Middletown Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: See Also:Middletown Historic District
Why it's listed
This boundary extension brings the lower end of Alton's "Pagan Hill" into the Middletown Historic District. It covers the remainder of Market Street, with its mini-park on the two-level slope, plus three buildings along West Third and Piasa Streets. The Old YMCA, built in 1908 of red Alton brick with white limestone trim, is a three-story Georgian Revival building. It once held the area's first indoor heated pool, bowling alleys and a gymnasium, and it has stood vacant since the organization moved out in 1964. Next door is a small two-story commercial building with stone veneer. At the corner of Piasa Street stands the Snyder Block, built in 1901, with cast iron storefronts and a tin-covered corner turret. Together these buildings continue the stepped, brick-and-limestone streetscape of the existing district, which developed from frame houses and mansions into civic, commercial and semi-public uses.
Significance in brief: The extension is argued to be the natural continuation of a hillside streetscape that shifted from private to semi-public and commercial use over 150 years. Its stepped buildings of Alton brick and limestone are scaled to one another and separated by garden-like open spaces. The Old YMCA was a community focal point, and the Snyder Block's turreted dry goods store anchors the hill.
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 82002583, listed September 16, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3rd St. between Market and Piasa St., Alton |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | September 16, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002583 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | William Ash, Jr., brick contractor (named in a 1912 illustration caption for the YMCA) |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival (Old YMCA); Beaux-Arts Classic Revival and Federal-style neighbors in the streetscape |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Old YMCA has been vacant since 1964 and was under option for reuse as apartments. The building at 12 West Third is also described as vacant. Snyder's Department Store was still operating as a dry goods store. |
| Within district | Middletown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.89758, -90.17609 (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).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 82002583.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16895140
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.