The Adel Historic Preservation Commission has worked very hard over the past year to submit an application to the National Register of Historic Places for the Downtown District of Adel.
      This area has been identified and defined by the Historic Preservation Commission and local history enthusiasts as a key element to the history and character of our community.
      The application has been reviewed and approved by the State Historical Society and has been sent on to the National Park Service for acceptance to the National Register of Historic Places. The completed application is available for viewing on the City's website at www.adeliowa.org.
      "I encourage each of you to take a look at this application; it is a very interesting read into the history of our community," city administrator Chad Bird said. "Our consultant, William Page has done a remarkable job in researching and writing the application."
      This project began in the summer of 2006 with the writing of a CLG grant request to hire a consultant to name the square surrounding the Courthouse to the National Register of Historic Places. The city was notified in November of 2006 that it had received the grant.
      Work on the project began in May of 2007.
      Throughout the project, Page kept the commission and volunteers organized about what needed to be accomplished at each meeting. Everyone who has read the nomination has been thrilled with the historic content and easy to read style.
      The City of Adel and the commission are proud to have national recognition of the treasures the city has with its brick buildings and brick streets. The commission is particularly pleased that the brick streets were included as part of the nomination, because the city is beginning to plan a long term project to restore the brick streets.
      The Commission is hoping that including the brick streets in the nomination will help others see the importance of the streets to Adel's heritage and that their preservation is important to the community. The brick streets are a "brand" for Adel and can be a focus for tourism.
      The commission is also pleased that the nomination included the buildings on all four sides of the square. The next step for the commission is the creation of a local historic district with mandatory design guidelines.
      Inclusion of the north side of the square will be critical to consistent planning within the Downtown Business District. City officials are excited about using the National Register nomination as a catalyst for rejuvenation of the square, for historic tourism, and to jump start economic development.