Welcoming the 2017 Texas Main Street Communities
Last week I had the honor of continuing the grand tradition of the Texas Historical Commission Texas Main Street Program’s First Lady’s Tour. I visited Buda and Linden for the annual event celebrating Texas Main Street communities and welcoming the two Texas communities as the program’s newest members. In both communities I was joined by state and local officials, local business owners and volunteers, and dozens of local residents eager to see the Main Street vision for their respective towns.
The Texas Main Street Program is a revitalization program for historic downtown and neighborhood commercial districts. Today, there are 89 official Texas Main Street programs. The programs are in communities of all sizes, ranging from less than 2,000 to more than 300,000 in population, and in all areas of Texas. Over time, Texas Main Street communities have created more than $3.4 billion in economic reinvestment, and 35,490 local jobs and almost 9,000 small businesses in their Main Street districts. These reinvestments show that significant economic development impact can be realized through historic preservation. For more information on the Texas Main Street Program, visit http://www.thc.state.tx.us/.
Main Street communities represent the best of what our state has to offer through their commitment to a historic, yet vibrant, downtown. I congratulate everyone in Buda and Linden who had a hand in their selection as the 2017 Main Street Communities for their work to make their communities shine even brighter through historic preservation and economic development.