North Main Street Historic District

North Main Street Historic District. . , The North Main Street Historic District is comprised of commercial and civic structures erected between 1874 and 1940. The district's architectural styles include Italianate, Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, Richardsonian Romanesque Revival, Neo-Classical Revival, Art Moderne and Vernacular. The boundary extends from Parkway Avenue to Algoma Boulevard and also includes the Grand Opera House, Soldiers' Monument and buildings on Market Street. The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. , North Main Street was known as Ferry Street prior to 1868, and early businesses were concentrated near the Fox River. The arrival of the railroad in 1858 sparked an economic boom, and new businesses expanded farther up North Main Street. , In 1859, 1866, 1874 and 1875 fires destroyed much of the area. After each fire the citizens of Oshkosh rebuilt and thrived. Development on North Main Street continued into the early twentieth century. Raulf Hotel and First National Bank were among the first high-rise buildings in the city. Construction activity halted during the Great Depression but resumed after World War II. In the post-war period several buildings were altered and some razed to modernize the commercial center of the city. , North Main Street experienced a revival at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Opera House Square was expanded into a full city block and made a focal gathering point. The film Public Enemies was filmed using the district's historic buildings as the backdrop. Reinvestment and redevelopment of historic structures and green space on North Main Street has led to new economic opportunities and recreational activities in the center of Oshkosh.