The Park/Glen Avenues Historic District is located within a valley just south of the original plat of the City of Council Bluffs. In the early days of Council Bluffs, the valley was known as “Hang Hollow” after Baltimore Muir, an immigrant accused of murder, was lynched there (304 Glen Avenue). There is no 200 block on Glen Avenue; the 100 block leads directly to the 300 block.
Park Avenue was first called Market Street. The name was changed when Fairmont Park was established in 1880 in an effort to attract residential builders to the beautiful but rugged bluff top at the south end of the district. The park anchored the south end of Park and Glen Avenues and influenced the are’s development. At one time the city attempted to build a street connection Park and Glen Avenues on land that is now part of the 200 Park and adjacent properties, but the land had been inadvertently sold to a private individual. The case went to court, and was settled in favor of the property owner.