Downtown Dixon was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012 for its significance as the first area of settlement and as the heart of commerce and trade in the city. Beginning in 1828, Joseph Ogee, a man of Native American descent, established a ferry and constructed the first buildings. Two years later, he sold the land and ferry to John Dixon. Dixon improved the ferry, and it became a well-known landmark across Illinois. In 1850, a dam was established in the Rock River near the ferry. The dam enabled more economic and population growth, leading to the establishment of "Dixon" as a village. Many of the downtown buildings date to the 1870s-1890s and reflect the popular Victoria-era Italianate style. Later, the construction of the Lincoln Highway through Dixon introduced building styles from the first half of the twentieth century to the downtown corridor, including the prominent Beaux Arts and Neoclassical styles. Together, the diverse built environment visually represents the city's history as a thriving river town.