The Newton City Council unanimously agreed to nominate Downtown Newton to the National Register of Historic Places at Monday’s council meeting.

Planning and Zoning Director Erin Chambers told the council the nomination meant the year-long process can begin and they can expect an answer back by the end of May or early June.

Chambers told the board a consultant whom was hired to help determine if downtown would be eligible to be nominated, found the main reason why the area was significant was because of the history of Maytag in Newton during the 1950s and 1960s.