Flatiron Building (Grand Forks, North Dakota)
Encyclopedia
The Flatiron Building was an historic building in Grand Forks, North Dakota
that was built in 1906 and was destroyed by the 1997 Red River Flood. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, but was removed from the Register in 2004 because it had been destroyed.
Built adjacent to the Great Northern railroad, the building was first used as office space for the Grand Forks Ice Company. The company had been established in 1877 by John Lynch to supply ice
to local customers, but by the turn of the 20th century it had grown to become a supplier of ice and coal
for a larger region. As such, it was dependent on access to rail transport.
As of 1981, the Flatiron Building was still owned by the Lynch family. Its architecture is characterized as Early Commercial and "Vernacular-Gothic Details."
Two other wholesale buildings in Grand Forks that were listed on the National Register, within the N. Third Street wholesale district, are the Grand Forks Mercantile Co.
building, built in 1893, and the Iddings Block
, built in 1892.
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
that was built in 1906 and was destroyed by the 1997 Red River Flood. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, but was removed from the Register in 2004 because it had been destroyed.
Built adjacent to the Great Northern railroad, the building was first used as office space for the Grand Forks Ice Company. The company had been established in 1877 by John Lynch to supply ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
to local customers, but by the turn of the 20th century it had grown to become a supplier of ice and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
for a larger region. As such, it was dependent on access to rail transport.
As of 1981, the Flatiron Building was still owned by the Lynch family. Its architecture is characterized as Early Commercial and "Vernacular-Gothic Details."
Two other wholesale buildings in Grand Forks that were listed on the National Register, within the N. Third Street wholesale district, are the Grand Forks Mercantile Co.
Grand Forks Mercantile Co.
Grand Forks Mercantile Company is a property in Grand Forks, North Dakota that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Built in 1893, the building includes Early Commercial and Italianate architecture....
building, built in 1893, and the Iddings Block
Iddings Block
The Iddings Block is a property in Grand Forks, North Dakota that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It was one of 13 new commercial business block buildings built in Grand Forks in 1892, and is one of just two surviving from the 1888-1892 era...
, built in 1892.