Nestled in a natural basin, Nevada City is not only one of the earliest towns in the Sierra mining districts but also one of the best preserved, and much of the 19th century look of the city remains, giving it a special charm.

The town sprang up when gold miners started working the placers along Deer Creek in 1849. It was known first as Deer Creek Dry Diggings, then as Caldwell's Upper Store - so called for a log cabin store on the site where Trinity Episcopal Church stands today. The town was one of the few mining camps to grow and prosper.

The Nevada City Downtown Historic District is the largest and most representative collection of downtown commercial buildings in the area of the Northern Mines. As the county seat of Nevada County and the county's largest historical downtown, Nevada City was the commercial, governmental, and professional center of Nevada County from the 1850's. Since the turn of the century it has gradually relinquished its domination as the county's retail trade center and of late has actively promoted tourism.

One architectural feature that must be noted in connection with these 19th century structures is the wide use of balconies for both residential and commercial purposes. Nearly every building in the historical district had either a roofed balcony such as those that appear on the two firehouses, or a balustraded veranda-balcony such as that on the National Hotel, or shed canopies such as those on the north side of Broad Street between Union and Pine Streets. These provided shade beneath, and shielded windows from the glare of the sun in summer. In winter they kept rain and snow from the space below. They also added a touch of grace to the buildings.

Excerpted from the NRHP nomination.

The Nevada City Downtown Historic District occupies an area of 160 acres containing seventy contributing buildings. The following table itemizes some of the more prominent buildings.