Remarkably, the streetscape of Main Street, Newton has remained mostly intact and even retains some historic uses, such as Anderson's Book Store, the county courthouse (although in a newer building), the First Methodist Episcopal Church and the Fox Theater. The Newton Main Street Historic District exhibits local significance as the railhead and then the main division point for the Santa Fe railroad, and as the Main Street for both the town of Newton and the surrounding rural area. It also qualifies for local significance for its intact architectural character with buildings from the 1870s through the 1950s, aligned along both sides of the wide street, forming a dense wall of historic commercial buildings from one end to the other. The street is still bisected by the ever-present railroad tracks and punctuated by a number of architectural landmarks, four of which are already individually listed on the National Register. - NRHP, 22 September 2003