Renaissance on Main / Main Street Program

DAWSON SPRINGS MAIN STREET PROGRAM

A Nationally Certified Main Street Program

In 1988, a group of concerned businessmen and women joined together in an effort to revitalize the downtown business district of Dawson Springs.  The group raised money and established a Main Street Program.  The Dawson Springs Main Street Program was one of the first programs in Kentucky to become certified.  Dawson Springs is affiliated with the Kentucky Heritage Council’s Main Street, Renaissance on Main and the National Trust Main Street Center.  Through the above affiliations Dawson Springs is connected to a network of small communities across the nation working on the revitalization of historic district downtown.

Dawson Springs Main Street Program follows the four-point Main Street approach, working to implement projects in four key areas: 

• Economic Restructuring

• Promotion

• Design

• Organization

The program follows the eight principles of the Main Street Program:

1. Main Street represents a comprehensive approach to downtown revitalization.

2. The Main Street approach relies on quality.

3. A public-private partnership is necessary to make meaningful, long-term downtown revitalization possible.

4. The Main Street program involves changing attitudes.

5. Main Street focuses on existing assets.

6. Main Street is a self-help program.

7. The Main Street approach is incremental in nature.

8. Main Street is implementation oriented.

The Dawson Springs Main Street Program addresses all four points, applying the eight principles and combines economic development and historic preservation strategies.  The Main Street process is incremental, with improvements occurring over a period of years.  Through cooperation and collaboration from both public and private sectors, Dawson Springs Main Street Program continues to work toward the revitalization of our historic downtown.