🏛️ Hampton Double Square Historic District

The Hampton Double Square Historic District is a historic district located in Hampton, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2003. At the time of its nomination it contained 43 resources, which included 28 contributing buildings, two contributing sites, 10 non-contributing buildings, one non-contributing site, one non-contributing structures, and one non-contributing object. The town of Hampton was laid out by H. P. Allen, who was the county surveyor, in June 1856. The original plat was eight blocks by eight blocks in the shape of an "L". Near the center of the "L" was the two-block, or double, square. While many county seats in Iowa have a courthouse square, the double square is a rarity. Four double squares were platted in Iowa, but only those in Hampton and Sidney survived their early period of development. Estherville's square was platted as a four-block square, but its development created a double square instead. Hampton has the only symmetrical double square plan in the state. The double square exemplifies the two primary functions of a public square, both commercial and public development.