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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The city of Ottumwa has a lot of rich history, including the Naval Air Station Base.

A local historian and the group “Friends of NAS Ottumwa” are working towards making the Administration Building onto the National Register of Historic Places list.

The Administration Building was basically the nerve center of the entire naval complex. The base’s main purpose was to teach young pilots how to fly.

Not only were there cadets learning to fly at the base but it took thousands of people to keep the base running, from airplane mechanics to shore patrol.

“There were 65 buildings out there originally. At this point we have lost almost all of them. We're down to -- it's either 13 or 14 that are left. The most important one is the Administration Building. So we are nominating it to the National Register as a symbol of all of the activity that took place in the navy installation out in the middle of the Midwest,” said Molly Myers Naumann.

Because Ottumwa has a Historic Preservation Commission and Ordinance, nominations must be approved first by the commission and then by City Council.

From there, Myers Naumann will make a presentation to the State National Register Review Committee in Des Moines. And if all goes well, the nomination will be forwarded to Washington D.C. where the National Parks Service will either list it or send it back for more work.

Myers Naumann said she hopes by June 1, the Administration Building will officially be on the list of National Historic Places.

The Ottumwa City Council will vote on the approval Tuesday evening.