Historic Pella Trust is celebrating the designation of the Collegiate Neighborhood Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places with a block party Saturday.

Jill Jansen, a Pella resident with a historic home, tells KNIA/KRLS News the neighborhood is inviting the community to learn more about historic homes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the 500 Block of Broadway Street in Pella. She says historic preservation is a passion of hers, and she’s excited to share about the different opportunities locally at the event.

“I’ve lived here for about two and a half years now, and I thought if I was going to live in Iowa, in Pella, I want to live somewhere where I have a project, and it makes me happy to come home to everyday,” Jansen says. “I’ve always enjoyed older homes and I was really fortunate to find a home that was built in 1914 that had been pretty much left alone–it has almost all of the original components.”

Among the activities will be grilled food for purchase, free popcorn and ice cream, tours of homes in the district, opportunities to ask questions of preservation experts, as well as state and local historians, presentations about preserving and updating windows and floors, and a ribbon cutting ceremony. The KNIA/KRLS Big Red Radio is participating and broadcasting from the event.

Schedule:

The community is invited to join in this celebration and educational event on Oct. 6, 2018 10 am-2pm

The Collegiate Historic District, Located on the street and sidewalks of the 500 block of Broadway including West 1st, between Liberty and Independence Streets.

Participants can discover the benefits of being a historic district, preserving historic homes and how it influences property values! Presentation by Jim Mansueto, Pella Historic Commission chairperson, presentations will be at 11:30-12- 1

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 11am

-“How to” demonstrations in restoring windows, fixing walls, finishing floors, brick tuck pointing etc.

-Historic restoration expert Terry Phillips presentations on window restoration.

-Will Page and Sara Andre; State Historians will be available to ask questions!

-Self-guided walking tour of the Collegiate Historic District with signage noting special features!

-Open houses to see restoration in process and ask questions of the owner how it was done, located in the old parsonage and the Cook house

-The Big Red Radio broadcasting live

-Hy-Vee Grill will be selling food, places to eat on the street.

-Free Ice-cream and popcorn

-Scavenger hunt for architectural details

-Information display tables and representatives to answer questions including Historic Pella Trust, Save the Community Center Organization, Union Street Players.