We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.
Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.
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Announcing the 2018 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center, Inc., announced Downtown Oregon City, Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency, and Howell Main Street as the 2018 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winners during its annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. The awards were made possible through support from U.S. Bank.
“This year’s winners are a testament to the power of Main Street revitalization,” said Patrice Frey, president and CEO of the National Main Street Center. “Thanks to dedicated leadership, broad community support, and commitment to a comprehensive and incremental approach, these three Main Street programs have brought renewed vibrancy to their downtowns. It’s truly inspiring.”
Oregon City, known as the first incorporated city in the American West and the official end of the Oregon Trail, sits along the mighty Willamette River and Falls. This scenic town has undergone an inspiring revival. The town’s evolution – from a pioneer’s oasis in the 19th century, to industrial center in the 20th century, to the dynamic cultural destination residents and visitors enjoy today – is a testament to a deeply-rooted local entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to continuous growth.
The transformation has occurred in the face of hardships that are an all too familiar story in once-thriving industrial towns, including the closing of one of the town’s major employers, a disruptive streetscape project, and the departure of county administrative offices. Over the last decade, under the auspices of Downtown Oregon City Association, the city has seen nearly $42 million invested in the downtown district’s buildings, streetscapes, and infrastructure, in addition to over two-dozen new business openings and hundreds of new jobs.
Founded in 1888 by a diverse group of immigrant coal miners, the town of Rock Springs has experienced booms and busts since its early coal mining days through the present-day with the advent of the oil and gas economy. This up and down cycle negatively impacted the downtown district and it became a place most people avoided. In 2006, the Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency was founded to address the tarnished reputation and bring about renewed vibrancy.
Due to the efforts of the Main Street organization and the can-do attitude of the community, today downtown Rock Springs has a vibrant local economy and cultural scene. The Freight Station, a signature structure in the downtown district that had been abandoned for more than 30 years, is now a vibrant community center that bustles with weekly events. It also houses the Visitors Center where travelers can get recommendations and learn about the rich history of downtown. Entertainment is also easy for visitors to find thanks to the newly refurbished 370-seat Broadway Theater and the Community Fine Arts Center.
“It is a great honor for the entire community for Downtown Rock Springs to be selected as the 2018 Great American Main Street Award winner,” says Rock Springs Mayor Carl Demshar. “The award is a result of the hard work we’ve done to revitalize downtown, but the economic benefits ripple throughout the entire community.”
This transformation is spearheaded by Howell Main Street Inc. in conjunction with the Downtown Development Authority. Despite a challenging regional economic environment, downtown Howell now has a vacancy rate of just 1.2 percent and is home to a diverse mix of businesses that foster a strong sense of place to attract and keep people downtown.
In years past, downtown Howell was home to mostly professional services that filled a need, but failed to bring the kind of energy and enthusiasm needed to make downtown a place that drew people in and gave them a reason to stay. Through extensive engagement with local partners and the City, and strategic business recruitment, downtown now boasts a diverse mix of businesses featuring unique retail, dining establishments, and service industries. Anchored by entertaining destinations like the new local brewery Aberrant Ales, entrepreneurial attractions like the Frontal Lobe co-working space, and cultural institutions like the Howell Opera House and Howell Movie Theatre, downtown is once again a destination.
“Howell is a prime example of a small rural community that is doing big things. They have all the charm you’d expect in a historic Main Street community, but they don’t stop there,” said Patrice Frey, President and CEO of the National Main Street Center. “Downtown Howell is setting itself apart as a supportive place for entrepreneurs and business owners and that’s how we’re seeing small communities stay competitive in today’s economy.”
Growing together
When it comes to the hearts and souls of communities across America, Main Streets serve as a vital center of connection and revitalization. Together, this year’s winners represent the resilient spirit and bright future of Main Streets across the country.
Main Street America is proud to recognize NewTown Macon, Madison Main Street Program, and Monroeville Main Street as 2024 Great American Main Street Award winners. All three organizations serve as exemplary models for reenergizing downtown districts through collective action that fosters vibrant downtowns through grassroots economic development, preservation with a purpose, and creative problem solving
Main Street Alabama is thrilled to welcome Main Streeters to Birmingham for Main Street Now 2024. As you build out your personal agenda, make sure to also make time to explore our amazing host city. Check out this roundup of some local favorites for you to explore between conference sessions, activities, and celebrations.
We are proud to announce that 1,188 programs have achieved designations as Main Street America programs in recognition of their commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™, and that local programs generated $5.68 billion in local reinvestment in 2023.
In just two weeks local leaders will convene in Birmingham, Alabama, for the 2024 Main Street Now Conference from May 6-8. Online registration at the regular rate ends on Friday, April 26. Act now to secure your spot and keep reading to get the latest recommendations for an unforgettable experience.
Urban Impact Inc., harnesses strategic investments and collaborative efforts to foster a vibrant and sustainable future, from visionary adaptive reuse ventures to transformative development grants for small businesses and property owners in Birmingham, Alabama's historic 4th Avenue Black Business District.
Online registration and the regular rate are available through Friday, April 26. Download the conference mobile app, sign-up for the attendee webinar, grab some Shop Main Street merch, get recommendations, and more!
With just a little over a month to go until we convene in Birmingham, Alabama, for the 2024 Main Street Now Conference from May 6-8, we are excited to announce that the full schedule is available online and the mobile app is ready for download.
From budgets and staffing to programming priorities and the myriad of backgrounds that bring people to Main Street, the insights and key findings from this year's trends survey provide a snapshot of the state of the Main Street Movement.
REV Birmingham and Woodlawn United share how they work to reenergize spaces and places in Birmingham, Alabama, through civic infrastructure projects in the city’s historic commercial corridors.
With a specially priced registration rate of $199, tailored education track, free lunch & learn session, and abundant networking opportunities, Main Street Now 2024 is made for civic leaders passionate about community preservation and economic development in historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial corridors.
Opportunities to experience time-tested Main Street Approach techniques and creative solutions in action abound in Birmingham with these great excursions.
Starting in early 2024, we will engage in an intensive program assessment of MSAI. We look forward to bringing an enhanced Main Street professional development experience to the network later in the year.
Founded in 2003 and currently housed within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan Main Street (MMS) recently celebrated 20 years of impact across 41 communities.
This three-week live, online course will prepare local leaders to more effectively work with small business owners in their districts and create an environment that is supportive of entrepreneurship.
We are excited to share a recent collaboration with Spark! Places of Innovation, a traveling exhibition curated by the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program.
We are excited to welcome Jenice Contreras to the Main Street America Board of Directors. Jenice has a long record of leadership across community and economic development with deep experience with equitable growth, small-scale development, and cultural preservation.
Join Main Street America experts in Vancouver, Wash., to gain first-hand experience in harnessing transformation strategies to successfully revitalize your Main Street!
We are excited to announce that 862 Main Street programs across the country have earned Accredited status, Main Street America’s top level of recognition.
The MSARP credential is the highest level of achievement offered through the Main Street America Institute, requiring dedication to completing a rigorous curriculum of online courses, readings, assignments, workshops, and a challenging final exam.
Over the course of three days, nearly 1900 Main Streeters from near and far gathered for dynamic educational sessions, immersive mobile workshops, and network-building activities.
Check out our new shop featuring clothing and apparel, accessories, home and office goods, and kids’ and baby items inspired by the Main Street Movement.
Main Street America is proud to recognize John Bry, Program Coordinator at Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) in Michigan, as the 2023 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient.
We’re excited to announce a new suite of resources designed for Main Street! The Main Street Foundations Series provides an overview of each Point through four comprehensive introductory videos, one-page guides, materials from our resource center, and more.
From the ongoing pivots needed to meet changing community needs to the timeless power of place, these are the most popular blog posts we published this year.
At the Opening Plenary at the Main Street Now Conference in Richmond, Virginia, Patrice Frey shared lessons and reflections from her past nine years at Main Street.
Leverage NC, a partnership between North Carolina Main Street and the North Carolina League of Municipalities, hosted a four-part webinar series titled Better Community Planning & Economic Development led by Ed McMahon, Chair Emeritus of Main Street America and a leading national authority on land use policy and economic development.
Matt Wagner, National Main Street Center's Vice President of Revitalization Programs, discusses competitive advantages, incrementalism and the power of the Main Street America network
Main Street Homer (Homer, Louisiana) was awarded a $25,000 A Community Thrives social impact grant from Gannett/USA Today Network to create an arts center with affordable artist studios and classroom/event space.
Nearly slated for demolition 30 years ago, downtown Cedar Falls has experienced an amazing transformation through its revitalization journey using the Main Street Approach.
We rolled out four new Main Street America videos highlighting the power of the Main Street movement, Main Street Approach, economic impact of Main Street, and the incredible volunteers that make Main Street's grassroots network so effective.
A series of small, incremental improvements, when taken together, provide momentum for long-term economic transformation and improved quality of life in a community.
The National Main Street Center, Inc. announced the 2017 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) during its annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The National Main Street Center and the Brookings Institution have jointly authored a response to Mr. Hyman’s piece, The Reality of Main Street, that is featured on Brookings’ blog.
Michigan Main Street Center was the first Coordinating Program to implement the new Main Street approach on a large scale. In this article, they share their robust process and valuable lessons.
Fritz the dog has made his way into the hearts of the residents of LaBelle, Florida, and helped our Main Street Community find a way to make what we do more noticeable.
Back in October 2015, we introduced the three key components of the refreshed Main Street Approach: inputs, outputs and Community Transformation Strategies.
For a lucky few downtowns, greatness may happen effortlessly with a strong sense of place that seems to develop organically and simply sustain itself. For most places, success doesn’t happen by chance.
While there have been over $1.2 billion in public and private investment in Wisconsin Main Street communities over the past 27 years, what really makes it special are the people and places that have been involved.
Although a “beach town,” Rehoboth Beach is open 365 days a year, and with that has the unique challenge of catering to both year-round residents and tourists within a wide range of ages, interests and economic levels
In communities across the country, hardworking business owners and buy local advocates come together to foster an organized effort to reinvent and revitalize Main Streets and downtown districts.
The National Main Street Center is pleased to announce that Cape Girardeau, Mo., Montclair Center, N.J., and Rawlins, Wyo. were selected as the 2015 Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA) winners.