Main Street Program History
Main Street Calumet, Inc
Our local program is was founded in 2003 as a result of community interest in historic preservation spurred by the presence of Keweenaw National Historical Park (est. 1992). Our program is a small part of a much larger group of Main Street programs across the country. We follow guidelines laid out by the National Main Street program to ensure our program is a success. Over the past 15 years Main Street Calumet created multiple events such as Pasty Fest, Copper Dog 150 and hosted a variety of community programs such as small business seminars and the Main Street Calumet Farmer's Market.
The National Program
In 1949 the National Trust for Historic Preservation was established to save historic places and revitalize communities throughout the United States. In 1980 the National Trust created the National Trust Main Street Center, creating a framework for local organizations of all sizes revitalize their traditional historic commercial districts.
The Main Street program provides guidance for various aspects of running a volunteer based organization from how to start a program to how to run a meeting and from how to hire an executive director to what behaviors are appropriate in a committee meeting. While they provide suggestions on a great range of topics, the basics of the program are to gather a group of volunteers, organize them into 4 committees, a board of directors to provide general direction and fiscal responsibility and a general manager to support the wishes of the board and the efforts of the committees.
Our local program is was founded in 2003 as a result of community interest in historic preservation spurred by the presence of Keweenaw National Historical Park (est. 1992). Our program is a small part of a much larger group of Main Street programs across the country. We follow guidelines laid out by the National Main Street program to ensure our program is a success. Over the past 15 years Main Street Calumet created multiple events such as Pasty Fest, Copper Dog 150 and hosted a variety of community programs such as small business seminars and the Main Street Calumet Farmer's Market.
The National Program
In 1949 the National Trust for Historic Preservation was established to save historic places and revitalize communities throughout the United States. In 1980 the National Trust created the National Trust Main Street Center, creating a framework for local organizations of all sizes revitalize their traditional historic commercial districts.
The Main Street program provides guidance for various aspects of running a volunteer based organization from how to start a program to how to run a meeting and from how to hire an executive director to what behaviors are appropriate in a committee meeting. While they provide suggestions on a great range of topics, the basics of the program are to gather a group of volunteers, organize them into 4 committees, a board of directors to provide general direction and fiscal responsibility and a general manager to support the wishes of the board and the efforts of the committees.
our mission Promoting collaboration between businesses and organizations, individuals and governments to create a vibrant historic community.
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our visionCalumet is a community that is vibrant, welcoming, attractive and proud. A place that values its rich cultural history and recreational abundance.
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The Four Points Approach
Main Street Calumet utilizes the signature 4 Points Approach to achieve our mission, with the goal of having a volunteer committee focused on each of these points.
Economic Vitality
Revitalizing a downtown or neighborhood commercial district requires focusing on the underlying Economic Vitality of the district. This work is rooted in a commitment to making the most of a community’s unique sense of place and existing historic assets, harnessing local economic opportunity and creating a supportive business environment for small business owners, entrepreneurs and innovators. With the nation-wide growing interest in living downtown, supporting downtown housing is also a key element of building Economic Vitality.
Design
A focus on Design supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical elements of downtown while capitalizing on the unique assets that set the commercial district apart. Main Streets enhance their appeal to residents and visitors alike with attention to public space through the creation of pedestrian friendly streets, inclusion of public art in unexpected areas, visual merchandising, adaptive reuse of older and historic buildings, more efficiently-designed buildings, transit oriented development, and much more.
Promotion
Promoting Main Street takes many forms, but the ultimate goal is to position the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and the hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics. This can be done through highlighting cultural traditions, celebrating and preserving important architecture and history, encouraging local businesses to market cooperatively, offering coordinated specials and sales, and hosting special events aimed at changing perceptions of the district and communicating to residents, investors, businesses, and property-owners that this place is special.
Organization
A strong organizational foundation is key for a sustainable Main Street revitalization effort. This can take many forms, from a standalone non-profit organization, to a special assessment district, to a program housed in a municipality or existing community development entity. Regardless of the organizational type, the focus is on ensuring that all organizational resources (partners, funding, volunteers, etc.) are mobilized to effectively implement the Community Transformative Strategies laid out by the board.
Economic Vitality
Revitalizing a downtown or neighborhood commercial district requires focusing on the underlying Economic Vitality of the district. This work is rooted in a commitment to making the most of a community’s unique sense of place and existing historic assets, harnessing local economic opportunity and creating a supportive business environment for small business owners, entrepreneurs and innovators. With the nation-wide growing interest in living downtown, supporting downtown housing is also a key element of building Economic Vitality.
Design
A focus on Design supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical elements of downtown while capitalizing on the unique assets that set the commercial district apart. Main Streets enhance their appeal to residents and visitors alike with attention to public space through the creation of pedestrian friendly streets, inclusion of public art in unexpected areas, visual merchandising, adaptive reuse of older and historic buildings, more efficiently-designed buildings, transit oriented development, and much more.
Promotion
Promoting Main Street takes many forms, but the ultimate goal is to position the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and the hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics. This can be done through highlighting cultural traditions, celebrating and preserving important architecture and history, encouraging local businesses to market cooperatively, offering coordinated specials and sales, and hosting special events aimed at changing perceptions of the district and communicating to residents, investors, businesses, and property-owners that this place is special.
Organization
A strong organizational foundation is key for a sustainable Main Street revitalization effort. This can take many forms, from a standalone non-profit organization, to a special assessment district, to a program housed in a municipality or existing community development entity. Regardless of the organizational type, the focus is on ensuring that all organizational resources (partners, funding, volunteers, etc.) are mobilized to effectively implement the Community Transformative Strategies laid out by the board.