's local Main Street programs aim to revitalize downtowns and commercial districts through preservation-based economic development and community revitalization. The "Main Street Project" was begun in 1977 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation with a pilot involving 3 towns: Galesburg, Illinois; Madison, Indiana; and Hot Springs, South Dakota. Based on the success in those three towns, a pilot project followed in six states: Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Since then, Main Street America has expanded the program to many other towns. These may be statewide or regional "coordinating programs" or "local programs." Programs determined to be "Designated" follow best-practices established by the National Main Street Center and/or statewide or regional coordinating programs. One requirement of being a "Designated" program is to appoint a full-time staff member, often called a main street manager.
In 2020, there were 860 Nationally Accredited Main Street America programs and 44 Coordinating Programs.
Programs Alabama Alexander City, MainStreet Alexander City Anniston, Main Street Anniston Athens, Athens Main Street Birmingham, REV Birmingham Columbiana, Columbiana Main Street Decatur, Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority Dothan, Dothan Downtown Redevelopment Authority Elba, Main Street Elba Eufala, Main Street Eufaula Florence, Florence Main Street Foley, Visit Foley! Fort Payne, FPmainstreet Gadsden, Downtown Gadsden Inc. Heflin, Heflin Main Street Jasper, Jasper Main Street Marion, Main Street Marion Monroeville, Monroeville Main Street Montevallo, Montevallo Main Street Opelika, Opelika Main Street Oxford, Main Street Oxford Scottsboro, Main Street Scottsboro South Huntsville, South Huntsville Business Association Wetumpka, Main Street Wetumpka
Alaska While there is no statewide coordinating program, there is at least one local program accredited by Main Street America.
Accredited Programs Juneau, Juneau Downtown Business Association. Program sought accreditation by the National Main Street Center in 2016.
Arizona The Arizona Downtown Alliance was started in 1984 to encourage the redevelopment and improvement of downtowns in Arizona. Steven Griffin served as the President in 1984-1985. William E. Mosher, executive director of Tucson's Downtown Development Corporation was elected president in January 1987. The first ever statewide historic preservation conference, "A Sense of Place" was held June 2003 with support from the Arizona Main Street Program. Around 2008 the Main Street Program was housed under the Arizona Department of Commerce. Today Lani Lott is Coordinator of the Arizona Downtown Alliance, a program of the Arizona Preservation Foundation.
Designated programs Apache Junction, Apache Junction Main Street Buckeye, Buckeye Main Street Coalition Casa Grande, Casa Grande Main Street Florence, Florence Main Street Program Globe, Globe Downtown Association Lake Havasu City, Main Street Uptown Association Nogales, Nogales Community Development Corporation Payson, Payson Main Street Program Pinetop-Lakeside, Pinetop-Lakeside Main Street Prescott, Prescott Main Street Safford, Safford Downtown Association Sedona, Sedona Main Street Program Show Low, Show Low Main Street, Inc. Williams, Williams Main Street Association, Inc. Yuma, Yuma Main Street Program
Non-Designated Programs Douglas Glendale, Glendale Downtown Development Corp. Tucson, Tucson Downtown Development Corp.
Arkansas Batesville, Main Street Batesville Blytheville, Main Street Blytheville Dumas, Main Street Dumas El Dorado, Main Street El Dorado Eureka Springs, Main Street Eureka Springs Hardy, Main Street Hardy Harrison, Main Street Harrison Helena, Main Street Helena Little Rock, Southside Main Street Project North Little Rock, Main Street Argenta Osceola, Main Street Osceola Ozark, Main Street Ozark Paragould, Main Street Paragould Rogers, Main Street Rogers Russellville, Main Street Russellville Searcy, Main Street Searcy Texarkana, Main Street Texarkana West Memphis, Main Street West Memphis
California California established a statewide coordinating program in 1986. From 1986 to 2002, the California Main Street Program was administered by the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency and supported by State General Funds. That agency was eliminated in 2002/03 due to a budget crisis. In 2004 the California Main Street Program was re-established within the Office of Historic Preservation.
Designated Programs Bellflower, City of Bellflower Benicia, Benicia Main Street Brentwood, Downtown Brentwood Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Cardiff 101 Main Street Carlsbad, Carlsbad Village Association Chico, Downtown Chico Coachella, City of Coachella Coronado, Coronado MainStreet Ltd. Encinitas, Encinitas 101 Eureka, Eureka Main Street Fremont, City of Fremont Gilroy, Downtown Gilroy Grass Valley, Grass Valley Downtown Association Hanford, Main Street Hanford Hollister, Hollister Downtown Association Leucadia, Leucadia 101 Main Street Livermore, Livermore Downtown, Inc. Mariposa, Main Street Mariposa Martinez, Main Street Martinez, Inc. Oakland, Black Cultural Zone Ocean Beach, Ocean Beach MainStreet Association Oceanside, Main Street Oceanside Paso Robles, Paso Robles Main Street Association Pleasanton, Pleasanton Downtown Association Redding, Viva Downtown Redding Richmond, Richmond Main Street Initiative, Inc. San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo Downtown Association
Non-Designated Programs - may be active or inactive Arcata, Fairfield, Fairfield Downtown Association Lakeport, Lakeport Main Street Monterey, Old Monterey Business Association San Diego - North Park, North Park Main Street San Diego - Ocean Beach, Ocean Beach Main Street Ukiah, Ukiah Main Street Program, Inc. Vallejo, Vallejo Main Street Vista, Vista Village Business Association
Colorado After the "Main Street Project" concluded in 1979, Colorado was one of the first six states selected for establishment of a statewide coordinating program. At the time of founding the Gates Foundation gave $100,000 to underwrite free design services in Main Street communities. Today the Colorado Department of Local Affairs serves the statewide coordinating program. In Colorado there are Designated, Candidate, Graduate, and Affiliate communities.
Designated Communities Elizabeth, Elizabeth Granby, Meeker, Meeker Montrose, Montrose Woodland Park, Woodland Park
Candidate Communities Central City, Central City Hugo La Junta Leadville, Leadville Lyons, Lyons Rangely Rifle, Rifle Trinidad, Trinidad
Graduate Communities Brush, Brush Area Chamber of Commerce Lake City, Lake City Downtown Improvement & Revitalization Team (DIRT) Lamar, Lamar Ridgway, Ridgway Steamboat Springs, Main Street Steamboat Springs Victor, Victor D.R.E.A.M Wellington, Wellington Windsor, Windsor
Affiliate Communities Aurora, Aurora Cultural Arts District Bennett Berthoud Buena Vista, Buena Vista Canon City Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City Craig Creede Eaton Florence Georgetown Hotchkiss Idaho Springs Mead Naturita Nederland Nucla Georgetown Larkspur Monument Ouray Sterling Silverton Walsenburg Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, The 'Cliffs (Westcliffe and Silver Cliff) Wray
Connecticut Lisa Bumbera was coordinator for the State Program in 1995 when it was established under Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P). Connecticut was the first state to have its program sponsored by a private corporation rather than by the state government. The Connecticut Main Street Center was established as an independent non-profit in December 1999. The Connecticut Department of Economic Development became a Founding Partner of the program, along with CL&P. John Simone became the first full-time executive director of Connecticut Main Street in January 2000. When NU merged with Boston-based NStar in April 2012 the future of the program was cast into question. In August 2017, Patrick McMahon became Chief Executive Officer for the Connecticut Main Street Center, Inc.
Darien, Darien Revitalization, Inc. Hartford - Upper Albany, Upper Albany Main Street New Haven, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance New London, New London Main Street Program Norwich, Rose City Renaissance Rockville, Rockville Downtown Association Simsbury, Simsbury Main Street Partnership, Inc., selected to participate in state program in 1995. Anzie O. Glover, a Simsbury resident, was selected to be the director of the Simsbury Main Street Partnership in 1996. Waterbury, Main Street Waterbury Winsted, Friends of Main Street, Common Council authorized application to Connecticut Main Street Program in 1995. The town was accepted into the program in 2001.
Non-participating Communities East Hartford, Town Council authorized application to Connecticut Main Street Program in 1995. Selected in 1995. Meriden, Bob Cooper was Meriden's downtown manager in 1996. New London, Selected in 1995. Torrington, Torrington Main Street Action Team, Selected in 1995. Shortly after being designated a public forum was held about whether to continue in the program, as they could not secure a full time director as required to participate. Windsor, John Simone was the first and only executive director of First Town Downtown. After three years he left to become the first full-time executive director of Connecticut Main Street in January 2000. Vernon, Rockville Downtown Association, Cliff Edwards was hired as manager in 2010.
Delaware DelBiz on Main is the state Coordinating Program for Delaware, located within the Department of State, Division of Small Business.
Accredited Programs Dover, Downtown Dover Partnership, the Central Dover Business Association looked into the Main Street program in June 1992, at which time the City gave $20,000 towards the program. Milford, Downtown Milford, Inc. Rehoboth Beach, Rehoboth Beach Main Street, started in the mid-1990s. Won the Great American Main Street Award in 2009. Wilmington, Main Street Wilmington
Other Programs Delaware City, Main Street Delaware City, Inc. Middletown, Main Street Middletown Newark, Downtown Newark Partnership Wilmington - Brandywine Village, Greater Brandywine Village
District of Columbia DC Main Streets was established in 2002 and provides services and funding to the 24 Main Street programs in the District of Columbia.
Washington - Barracks Row, Barracks Row Main Street Washington - Bladensburg Road Main Street Washington - Chevy Chase Main Street Washington - Cleveland Park Main Street Washington - Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant Main Streets Washington - Destination Congress Heights Washington - District Bridges Main Street Washington - Eastern Market Main Street Washington - Georgetown Main Street Washington - Glover Park Main Street Washington - Dupont Circle, Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets] Washington - H Street, NE H Street Main Street] Washington - Logan Circle Main Street Washington - Lower Georgia Avenue Main Street Washington - Minnesota Avenue Main Street Washington - North Capitol Main Street Washington - Rhode Island Avenue Main Street Washington - Shaw, Shaw Main Streets Washington - Tenleytown Main Street Washington - The Parks Main Street Washington - Uptown Main Street Washington - Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street Washington - U Street Main Street Washington - Van Ness Main Street Washington - Ward 7 Business Partnership Washington - Woodley Park Main Street
Non-Designated Programs Washington - Deanwood Heights Main Street
Florida Arcadia, Arcadia Main Street Program Auburndale, Auburndale Chamber Main Street Avon Park, Avon Park Main Street Bartow, Downtown Bartow, Inc. Brooksville, Florida, Brooksville Main Street Blountstown, Blountstown Chamber of Comm Clearwater, Clearwater Main Street Cocoa, Cocoa Main Street Crestview, Main Street Crestview Association Crystal River Main Street Dade City, Downtown Dade City Main Street, Inc. Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Partnership DeLand, MainStreet DeLand Association