Adams County formed in 1835, and Geneva's incorporation in 1874 included the early towns of Alexander and Buffalo. During the 1890s oil boom, the population and businesses grew. Fire destroyed much of the town in 1895, and the Geneva Board of Trustees then banned wooden buildings and mandated stone, iron, or brick buildings along part of Line Street. By the end of 1895, twenty-four new brick business buildings had been completed there. The district at 144-455 East Line Street retains the look of a late 1800s commercial center because most of its buildings were constructed concurrently, as shown by their architectural details. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.