Downtown Oswego, with nearly 180 years of history, stands as the village’s commercial and cultural heart. Its buildings, dating from 1845 to 2007, reflect two key periods of growth: a late 19th-century boom that brought new residences, commercial buildings, street lamps, and the Red Brick School; and an early 20th-century surge fueled by the automobile, when Oswego became a hub for three state highways and U.S. Route 34. A highlight is the Burkhart Block, built in 1911, which once housed the Oswego State Bank, post office, telephone exchange, and Burkhart Garage. Today, the district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, celebrating Oswego’s rich and well-preserved heritage.