Birtown Historic District

[Jim O'Bryan]

Let the land rush begin...

BIRDTOWN LISTED ON NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

The City of Lakewood is pleased to announce that Birdtown has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Birdtown, a neighborhood in southeastern Lakewood, is an ethnic community with a distinct history reflecting the trends in turn of the century Americaâ€â€￾the migration of industry from central cities and the simultaneous development of workers’ communities.

The Birdtown neighborhood has had a significant impact on the history and development of the City of Lakewood. The designation of Birdtown to the National Register of Historic Places will spark the continued revitalization currently taking place as well as garner recognition that the neighborhood is a unique and venerable place to live and work.

The National Carbon Company purchased the land in 1892 and it was developed by the Pleasant Hill Land Company, a subsidiary of National Carbon. Since there were few houses near the factory site and the streetcar lines ended a few miles from the factory, the company founded it in its interest to create a subdivision for workers near the factory. Birdtown was designed as a company town in order to attract and house a good labor force. The area grew modestly at first, but between 1900 and 1910 the population soared from 429 to 2,186 residents, reaching its peak density in 1920. During this time, 70% of the population was Slovak.

The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
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As a part of the National Register a property is given:
Recognition and appreciation as a historic property,
Consideration in planning Federal and Federally assisted projects,
Eligibility of property owners for Federal tax benefits, and
May qualify for Federal grant assistance
Owners of properties listed in the National Register may be eligible for a 20% investment tax credit for the certified rehabilitation of income-producing certified historic structures such as commercial, industrial, or rental residential buildings. This credit can be combined with a straight-line depreciation period of 27.5 years for residential property and 31.5 years for nonresidential property for the depreciable basis of the rehabilitated building reduced by the amount of the tax credit claimed. Federal tax deductions are also available for charitable contributions for conservation purposes of partial interests in historically important land areas or structures.