The Tennessee Downtowns Program
Think about the heart of your community, the traditional business district where it all got started many years ago. It is easy to recognize that this place is special and unique. The buildings, the stories, the people…all of these elements combine to form a unique place rich with character that can be found nowhere else in the world. We often refer to this place as “main street” or “downtown”. It is the representative physical heart of your community.
When the Tennessee Downtowns program talks about “main street”, we are referring to Main StreetTM (notice the trademark), the nationally recognized downtown revitalization movement started several decades ago by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This movement is now led by the National Main Street Center and is comprised of over 2,000 communities and neighborhoods across America. Here in Tennessee, 31 communities have earned official designation as a Tennessee Main Street community. What that means is they have met the criteria set forth by both the National Main Street Center and the Tennessee Main Street program for managing effective downtown revitalization programs. They are busy all year long working towards creating better downtowns for their communities to enhance quality of life, increase hometown pride, stimulate the local economy, create distinctive experiences, and reconnect with their unique heritage and sense of place.
Click here for the application.
