Merchant Street, a block-long commercial street bordered by E. Prairie St. on the north, and E, Main St. on the south, is the heart of the Decatur Downtown Historic District. This viewlshows the east side of Merchant St. as seen from E. Prairie St.
Nine buildings are situated on the east side of Merchant St. The original facades of the buildings on Merchant St. are well-maintained and highly cohesive. The same building height - three stories - generally prevails and the same material - brick - is used throughout. Commercial Italianate is the predominant style and exhibits a high degree of architectural detail. All nine of the buildings on the east side were constructed between the 1860s and 1910, and all are significant architectural properties in the Decatur Downtown Historic District. Four of the nine also are significant historical properties.
Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.
Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.
Tags: Decatur Macon County Central Illinois Illinois IL Street View East Side 100 Block Merchant St. Architecture Architectural Style Italianate Early 20th Century Commercial Building Significant Property Architectural Historical Decatur Downtown Historic District National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 85001011 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Season Winter