National Register Nomination
Evart Downtown Historic District
Evart, Michigan
2024*
Evart’s founding in 1871 coincided with the construction of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad through Osceola County in mid-Michigan. The railroad, Muskegon River, and surrounding forests wedded Evart’s early growth to Michigan’s burgeoning logging industry. Businesses cropped up to cater to Evart’s lumbermen and quickly formed the Main Street commercial corridor. Evart’s downtown continues to provide city residents, and those from surrounding communities, access to goods and services.
The district has around 60 resources which are primarily composed of two-story commercial buildings lining Main Street. The majority date to the late-nineteenth century and are constructed of brick, yet there are several examples of false-front frame buildings. To determine approximate construction dates in the absence of city or county data, Cassandra and Katie utilized plat maps, Sanborn maps, aerial photography, and visual assessments to determine approximate construction dates. The nomination focused on Evart’s commercial and architectural history which best illustrate its significance.
*worked on while employed at Kraemer Design Group