan County |
| Listed | December 24, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003166 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1865-1932 |
| Architectural style | Italianate Commercial predominates (45 of 112 buildings), with Queen Anne, neo-classical, Mission, Romanesque Revival, Art Deco and English Tudor Revival examples. |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings are in fairly sound condition, apart from some second-floor space and a few of the oldest vacant buildings. Many storefronts have been altered, while upper levels are more intact. Of the 112 buildings, 91 are contributing (33 of them significant) and 21 are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 27 |
| Coordinates | 40.14690, -89.36312 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85003166.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6550640
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.