National Register Listing

Ritzville Historic District

a.k.a. See Also:Carnegie Libraries of Washington TR

Roughly bounded by Broadway, Division St., Railroad Ave., and Washington St., Ritzville, WA

Distinguished by a cohesive group of commercial buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Ritzville Historic District is the well preserved business center of Adams County, constructed at a time when the city was the world's greatest wheat entrepot and a booming agricultural trade center. The compact district is characterized by multi-storied brick blocks and smaller shops, with arched fenestration, corbeled cornices, and cast iron storefronts. Nearly all the major landmarks of the period survive--including banks, hotel, mercantile establishments, and the depot--and few non-historic structures intrude on the setting. Although the integrity of individual buildings has been compromised, the general character of the district is intact; its size, scale and nearly all its building stock are retained; and it clearly reflects its historic role as the commercial center of the region.

Local significance of the district:
Commerce; Architecture

Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.