Haymarket Commercial Historic District

Haymarket Commercial Historic District is a collection of 28 structures, with 19 original buildings positioned where Main and Pearl Streets meet. Most are two-story brick buildings with cast-iron storefronts and decorative metal cornices across the top.

The district developed between 1865 and 1930 through three distinct building periods that shaped its character. These decades marked the transformation of Council Bluffs from a frontier settlement into an established trading center.

The buildings here show how traders and business owners shaped the downtown area into an important commercial hub. The names carved into storefronts and the way people still walk through these blocks reflect the district's role as a working marketplace.

The district is easy to explore on foot since the buildings cluster tightly around a central intersection. Take time to look up and notice the details of the storefronts and metalwork on each building.

In the 1890s, public scales stood at the heart of the district where traders weighed goods and conducted business. This detail reveals how central this spot was to daily commerce in the region.

Location: Council Bluffs

Address: South Main Street

GPS coordinates: 41.25611,-95.85100

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:41