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.
Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!
Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
YoMS Banner Project on the historic Armory building in downtown Le Mars.
History and architecture play an active role in educating and immersing the next generation of preservationists in Le Mars. From museum visits, scavenger hunts, to "show and tell," involving the youth and senior communities is a priority for this Main Street.
In Le Mars, Iowa (population 9,826), Main Street and Historic Preservation programs are closely tied. In 2013, the Historic Preservation Commission members realized that everyone in the room was old enough to qualify for a listing in the National Register, which led to a discussion on how to engage the next generation of preservationists. The conversation soon incorporated the Main Street program team and a long-time dream quickly became reality—Youth on Main Street (YoMS).
Co-sponsored by the Le Mars Main Street Program and Historic Preservation Commission, the general public and Catholic high schools were brought into the planning process. It was determined to offer the YoMS program to 11th grade students. Every year in March, a presentation is given to the 10th grade. Program information and application forms are provided for them to sign up for the upcoming school year. The 2017-2018 school year marks the fourth year of the program with 10 students enrolled. Participants of YoMS may receive course credit for completing the program or collect service hours for their time in the program. Students meet monthly throughout the academic year to learn the storied history of Le Mars, from its founding in 1869 to hearing first-hand accounts from long-time residents and business owners.
YoMS member, Shannon Robins, shares stories during a downtown architectural and historical walking tour.
In addition to the history of Le Mars, the program includes a session on the architecture of the downtown buildings and how they have changed over the years. One of the “trivia” questions posed to the students during the application presentation is showing them a picture of one of Le Mars’ main downtown buildings and ask if any of them have been inside the impressive three-story building. Each year the result is the same—they believe they have not been inside the building until it is pointed out it is now the local Pizza Ranch. One of the favorite sessions is a tour of the second stories of various downtown buildings. Many businesses have been vacant for 50 or more years and still have their doors painted with the names of former businesses, which the students find fascinating. In some cases, they have been able to see the “before” and “after” of a building’s second floor during its renovation into apartments. We knew YoMS was resonating with the students, when one participant returned from a college visit and said they found themselves asking the recruiter about the history of the buildings on campus.
A key component of the YoMS program is for the students to identify at least one project that enhances the downtown district. The challenge is to reign in the group to focus on two to three projects that can be accomplished during the school year. Completed projects include: 1) large historical and public art banners on a downtown business wall; 2) vignettes added to an existing historical tour; 3) a walking tour brochure for Alley Art project; 4) a historical scavenger hunt involving 18 downtown businesses offered annually during Le Mars’ Ice Cream Days® celebration; 5) permanent displays featuring interesting characters from Le Mars’ history at the local museum; and 6) a reenactment of scenes from a play about the town’s founding.
Seniors on Main Street
As the community became more aware of YoMS and details of the subjects and speakers became known, requests to offer the course to a broader audience came to the Main Street Program and Historic Preservation Commission members. In response, Seniors on Main Street (SoMS), a new six-week series offered to adults 55 and older, was created, incorporating many topics from the YoMS curriculum. With the help of the local newspaper, radio station, social media, web sites, and word of mouth, SoMS was publicized to the community. The first session was held in September/October 2017 with 38 people in attendance. A second six-week session is planned for April/May 2018, with enough material to offer a completely new curriculum.
The first session was modeled after the Downtown Historical Scavenger Hunt created by the YoMS students. A favorite activity was a day at the museum, touring the displays with local experts who provided a personal history on each business. During the final session, the SoMS group was given the opportunity to share their personal history of Le Mars. Stories told were about everything from family genealogy to memorabilia of Le Mars’ events and businesses. Items and stories brought for “show and tell” were captured and added to the Historic Preservation Commission’s photo room at the local museum.
SoMS on the Downtown Historical Scavenger Hunt.
What’s Next?
In 2019, Le Mars will mark its 150th anniversary. The plans for celebration include speakers and activities from YoMS and SoMS and will focus on reminding attendees of Le Mars’ rich history. The upcoming sesquicentennial will hopefully inspire many to get involved in the planning process of celebration events.
All photos courtesy of Le Mars Main Street.
About the author:
Richard Ziettlow is the VP of Le Mars Main Street program and VP of the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission. Learn more about their program at www.lemarsiowa.com.
It is important to make sure that the growth of your community does not result in displacement or marginalization. Putting equity at the core of your transformation strategy helps you work towards measures of success that benefit everyone.
MSA President and CEO Erin Barnes explores how a holiday market in a public park brought a new focus on growing humanitarian needs in downtown city centers.
Learn how Main Street America's work with the DOT's Thriving Communities Program is supporting transformative efforts with community partners like the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe.
May is Jewish American Heritage Month! We collected ideas and resources to help you explore Jewish American history on your community and work toward a more inclusive Main Street.
At Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington, Native Hawaiians played a critical role in the success of the Hudson Bay Company. Today, Vancouver’s Hawaiian history and heritage plays a crucial role in efforts to reenergize the city’s historic downtown.
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.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $20B in federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) awards distributed to eight national non-profit consortiums. Main Street America looks forward to partnership and engagement with awardees and local programs to identify projects and expand impact throughout our network.
Tasha Sams, Manager of Education Programs, shares highlights of phase one of the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) in Rural Main Streets Program and the biggest takeaways from the workshop experiences.
In this video, learn more about the Williams’ family story, how the business is helping to revive downtown Helena, and the impact they’re having on a national level.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Every year, H2BE holds their Juneteenth Mobility Stroll and Roll in Dearborn, MI, which celebrates Black Americans and improves local connections. Learn more about the event and why Juneteenth is important to this community.
Do you want to support the next generation of Main Street leadership! Start a youth board! Learn how Historic Downtown Clinton set theirs up and how your organization can benefit from one.
The Main Street Movement is a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community. We spoke to Main Street leaders about how they support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride and beyond.
On May 9, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2023 which included a cultural district located within a designated Main Street America community.
The annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Fiesta in the Mexicantown Main Street district offers a great example of collaborative partnerships that honor the community’s cultural heritage and support local businesses through events.
Meet Kavi, the first Indian American Girl of the Year doll and a (fictional) resident of 2023 Great American Main Street Award winner Metuchen, New Jersey!
Community Development Block Grants are powerful tools for Main Street programs. Learn more about how CDBG's can be applied to our work and how you can advocate for the program
Main Street America was awarded $5.9 million to support 20 communities in the Main Streets Community of Practice through the Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program over the next two years.
We spoke to three women who were awarded Inclusive Backing grants to learn more about their passions, their businesses, and their advice for other women.
Anette Landeros, President and CEO of Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, shares the importance of supporting Hispanic business owners and communities.
#EquityRising, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation's new job training program, seeks to combat rising cost of living by helping residents train for careers that will allow them to stay in their neighborhood.
We spoke to three Black business owners who were awarded Backing Small Businesses grants from Main Street America and American Express to better understand their challenges, successes, and the kinds of support that have helped them the most.
Stockbridge Main Street has made significant strides in exploring and sharing the story of Martin Luther King, father of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.
Juneteenth is the anniversary of the final emancipation of enslaved people in the US. Here are five examples of examples of community celebrations from Main Streets across the network.
Oklahoma is home to the headquarters of nearly 40 federally recognized Native American tribes, and many of their offices, cultural sites, and museums are located close to or within Main Street districts.
Kendall Whittier is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in an ever-diversifying Tulsa. Learn how they are making efforts to engage their large Hispanic community.
We spoke with two Black entrepreneurs in UrbanMain commercial districts: L. May Creations in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and The Four Way in south Memphis, Tennessee.
This May marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We explored the impact and legacy of this tragic event.
Main Street communities across the nation are celebrating Juneteenth, the oldest national commemoration of the ending of slavery in America and the nation’s newest federal holiday!
From small business owners to public artists to local leaders, join us this month to amplify the impact of the LGBTQ+ community in your Main Street district.
For Black History Month, we want to recognize and celebrate the Black business owners and entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges and obstacles in launching and running their own businesses, thanks to resilience, creativity, and hard work.
In remembrance and in honor of Dr. Marin Luther King Jr., over 900 streets in the United States were named after him. Many are located predominantly in African American communities.
Downtown SLO has kept the magic of their holiday lights installation alive by evolving their winter wonderland into a dual celebration of Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year.
Main Street programs around the Network have created engaging and COVID-safe ways to honor and celebrate the histories and lives of Black Americans in their commercial districts.
Learn how the Allapattah Collaborative in Miami, Florida, implements a range of initiatives to expand equitable development and ensure current businesses can not only remain in the corridor but also flourish.
Read the results of our survey aimed at understanding how business owners are managing the recovery from COVID-19 and responding to recent protests and social unrest related to police violence against Black Americans.
Our research team dug into some of the data about the state of Black-owned businesses on Main Street, the structural challenges they face, and how Main Streets can support them.
Since 2013, Try This West Virginia has sought to improve health environments in local communities as a collaboration of organizations working together to combat the health challenges facing West Virginians.
Supporting new and existing small businesses, and the entrepreneurs who run them, represents a vital aspect of the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood business districts.
The Equitable Economic Development Fellowship is a two-year, one million-dollar effort funded by the Surdna Foundation and the Open Society Foundations to help equity, transparency, sustainability and community engagement become driving forces in local economic development efforts.
From walkability and transportation connectivity, to access to nature and availability of fresh food, place is inextricably linked to achieving positive health outcomes in rural America.
Main Street America is committed to helping build inclusive communities. Homelessness is an increasingly important issue facing Main Street communities big and small, urban and rural.
To understand the role that immigrant business owners play in Boston’s small business ecosystem, you need only to walk through any Boston Main Streets district.