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Van Allen Store
Photo: Michael J. Kearney, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · tap to enlarge
★ National Historic Landmark

Van Allen Store

Also known as Van Allen and Son Department Store; John D. Van Allen and Son

Clinton’s first place on the National RegisterListed Jan 7, 1976; only 100 of Iowa’s 2,458 listings are older
Listed 1976Clinton
DirectionsAdd an old photo

Many listed buildings are private homes. Please enjoy them from the street.

About

About Van Allen Store

Van Allen Store, at 5th Ave. and S. 2nd St., was added to the National Register of Historic Places and named a National Historic Landmark on the same day, Jan 7, 1976: one of 22 Landmarks in Iowa. Only 100 of Iowa’s 2,458 listings are older. The Register lists it for its architecture, at the national level. Five more Register listings are within a quarter mile.

What it isDepartment store in Clinton, United States of America. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

PDFRead the original nominationThe form that put it on the Register, with its history, photos and a map · 157 MB · National Archives↗
Through the years

1913 to today

  1. 1913Built, designed by Louis Sullivan
  2. 1976Added to the National Register and named a National Historic Landmark
  3. 2026On the Register for 50 years
Visit

Make it a walk: 5 landmarks in about 10 minutes

5th Ave. and S. 2nd St., Clinton · about 0.3 miles on foot, as the crow flies

DirectionsWalk the tour in Google Maps
  1. 1Van Allen StoreStart here
  2. 2First National BankNeo-Classical Revival · next door
  3. 3Moeszinger-Marquis Hardware Co.Romanesque · next door
  4. 4Howes BuildingClassical Revival · next door
  5. 5Ankeny BuildingModern Movement · Built 1931 · 0.1 mi on
Around it

6 more Register listings within a mile

★ National Historic Landmark · D district · B building · S site. Each opens its own page.

DWilson BuildingsDistrict0.1 miBClinton Public LibraryBeaux Arts0.3 miBGeorge M. Curtis HouseLate Victorian0.3 miBClinton High School and Public LibraryRomanesque0.3 miBClinton County CourthouseRomanesque0.6 miBWashington Junior High School and Jefferson Grade SchoolBuilding0.8 mi

Memories of Van Allen Store

The record says what it is. Neighbors know what it means.

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Questions about Van Allen Store

Is Van Allen Store on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. It was added on Jan 7, 1976 (Register number 76000753).

Is Van Allen Store a National Historic Landmark?

Yes, since Jan 7, 1976. Iowa has 22 National Historic Landmarks.

Can you visit Van Allen Store?

Our record doesn’t say whether it is open to visitors. Many listed buildings are private, so it may only be seen from the street.

Where can I read the history of Van Allen Store?

In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 157 MB PDF at the National Archives, linked on this page.

Sources: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · National Archives catalog record 75338154 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.