▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁was ▁en larg ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Central ▁Gene va ▁Historic ▁District ▁princip ally ▁consists ▁of ▁land ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁pl atted ▁settlement , ▁now ▁the ▁southern ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁town . ▁It ▁is ▁primarily ▁resident ial , ▁but ▁does ▁have ▁a ▁commercial ▁sector ▁l ining ▁W . ▁State ▁Street ▁( Ill inois ▁Route ▁ 3 8 ). ▁Among ▁the ▁public ▁buildings ▁are ▁a ▁public ▁library , ▁city ▁hall , ▁and ▁county ▁cour th ouse . ▁The ▁only ▁other ▁major ▁road ▁intersect ing ▁the ▁district ▁is ▁S . ▁First ▁Street ▁( Ill inois ▁Route ▁ 3 1 ). ▁Most ▁houses ▁are ▁two - story ▁frame ▁resid ences ▁built ▁between ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁princip ally ▁from ▁a ▁vern ac ular ▁style . ▁Gene va ' s ▁later ▁identification ▁as ▁a ▁scen ic ▁sho pping ▁area ▁encourag ed ▁the ▁city ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁the ▁rest oration ▁of ▁several ▁structures . ▁The ▁district ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁Notable ▁properties ▁ ▁The ▁nom ination ▁form ▁for ▁the ▁historic ▁district ▁singles ▁out ▁several ▁properties ▁that ▁are ▁particularly ▁representative ▁of ▁mid - ▁to ▁late - ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁architect ural ▁styles ▁Un itar ian ▁Church , ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁Greek ▁Rev ival ▁L oved ay ▁House ,