Lansing to celebrate National Historic District designation with May 7 guided history tours

Thursday, May 7, the community of Lansing will host guided walking history tours, informative talks about historic restoration, wine and cheese tasting and displays of historical archive photos to celebrate the downtown’s designation as a National Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places.
Last September, Lansing was selected for this elite status. The Lansing historic district includes the address blocks of 100-401 Main Street, one block north and south on Front and Second Streets, and 190 John Street. May is National Historic Preservation Month as designated by the National Register of Historic Places, a division of the National Park Service.
Historic Preservation Consultant Molly Naumann of Ottumwa will lead guided walking history tours of the district May 7 at 4:30 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Individuals who wish to take part in the free tours should arrive 15 minutes before the tours depart. Tours will start from the Kerndt Brothers Community Center located on the west end of downtown Lansing’s Main Street.
Naumann, President of Naumann Associates, a consulting firm for historic preservation, was instrumental in writing the successful application for Lansing's historic district designation. She will explain the historical significance of the various buildings in the Lansing historic district on the walking tours.
Naumann is an architectural historian with a Master of Arts degree in art history from the University of Iowa. She has worked for 35-plus years as a consultant for numerous communities that wish to apply for historic district status.
From 5:45 to 7 p.m., festivities will take place at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center. Wine  and cheese will be served as speakers present information to those who are interested in how the historic designation can help them. Representatives from Wadsworth Construction, Lansing Housing Products and Kerndt Brothers Bank will discuss historic restoration, historic storm windows and low interest loan programs offered to Lansing commercial building owners.
Also at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center, participants may view displays  and a slide show, showing historic archival photos of Lansing. The displays will be open from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Many individuals worked at collecting the needed information over a period of four years to achieve this designation. Members of Main Street Lansing hope that the public will celebrate this achievement with them by learning more about Lansing's historic district. For more information, call 563-538-9229.