Chapter 1 The Problem

Christy L. Adkins

Chapter 1 The Problem

1

Christy L. Adkins

The Project We are living in a world of uncertainty and unfriendliness. Rather than improving, it seems that recently the ugliness has gotten much worse. What we were taught as children to think of our country and our fellow citizens increasingly is proving to be untrue. The crazier the world becomes, the more we humans crave the nostalgia, and what we believe was simplicity, in days past. “Beleaguered by loss and change, we keep our bearings only by clinging to the remnants of stability.”1 This need to, for even a short period, slow down and recede into what we perceive as simpler times, creates the momentum for those who seek out their country and community’s past and the intrinsic heritage that comes with it. People have a need to go back to when they believed in the world as it exists in their memories, creating a feeling of nostalgia for their heritage. Preserving the artifacts and historic structures from our country’s past can make people feel patriotic, cozy, warm or comforted. Following a proven method to revitalize and sustain historic structures necessitates finding the most advantageous starting place to begin the project, which will eventually lead to the desired effect of revitalization of an area while retaining the historic relics and improving the lives of the citizens. To preserve our historic buildings and places, we must use them to create the assets that are required to facilitate their preservation: money, pride in community, knowledge, effort, a boosted economy and better way of life for local residents. Ideally, this needs to be done without hurting the lives of the local people and businesses, by incorporating safeguards against gentrification. The Main Street America™ Program created a successful and proven system as a roadmap to help save our historic places and revitalize our towns.

1

Lowenthal, David. The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

2

Christy L. Adkins

The creation of an organization to implement the guidelines of the program, Classic Cross Plains, is the vehicle created to follow that roadmap to benefit the city of Cross Plains TN. This project is about finding the best and most effective starting point for the city of Cross Plains TN, to begin implementing the Four Point Approach© designed by the Main Street America™ Program as a proven method of preserving historic structures. Importance of Preservation There has long been an understanding of the significance of preserving and repurposing historically pertinent structures, while keeping a close eye on also preserving the history of the structures. In the 1950’s in post-war United Kingdom, the Civic Trust project in Norwich began promoting an alternative to large-scale demolition: promotion of the revitalization of downtown commercial districts by generating economic and cultural activities that could justify renewed interest and investment.2 In the United States, Jane Jacobs became an unlikely voice in the promotion of saving our neighborhoods and downtown areas. She was not an architect nor a city planner, but her love of cities and history of being a writer allowed her to, in 1961, write a book that is still recognized as one of the most original and powerfully argued books on the subject. The major premise of her book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, is that our cities work much better as a mixture of many different types of people, businesses and housing, especially in older buildings. When people live and work in such a neighborhood, they can walk rather than drive, spend their money locally and take pride in their community. Ms. Jacobs also believed that old buildings must be saved, protected and used, to protect the environment from the refuse that would be created from their destruction and the use of precious resources for

2

Jokilehto, Jukka. “Chapter Seven – Conservation.” In History of Architectural Conservation, 191. New York: Routledge, 2017

3

Christy L. Adkins

rebuilding new. She also believed that new construction costs, transferred to higher rental prices and mortgages, makes it much more difficult for businesses that are housed within to succeed.3 In the United States, the National Trust for Historic Places was created in 1949 for the purpose of the preservation of this country’s historic built environment. The National Register was begun in 1966, to highlight historic properties to help enable their protection.4 The National Trust then created its subsidiary, Main Street America™ in 1977. This program has become a prevalent urban renewal program and a direct advocate for merchants and community members in the areas where the program operates. In 1984, at the 150th anniversary of the Royal Institute of British Architects, HRH Prince Charles gave a speech, where he referred to the problems faced by the ongoing transformation of historic urban areas. “At last people are beginning to see that it is possible, and important in human terms, to respect old buildings, street plans and traditional scales, after witnessing the wholesale destruction of Georgian and Victorian housing in most of our cities, people have begun to realize that it is possible to restore old buildings, and what is more, that there are architects willing to undertake such projects.”5 Since then the formation of the Heritage Trust Network in the United Kingdom, originally called the UK Association of Building Preservation Trusts, was formed in 1989. It was modeled similarly to the Main Street America program and is now a community of 250 local heritage organizations which provide each other with support, knowledge sharing and

3

Jacobs, Jane. “The Need for Aged Buildings.” In The Death and Life of Great American Cities: 50th Anniversary Edition, 244-60. New York: Modern Library, 2011. 245

4

"National Trust for Historic Preservation. March 15, 2016. Accessed May 12, 2017. https://savingplaces.org/we-are-saving-places

5

Royal Institute of British Architects. 150th Anniversary Gala. “A Speech by HRH The Prince of Wales.” News release, 1984. www.princeofwales.gov.uk/media/speeches/speech-hrh-the-prince-of-wales-the-150th-anniversary-of-the-royal-institute-of.

4

Christy L. Adkins

skills development. Together, they also provide a stronger voice to government agencies and funding bodies.6

Map to Success The most essential part of the Main Street program includes involving the people who would have the most influence and benefit from this procedure, otherwise known as stakeholders. This encompasses local people such as business owners, residents, and property owners. Convincing stakeholders to invest their time and money in preservation improvements requires the ability to prove to them that their investment will most likely show a good return. Finding that starting point and successfully creating the impetus of the community to invest in the plan and goals, is difficult and ongoing. Careful determination of what the citizens consider of value in their lives and why they value it is crucial to finding the correct path without destroying what is already good in their communities.7 Success is built upon small, incremental successes. To succeed, we simply need to find the best place to start, start small and keep going, to create a more prosperous, vigorous and sustainable condition for the benefit of the people and the town’s historic structures that still exist. Researching to find available grants is a necessary aspect of the program. Writing grant proposals requires being meticulous and thorough. Receiving grants, donations and help from various individuals and government entities, takes patience.8 The challenges to creating a

6

“History.” Heritage Trust Network. Accessed December 01, 2017. http://www.heritagetrustnetwork.org.uk/.

7

Jacobs, Jane. “Governing & Planning Districts.” In The Death and Life of Great American Cities: 50th Anniversary Edition, 527-57. New York: Modern Library, 2011. 528

8

O'Neal-McElrath, Tori. Winning Grants Step by Step: The Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing, and Writing Successful Proposals. 4th ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2013.

5

Christy L. Adkins

positive flow toward improvement are varied and important. Because all of these tasks take a great deal of time and patience, apathy on the part of residents must continuously be rechanneled into a positive attitude. It is essential to get to know the area and the stakeholders and find out what those stakeholders believe is missing from their community.9 Combining their opinions with the research already done, to find the best possible choices for a particular community, it is then possible to follow the roadmap created and outlined by the Main Street America™ program to achieve the beginnings of revitalization. Creating the organization, Classic Cross Plains, as the agent to do the work and experiencing the lessons learned from that work was a valuable process. Since one of the requirements for certification into the program is that there is a full time paid director, and this entails an ongoing expense, it will take time and a great deal of work to convince the stakeholders that it is feasible and advantageous to get Cross Plains certified as a Main Street town. It will require many continuous achievements to prove that the program works and that the investment required for the certification, is a worthy expenditure of time and money. Practical experience gained during the planning and implementation of the program, determining problems which are encountered during the implementation and finding solutions for those problems, is the basis of this applied thesis. This method benefits the town by making use of my free labor and is providing much needed hands-on experience and knowledge for me. Following the Main Street America™ program could eventually lead to a case study of its efficacy and may provide information to build upon the existing compiled data and to help enhance the national program in the future. The determinations of future improvements to be made in Cross Plains

9

"The Main Street Approach - Main Street America." Mainstreet.org. Accessed August 1, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/aboutmain-street/main-street-america/the-main-street-approach.html.

6

Christy L. Adkins

will include the measures of relevance and impact, validity and availability, simplicity, the ability to aggregate information and the ability to reflect trends.10 Ensuring sustainability for future improvements during this process requires a commitment to unveiling the organizational and financial structures that are the foundation of community revitalization. Programs that have been proven to be sustainable are those with stability in leadership, governance, finances and staffing, are flexible, innovative and entrepreneurial, efficient at what they do, that frequently partner with other groups and agencies, attract and retain volunteers, have credibility within their community and are involved in other community related activities.11 This is an outline of those challenges, how the program was followed, a presentation of the results so far, and a plan for the future of Cross Plains TN, which can be implemented in the effort to ameliorate the city.

Cross Plains TN Cross Plains is a quaint, quiet and beautiful old town. The people are friendly and the lifestyle is laid back. Most days, you can find residents having lunch at one of the two diners or the soda fountain in the drugstore, which serves as the hub of news and gossip. The town businesses shut down at the end of the business day, except the Piggly Wiggly, Dollar General and gas station. Although I am not an original resident, I had the pleasure of being a part of the community for over twenty years. I was a local business owner, running a flower shop, until the great recession. I also was a residential builder and remodeler, with some of my projects involving historic buildings. I was accepted into the community and felt very much at home. 10

11

Mullin, John, and Zenia Kotval. "Measuring the Effectiveness of Downtown Revitalization Strategies." June 2003. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=larp_faculty_pubs. Kimmel, Chad M., PhD, and Joel Schoening, PhD. “Sustainable Main Street Revitalization: An Evaluation of the Four-Point Approach in Pennsylvania’s Main Street Programs.” EcDevJournal.com, September 19, 2016. http://www.ecdevjournal.com/en/new/index.

7

Christy L. Adkins

The viewpoint that “nothing ever gets done in this town” is pervasive in Cross Plains because the town has had a steady stream of city commissioners who did not wish to spend money and did not want growth, preferring to keep things quiet and the way they are. The people who have more progressive agendas have tried many times to make changes and to help create growth. These attempts have been rejected. Consequently, many small businesses that located to Cross Plains could not succeed and closed within a few months or years. The lack of business traffic is difficult to overcome, since the residents tend to travel to other cities to spend their money for the necessities and especially for entertainment. Since there are few businesses to supply jobs most of the residents commute to Nashville or other cities for work, or don’t work at all because of an inability to commute. This no-growth philosophy accomplished keeping many of the historic buildings and the small town atmosphere intact, since it discouraged development. Several historic structures in Cross Plains remain and are in good condition, but a few are in disrepair and in danger of being lost forever. The majority of small business startups over the past few decades have not succeeded and the town is not thriving economically. There is very little foot traffic in the historic downtown area due to the lack of businesses. The main street is a state highway and therefore the automobile traffic tends to be greater than small towns off the beaten path. The population has been growing somewhat, but it is a bedroom community with most of the residents’ income being earned and spent in neighboring communities. Having lived in the town for over twenty years, witnessing many small business failures and some of the historic structures neglected, it is evident to me that there is a need for revitalization and preservation in Cross Plains. In 2002, there were seven small businesses on Main Street, in addition to ten that exist now. One of the indicators of the health of a small town

8

Christy L. Adkins

is the occupancy rate.12 The result of this indicator, a loss of over 41%, also affects the diversity of uses, another indicator, since there are fewer types of businesses available to help fulfill the needs of the community.13 Classic Cross Plains began with an internship under the guidance of the Director of the Greater Gallatin Main Street Program, Donna Belote, who continues to serve as my mentor. Her city has a very successful program that Donna started, which has been in place for over twenty years and has transformed the historic district from a virtually abandoned and decaying area where people rarely went. Gallatin has become a vibrant, bustling downtown area with festivals, many small boutique businesses and a clean and inviting appearance. (See Appendix – Page 83) Donna originally suggested that I work with the City of White House TN to begin the process of integration into the Main Street America™ program, She believed that learning everything that it takes to start a program is the best way to learn what it takes to successfully run one. Since the ultimate goal is the revitalization and preservation of historic buildings, we determined White House is not a good candidate due to the shortage of remaining historic buildings. The city had allowed the demolition of the original downtown area, all of the buildings except two, over the last twenty years. We agreed that Cross Plains TN would be a better candidate for the program. Therefore, my internship goal was to attempt to get Cross Plains on a path which would help the town to eventually become a Main Street Designated City.

Promotion of the city begins with learning its attributes and knowing what a great place Cross Plains is to reside due to mild weather, low cost of living, good schools and no income tax.

12

Mullin, John, and Zenia Kotval. "Measuring the Effectiveness of Downtown Revitalization Strategies." June 2003. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=larp_faculty_pubs.

13

Ibid.

9

Christy L. Adkins

Cross Plains Statistics Median age 36.1 Population 1,722 Married 55% Unemployment rate 4.3% Median home price 148,600 Average Commute Time 31.95 minutes Cost of Living is 11% lower than national average Student per teacher ratio is 14.8 School ratings are 7/10 for the Elementary and 6/10 for the Middle/High School with ten being the best. Crime rate is 28 out of 100 with 100 being the worst. Climate: 49 inches rain/year National avg. 39/year 4 inches snow/year National avg. 26/year High Temp in July 88 degrees Low temp in January is 27 Political Party 31.53% Democrat 67.11% Republican Sales tax rate is 9.75% Income tax rate is 0.0% Median household income is $59,010 Race: White 96.7% Black 1.15% Asian 0.0% Education:

14

Grade School

6.8%

Some High School

12.4%

High School Grad

24%

Some college

9.5%

Two year degree

20.6%

Four-year degree

13.7%

Masters’ Degree

>1%

Professional Degree

1%14

“Cross Plains, Tennessee Education.” Accessed August 08, 2017. http://www.bestplaces.net/education/city/tennessee/cross_plains.

10

Christy L. Adkins

Current condition of Historic Cross Plains TN (See Appendix A) 

The town has several historically significant buildings.



The historic bank building is currently converted to vacant retail space and occupied upstairs housing.



The Graves Market building is a two story store front on the main corner and has been in use for fifteen years as a retail antiques and mercantile.



The Doctor’s House which has been converted into a museum.



The first automotive sales building is being used as an auto repair and hardware store.



The painted lady Victorian Corner House was converted to retail space (currently vacant) and upstairs housing.



Villine’s Victorian Inn was converted to retail space, and now back to residential space.



There are several late 1800/early 1900 houses, many in great condition.



An original early 1900 drug store complete with a soda fountain.

The current conditions inhibiting economic growth in Cross Plains are: 

The lack of parking which will lead to a limit on future commerce.



Lack of more tourism industry dollars.



In the town center, there are some distressed properties and no focal point feature.



Two of the town center historic houses, are used as rentals and are dilapidated.

Area 1. Currently this is a residential lot that borders commercial enterprises in the center of town. There is a very small, very old and vacant mobile home on this lot, that needs to be removed

11

Christy L. Adkins

because it is uninhabitable and an eyesore. This area could be purchased by the city, cleared and paved for greatly needed public parking. Area 2. This is a vacant field in the center of town, which could be developed by the current owner who has expressed an interest in doing so. The development could be encouraged through tax incentives by the city and county, working closely with the owner to help with planning, and low interest loans. The area could be turned into a shopping area with several storefronts designed in an authentic historic style to match the time period of the other historic buildings. A landscaped area would create a pleasing, welcoming entrance. A paved parking area could be added to help alleviate the parking in the city center. Areas 3, 4, 5. These are three dilapidated one story storefronts which, because of their condition, are only partially used. This area is low and floods badly every year. The buildings are in major disrepair and have no historical value. Areas 6, 7. Two houses in the center of town are used as rentals and are in very poor condition and an eyesore for the community. Area 8. The auto junk yard is right off the center of town and is an eyesore. It is essential to create a good physical condition in the city center, which will project a safe and welcoming environment for shoppers, workers and tourists while preserving the current historic 12

Christy L. Adkins

character. A more pleasing environment will encourage small businesses that will provide essential amenities to the residents. Promotion and expansion of tourism will help restructure the economy, strengthen the community and diversify the economic base. The History of Cross Plains TN In the early 1700’s, the land around the middle Cumberland was beginning to be explored by white men, mostly hunters and explorers. They found several tribes of Native Americans including the Shawnee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw and Cherokee. The first settler in the Cross Plains area was Thomas Kilgore. At the age of more than sixty years, in the spring of 1778, Kilgore walked from Caswell County North Carolina to take advantage of the government land grants for soldiers. As most pioneers in that era, he carried a gun, knife, tomahawk, ammunition and salt. He also carried a few grains of corn. He followed the trails of wild animals and avoided confrontations with natives while making his way through the Cumberland Gap. He came upon a cave where a stream existed and flowed into what is now the Red River. He decided to reside in the cave since he could enter and exit through the water without leaving a trail. Inside the cave was a large room with a smaller room above it. He used the smaller room as a hideaway by pulling the climbing rope up behind him and pulling a rock over the opening to hide the entrance. In this way, he was concealed when any natives entered the cave. He planted his corn in the rich soil and when it was ready to harvest, he gathered some, and headed back to North Carolina to retrieve his family and land grant of 640 acres. He returned with his family and several friends in the spring of 1779 and built a stockade fort for shelter and protection. From this settlement, then called Kilgore Station, Cross Plains was begun. People would travel to Nashville, then known as French Lick, from the east and north and pass through Kilgore Station and spend a day or two. At that time, this area was the county of Tennessee, a part of North Carolina, and did not 13

Christy L. Adkins

become the state of Tennessee until 1796. Thomas Kilgore built the first grist mill in what would become Robertson County sometime between 1785 and 1790. 15 “Over the years Thomas Kilgore watched as his small settlement grew into a prosperous rural town. Although he was over 100 years old at the time, he was still healthy and active. It was said that Thomas Kilgore ‘could, at the age of 104, jump up and kick his heels together three times before touching the floor.’16 “Kilgore always said that he had never taken a dose of medicine nor had he ever been ill. He also stated that he had never ridden a horse nor had he ever ridden in a wagon. Kilgore was having some problems with his gun so he decided to walk to Gallatin and have it repaired. A storm cloud came up and it began to rain. When he arrived home, he stopped at the Villine’s Inn where he rested and dried his clothing. (See Appendix B – Page 71) It is said that he told several tall tales and danced a jig. However, the events of the day proved too much for even the healthy and hardy Mr. Kilgore. At the approximate age of 108, Thomas Kilgore died.” 17 Cross Plains was said to have gotten its name from the expression of going “across the plains” to get from place to place. The town is located on the main thoroughfares from Kentucky to Nashville and from Gallatin (Sumner County) to Springfield (Robertson County), which became the county seats. Early economic enterprises were corn, cotton, tobacco and whisky. The first post office was established on January 9, 1818.18 Homes began to spring up with the first being the Purcell house built in 1817 and located behind the current Thomas Drugs. (See Appendix B – Page 72) The second home constructed was the Pioneer Inn in 1819 built by William Randolph. 15

Read, Rita A. “Chapter One.” In Across the Plains – A History of Cross Plains Tennessee 1778 – 1986. Cross Plains, TN: Cross Plains Heritage Commission, 2017. 1-14

16

Read, Rita A. “Chapter One.” In Across the Plains – A History of Cross Plains Tennessee 1778 – 1986. Cross Plains, TN: Cross Plains Heritage Commission, 2017. 1-14

17

Ibid

18

Ibid

14

Christy L. Adkins

Later this became Villine’s Inn. (See Appendix B – Page 73) The town became a bustling area with new businesses springing up including a saw mill and blacksmith shop. Cook Bros & Co. store sold groceries, hardware and farming implements.19 (See Appendix B – Page 74) W. H. Jernigan and Co. tobacco warehouse was located on Main Street. (See Appendix B – Page 75) John Durrett opened a Tobacco factory which he ran from an attached addition to his home in the center of town.20 The 1900 American Historical Magazine describes Cross Plains as follows: “It has always been a live village, in the midst of a thriving community, noted for its health and morality. It has now 5 dry goods and grocery stores, 2 drug stores, 1 saloon, 1 blacksmith, 1 wagon, 1 tailor, 1 saddle and harness and 1 boot and shoe shop, 1 hotel, 1 school – Stonewall College, 1 church – Cumberland Presbyterian, 1 Masonic and Odd Fellows hall, 1 steam saw and grist mill, a number of handsome cottage residences, and a population of 150, of which about one-third are colored.” The first known school in Cross Plains was called the Neophogen (a Greek word which means “new light”) College and was established in 1873. (See Appendix B – Page 76) The name signaled a new type of school, more progressive and co-educational. The first building to house the school was a small house until, in 1880, a much larger frame structure was built with a main hallway from which all doors could be accessed. This building no longer exists. The Professor was J. M. Walton.21

19

Ibid

20

Read, Rita A. “Chapter Two.” In Across the Plains – A History of Cross Plains Tennessee 1778 – 1986. Cross Plains, TN: Cross Plains Heritage Commission, 2017. 1-14

21

Ibid

15

Christy L. Adkins

The oldest remaining storefront is Graves Market built shortly after the Civil War. (See Appendix B – Page 77) It served as a grocery store for many years. There was a dry goods store located where the present Thomas Drugs store is today. That building burned in 1914 and in 1915 the present building was erected. This newer building has been used as dry goods and general merchandise until 1930, when the first drugstore was located there. (See Appendix B – Page 78) Thomas Drugs and Soda Fountain has continually operated from this location by several different owners, but originally by Dr. James Thomas. (See Appendix B - Page 84) In 1907, the Cross Plains Bank building was built and used as a bank until it closed during the Great Depression in July of 1932 when there was a run on the bank. (See Appendix B – Page 80) The first gasoline station in Cross Plains was built around 1921. Pitt’s Garage was built about 1920 and was operated by the Tate family as a garage until 1932. (See Appendix B – Page 81) The Tate family moved their business from this location into the new Tate building on Main Street, to open a combination garage and Chevrolet dealership. 22 (See Appendix B – Page 82) According to The Tennesseean, in the 1930’s and 40’s, Cross Plains had more nationally-known fox hound judges than any other town in the United States. There were fox hunts on farms near Cross Plains. Small businesses have come and gone throughout the town’s history. But there are roots in Cross Plains and many of the original family names are still carried by town residents.

22

Read, Rita A. “Chapter Three.” In Across the Plains – A History of Cross Plains Tennessee 1778 – 1986. Cross Plains, TN: Cross Plains Heritage Commission, 2017. 1-14

16

Christy L. Adkins

The Main Street Program Little outside research has been done on the efficacy of The Main Street America™ Program, even though it has been helping historic districts to revitalize and preserve their historic resources for over 40 years. This program was created in response to the years of declining inner cities and the resulting flight of people into suburbia.23 According to the Main Street program and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, it has been continuously successful in revitalizing and creating growth. Making communities economically strong will sustain them through adverse economic times and will allow them to weather the storms effectively because they have adjusted and grown their economies. By making their communities conducive to business growth, they have provided a decent quality of life in the good times and sustenance in the bad.24 This program is now also being utilized to help small cities in the rural areas to deal with the reverse migration trend of people returning to the urban areas. The program has changed and improved over the years, but what hasn’t changed is the basic premise of using the historical built environment to produce the revenue required to preserve and restore downtown areas and prevent further deterioration. There have been great successes all over the country with billions of dollars in reinvestment for physical improvements, hundreds of thousands of jobs created, and the creation and success of many small businesses.25

23

“The Main Street Approach.” The Main Street Approach - Main Street America. Accessed August 1, 2016, from http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/about-main-street/main-street-america/the-main-street-approach.

24

Gordon, Gerald L. The Formula for Economic Growth on Main Street America. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2010.

25

“Main Street Impact.” Main Street Impact – Main Street America. August 2017. https://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/mainstreetimpact

17

Christy L. Adkins

Program Successes Franklin Tennessee is the location where an important battle was fought during the Civil War. (See Appendix B - Page 66)) The city has a church that served as a hospital for the wounded soldiers and there is a military cemetery for those who fought there. It also was in bad economic shape during the 1970’s. It now has a vibrant economic structure with thriving businesses and a dynamic tourist trade.26 This change is primarily the result of an aggressive Main Street Program which was established in 1984. Working in partnership with property owners, preservationists, city and county government, local businesses and merchants in the historic district, this city has become a shining success story for the program. This town is a historically significant, eclectic place that reminds locals and visitors of a simpler time in history. It has also become a desirable area in which to live for the wealthy from the Nashville area, causing property values to dramatically increase.27 (See Appendix B – Page 67) Acworth Georgia has been busy revitalizing their downtown area for fifteen years, making it a walkable and economically thriving community. (See Appendix B – Page 68) Street improvements, five new public parking areas, noise reduction at railroad crossings, walking trails, open greenspace, picnic shelters, a playground, and the upcoming renovation of a historic home into an Arts Center, a new community center, and a replica train museum enhance progressive and successful improvements. These enhancements were initiated as joint projects with the City of Acworth Business Community and the government officials, with the guidance of the Acworth Main Street Program. The Downtown Business district is vibrant with almost no 26

27

Lind, J.R. “Williamson County Sets Tourism Records.” Franklin, TN Patch. August 23, 2017. https://patch.com/tennessee/franklin/williamsoncounty-sets-tourism-records.

Downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Retrieved September 15, 2017, from http://www.downtownfranklintn.com/

18

Christy L. Adkins

vacancies and many restaurants, taverns, wedding venues and small boutique businesses. The town has taken an idea from Las Vegas and legalized alcoholic beverages to be carried in the open. Their close location to Lake Allatoona and the beach which borders the Historic District of town has made this a desirable relocation destination with houses being purchased very quickly once on the market. Main Street program promoted events include Classic Car Cruises, Easter Egg Hunts, Whole Town Arts Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Smoke on the Lake BBQ Festival, Memorial Day Ceremony which opens the Lake and Park Season, Farmers Market, Dixie Highway 90 mile long yard sale, Triathlons for men and women, Independence Day concert and fireworks, Taste of Acworth 150 booth festival, Halloween jamboree, Acworth Craft Beer Festival, Turkey Chase 5K, Santa’s Arrival at the Train Depot, Tree Lighting Ceremony, Saturdays with Santa, Daddy/daughter Valentine Dance and a Polar Plunge to support Special Olympics.28 (See Appendix B – Page 69) The successful programs have had city support, effective public and private partnerships, a good focal point in the downtown area, powerful promotions to the community and well planned events and celebrations. Main Street Programs have many goals, but one of the most important is to provide the impetus required to start revitalization efforts, which leads to the preservation of historic buildings and other cultural resources. The creation of the Main Street Program began in 1977, and was an experiment proposed and funded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, whose intent was to find a successful and sustainable approach to saving historic buildings and resources. A pilot program was begun in three cities in the United States, to study the causes of decline, find a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the areas, bringing back people, small businesses and the rehabilitation of historic buildings. This pilot program was the 28

"City of Acworth." Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.acworth.org/.

19

Christy L. Adkins

beginning of the acquisition of much knowledge and many improvements and updates to the program. Combining several key concepts was determined to be the best approach. This included a strong public-private partnership, a dedicated community based organization, a fulltime, paid local program manager, a commitment to good design, quality promotional programs and a coordinated, incremental process.29 In 2004, Fannie Mae published assembled data for more than 1,600 districts that participated in the Main Street approach. At the twenty year anniversary of the program start, the average Main Street district reported 9.5 million dollars in new investment, 49 building improvement projects, 32 net new businesses, and 129 net new jobs.30 The Main Street Program has continued to grow and improve in the last 40 years, emphasizing information and direction provided by the national program and the eventual state programs that were formed. Since 1980, through the end of 2016, the cumulative reinvestment statistics are impressive for the overall program in over 600 cities. There is a net gain reinvestment ratio (new investment that occurs on average, for every dollar a participating community spends to support the operation of its Main Street program) that increased in just one year from December of 201531 to December of 2016, from $26 for every $1 invested to $32.56.32 Dollars Reinvested: total reinvestment in physical improvements:

$70.25 billion

29

“History of the National Main Street Center." Accessed March 18, 2016. www.mainstreet.org/main-street/the-center/history.html.

30

Seidman, Karl F. Reitalizing Commerce for American Cities – A Practitioner’s Guide to Urvan Main Street Programs. PDF. Washington D.C.: Fannie Mae, 2004. 4

31

Jon Stover & Associates Economic Development Consulting. Fiscal Impact Analysis of Public Sector Spending on Four Main Street Programs. Publication. National Main Street Center, 2017. https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NMSC/Upoaded Images/f8427bO-3cd1-47fa-9f77-420e664b444a/NMSC-Fiscal Impact-Analysis-Report-2017.pdf.

32

Main Street Reinvestment Statistics." Mainstreet.org. Accessed December 18, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/about-mainstreet/reinvestment-statistics-1.html.

20

Christy L. Adkins

Number of buildings rehabilitations:

268,053

Net gain in jobs:

584,422

Net gain in businesses:

132,092 $32.56: $1

Reinvestment Ratio (i):

(2016) 33

The 2016 statistics for the State of Tennessee Downtown Program encompass a smaller area, but reveal similar results: Number of designated programs

34

Number of programs included in these statistics

29

Net new jobs

1019

Net new businesses

231

Rehabilitation projects completed

332

Public improvement projects completed

99

Total Private Investment

$58,874,275

Total Public Investment

$95,389,432

Attendance at events and festivals in 2016

1.31 million34

In 2001, a study which included data gathered from twenty-two cities participating in the Main Street Program since 1996, was completed. Some of the statistics from this study are: A net number of businesses increased 24% A Net number of jobs increased 31% Retail sales increased 105% Commercial property values increased 167% Storefront vacancy rates declined 76% Retail and office rental rates increased 65% and 71% respectively.35 33

Ibid

34

Williams, Nancy. "Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Tennessee Downtowns Program." Cis.tennessee.edu. Spring 2017.

21

Christy L. Adkins

A similar study was done on Main Street Programs in four areas, Washington, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and the City of Boston. The study of the data from 2015 – 2016 compares the economic difference between Main Street areas and municipalities without programs in place within the same areas. The data shows higher economic, and job growth activity in the participating programs.

2015-2016 ECONOMIC IMPACT SUMMARY Economic Development Consulting Below are state-wide economic impact summaries. Each of the four case study areas has a significant Main Street economic impact. Washington Number of Programs: 16 Avg. Annual State Budget: $1.2 million Average Business Growth: • Municipalities: -3.5% • Main Streets: 1.1% • Difference: 4.6% Average Revenue Growth: • Municipalities: 7.3% • Main Streets: 28.0% • Difference: 20.7% Average Job Growth: • Municipalities: -0.3% • Main Streets: 9.3% • Difference: 9.6% Oklahoma Number of Programs: 33 Avg. Annual State Budget: $470,000 Average Business Growth: • Municipalities: -3.6% • Main Streets: 0.2% • Difference: 3.8% Average Revenue Growth: • Municipalities: 3.7% • Main Streets: 11.3% • Difference: 7.6% Average Job Growth: • Municipalities: -1.6% • Main Streets: 5.8% • Difference: 7.5% Pennsylvania Number of Programs: 46 Avg. Annual City Budget: $2.8 million Average Business Growth: • Municipalities: -3.1% • Main Streets: 0.2% • Difference: 3.2% Average Revenue Growth: • Municipalities: 2.6% • Main Streets: 7.4% • Difference: 4.8% Average Job Growth: • Municipalities: 7.2% • Main Streets: 12.0% • Difference: 4.8% 35

Eichenfield & Associates, comp. Strategies for Revitalizing Our Downtowns and Neighborhoods: Evaluating California Main Street programs. Report. A Study for the Local Government Commission. July 2002.

22

Christy L. Adkins

Boston Number of Programs: 20 Avg. Annual City Budget: $1.8 million Average Business Growth: • Municipalities: 4.0% • Main Streets: 1.8% • Difference: -2.2% Average Revenue Growth: • Municipalities: -4.3% • Main Streets: 13.7% • Difference: 18.0% Average Job Growth: • Municipalities: 11.7% • Main Streets: 26.2% • Difference: 14.5%

36

Current top management of the National Main Street America™ Program includes well qualified and experienced individuals: Patrice Frey

President/CEO

Master’s in Historic Preservation/Planning

Matt Wagner,

Ph.D VP of Revitalization

Ph.D. in Urban Affairs/Econ. Development

Dionne Baux

Dir. Of Urban Programs

Master’s in Public Administration

Rachel Bowdon

Sr. Manage-Content/Editor

Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy

How the Program Works One of the basic tenets of the program is to promote investment in small businesses. The creation of small businesses leads to increased numbers of jobs, greater community pedestrian traffic, the rejuvenation of buildings and business areas, and stronger community spirit. Investment by the program includes advice, promotion and information. In the past, government entities gave tax breaks to large corporations to lure them into their area, thinking that this would create more jobs. It has been proven that 87% of private-sector jobs created between 1995 and 2013 stemmed from in-state businesses, created by startups, entrepreneurs or the expansion of

36

Jon Stover & Associates Economic Development Consulting. Fiscal Impact Analysis of Public Sector Spending on Four Main Street Programs. Publication. National Main Street Center, 2017. https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NMSC/UploadedImages/f8427b0-3cd147fa-9f77-420e664b444a/NMSC-FiscalImpact-Analysis-Report-2017.pdf.

23

Christy L. Adkins

employment at existing companies.37 Investing in the community rather than providing tax breaks, results in more growth and a better community spirit, which in turn creates more businesses. This is the path which the program follows to achieve its main goal. When the local economy is growing, it creates the funding and willingness to invest, which creates the support and venture capitalization to revitalize the historic structures and landscapes within the community, which is the ultimate goal of the Main Street Approach. The Main Street Four Point Approach™ utilizes Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic Restructuring. 

Organization: Establishing consensus and cooperation by building partnerships among stakeholders of the subject area and getting everyone to work toward the same goal provides a collaborative atmosphere in which everyone’s perspectives are incorporated. This is the most important of the four points, since without the cooperation and input from the stakeholders, there would no progress and therefore no need for the rest of the points.



Promotion: Creating a positive image to rekindle pride in the community and improve confidence in an economic resurgence through advertising, retail promotional activities, special events and marketing campaigns. Promotions communicate uniqueness and benefits to shoppers, investors, business owners and visitors.



Design: It is extremely important to get the district into top physical shape and create a safe and inviting atmosphere, by enhancing the existing physical elements and incorporating quality improvements.

37

NextCity.Org. “Are Entrepreneurs a Better Gov’t Investment Than Corporations?” Next City. Accessed July 10, 2016. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/corporate-subsidies-states-should-invest-entrepreneurs.

24

Christy L. Adkins



Economic Restructuring: Strengthening the existing economic assets while attracting a balanced mix of commercial enterprises, converting unused spaces and expanding the diversity of the offerings for shoppers and visitors.38 Since the Main Street Program refresh, this point has changed slightly from restructuring to Economic Vitality. But the premise is the same, build a diverse economic base, promote investment and a friendly atmosphere for entrepreneurs.39

The first step in the approach is to identify the Community Vision for Success. To accomplish this, most stakeholders should contribute and all ideas are considered. Research and collection of available pertinent data will allow the program to make the best decisions that will initiate the most advantageous changes to achieve established goals. Surveys are great tools to help clarify what is needed. Information and stakeholder opinions are gathered and studied, which will allow the program participants to understand the dynamics of the trade area and address issues. Some of these would be business mix, vacancies, out of area competition, determination of the most important parts of the town efforts toward business recruitment and retention, entrepreneurship encouragement, available niche markets, identifying potential mixed use buildings, development of a community brand and the plan to promote it, and determine what other district improvements should and could be made.40 The program can then ascertain the best solution to accomplish the most advantageous goals and communicate this information back to the

38

Dono, Andrew L., and Linda S. Glisson. Revitalizing Main Street: A Practitioner's Guide to Comprehensive Commercial District Revitalization. Washington, DC: Main Street, National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Trust Main Street Center, 2009. 12.

39

“The Main Street Approach.” The Main Street Approach – Main Street America – Refresh.. Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/the approach.

40

"Creating Resilient and Vibrant Downtowns." University of Wisconsin Extension. Accessed November 9, 2016. http://fyi.uwex.edu/resilientdowntowns/.

25

Christy L. Adkins

stakeholders for additional input.41 Not all communities are the same and will therefore require a unique approach. Community Transformation Strategies are determined once all input is received and the vision created: a plan of action to achieve the vision through good design of community assets and future improvements, adding promotion of the area, cultural events and the entire community. Promotional activities should be constructed to encourage tourism and the involvement of local community members to participate in activities, enjoy the distinctive characteristics and to spend money. The improvements are intended to create a sense of pride within the community.42 Organization of the program steps, goals and resulting activities is imperative, so that scarce resources are not wasted on non-productive results. And finally, in the Impact and Measurement phase of the program, data is collected and analyzed on the results of the activities to determine whether there are visible results, increased activity, more human interaction and traffic, and greater sales volume.43 These analytics will determine how to improve on the program strategies. The Main Street America™ guiding principles44 give further information on how to apply the approach. 1. The plan must be comprehensive in that it should have more than one focus, including business recruitment, retention and promotion – long term and short term goals – public improvements - cultural events and stakeholder inclusion. 41

Hester, Randolph. Subconscious Landscapes of the Heart. PDF. EScholarship University of California, 1985.

42

Morse, Suzanne W. Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2014. 121

43

44

"The Main Street Approach - Main Street America." Mainstreet.org. Accessed August 1, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/about-main-street/main-street-america/the-main-street-approach.html. "The Main Street Approach." The Main Street Approach - Main Street America - Refresh. Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/theapproach.

26

Christy L. Adkins

2. To succeed, the program must be incremental by beginning with small activities, to immediately begin showing progress, while working on larger and more complex projects for the future, to achieve the most visible and sustainable results. 3. The revitalization of a district or town is a self-help task. If the city officials, residents, business owners and other stakeholders are not willing to do the work and invest what is required to achieve success and improve the community, then others will not help. 4. Therefore, there must be partnerships between both the public and the private sectors. Both must have a vital interest in the common goals. These joint ventures must be encompassing of all that a successful partnership entails, including communication, a complete understanding of the goals and comprehension of the strengths and weaknesses of the other partners. 5. One of the first tasks these partnerships must perform is identifying and capitalizing on existing assets. Every community is unique and has something that makes it what it is. Finding that unique quality and expanding and emphasizing it, to become a theme for the revitalization, are essential to a successful program. 6. All tasks performed must be done with quality in mind. People can see inferior workmanship which will cause a continued negative impression of the area. The identity of the district is promoted through making the area better, playing on emotions and creating good feelings. The challenge in this is that when resources are scarce, it can be difficult to achieve a quality product. It is better to have smaller projects which can be completed in a professional manner, rather than big projects done cheaply.

27

Christy L. Adkins

7. One of the greatest challenges for a Main Street Program is the skepticism and negativity of those who do not believe it will be beneficial. The answer to that is for them to witness change and improvements immediately and continually. 8. The implementations of small quality changes on a continual basis will make them take notice and eventually begin to believe in and help with the program.45 Small cities and historic districts in larger cities may not necessarily have the funds to hire a market analysis done by professionals. The federal and local government offices have websites that will have a great amount of free data that can be collected to help the program do its own market analysis. All branches of the United States federal government use the .gov domain. Information such as Census statistics, Congressional hearings, and Supreme Court rulings would be included in these sites and the information is considered to be from a credible source.46 The data from these sites can be compiled and analyzed to help the local businesses understand their trade area better to improve sales and can be used to explore what business development opportunities are worth investing in for the area. It can be used to educate the public to the economic importance of the downtown area, and can help to determine who to aim the promotions at, that would help the area the most.47 Determining a target group for a marketing campaign creates more positive impact for the money spent. Heritage tourists who travel specifically to visit heritage rich sites, have a high spending ratio for time spent.48 Focusing

45

"Creating Resilient and Vibrant Downtowns." University of Wisconsin Extension. Accessed November 9, 2016. http://fyi.uwex.edu/resilientdowntowns/.

46

Evaluating Internet Information. Accessed November 11, 2017. http://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit07/internet07_08.phtml.

47

48

"Creating Resilient and Vibrant Downtowns." University of Wisconsin Extension. Accessed November 9, 2016. http://fyi.uwex.edu/resilientdowntowns/. Dallen, Timothy J. "Cultural Heritage and Tourism: An Introduction, by Dallen J. Timothy." Journal of Heritage Tourism 7, no. 3 (2012): 27778.

28

Christy L. Adkins

promotions and advertising on historical websites, blogs and travel/heritage related public broadcasting programs would be targeting the type of person who would be most likely travel to the area. Performing surveys in the district itself, and in the competing areas, can greatly enhance the market analysis. Using Geographic Information Systems, to supplement the analysis and surveys, gives the program the ability to visualize the data on a map, which helps to understand the data by adding geographical context.49 Local residents and community members are the best resource for insights and direction. They know their town and the nuances that, when taken into consideration, can make the difference between creating the excitement, enthusiasm and momentum required for the project to succeed or not. Another effective tool, to help focus on appropriate goals for the program, is to join with a similar, and geographically close community to perform a First Impressions Community Assessment. This entails each program sending representatives to the other community to act as secret shoppers to assess the first impressions that they get from that community. The exchange of this constructive criticism through a pre-agreed upon form is very helpful to the program to remove the blinders that people have about their own towns due to familiarity.50 Historic assets are one of the most important parts of our heritage in America. ‘Old buildings and a diversity of scale and ages of buildings in a neighborhood, translates to more jobs and affordable places to live.’51 For the first time in many decades, participating small towns and 49

"Creating Resilient and Vibrant Downtowns." University of Wisconsin Extension. Accessed November 9, 2016. http://fyi.uwex.edu/resilientdowntowns/.

50

Wille, Nicola. "First Impressions Revisited." Center for Community & Economic Development. Accessed August 2, 2016. http://cced.ces.uwex.edu/2014/11/21/first-impressions-revisited/.

51

Steuteville, Robert. "Old Buildings Are Made for You and Me." CNU. November 29, 2016. https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2016/11/21/oldbuildings-are-made-you-and-me.

29

Christy L. Adkins

urban areas in America are experiencing job growth and net population gains, due to the Main Street Program.52 The contributions of older buildings and diverse city blocks are increasingly seen as essential to the success of American cities.53 Saving the historic buildings is the goal of the program, but is also the means by which to save the communities. A very economical and convenient part of the program is to create mixed use development within the district. Buildings that have both commercial (downstairs) and residential (upstairs) usage helps to create an environment where people can walk to work, reducing fuel and transportation costs. Residents who live in the district can walk to do their shopping, attend schools, and visit community centers and to socialize, fueling the market for more housing and positioning for downtown revitalization. This creates a neighborhood feel for the area and since the area has activity after hours, it creates a need for after-hours businesses, such as restaurants and entertainment venues. Having residential units is economical for the property owner who can either live on the site of his business, or rent out the space for a reasonable rate since the building is multi-use. This may help lead to more affordable housing. It also can lead to the buildings being maintained better. As people begin to spend more time in the district, more services, businesses and green areas will be created for leisure activities.54

52

Kimmel, Chad M., PhD, and Joel Schoening, PhD. “Sustainable Main Street Revitalization: An Evaluation of the Four-Point Approach in Pennsylvania’s Main Street Programs.” EcDevJournal.com, September 19, 2016. http://www.ecdevjournal.com/en/new/index.

53

Powe, Mike. "Preservation Leadership Forum." National Trust for Historic Places Resource Library. Accessed October 6, 2016. http://forum.savingplaces.org/viewdocument/report-atlas-of-reurbanism-buildi.

54

Vermont Natural Resources Council. "Mixed Use Development." VNRC Mixed Use Development Comments. Accessed September 9, 2016. http://vnrc.org/resources/community-planning-toolbox/tools/mixed-use-development/.

30

Christy L. Adkins

The rehabilitation of the historic buildings in a district begins with the storefront. This is the most important architectural feature of many historic commercial buildings.55 The storefront is crucial to the advertising and display strategy of whatever business resides within and is therefore the most altered part of historic structures. Many of the changes may have caused the structure to lose the historic characteristics that were original and when renovation is contemplated, the owner needs to ascertain the true and original look. Restoration of the original characteristics should be performed. A professional can determine whether any previous alterations need to be removed or retained as part of the history of the building.56 If programs are not properly managed, there is the chance of destroying the originality and historic authenticity of buildings when theming or denaturing them through redesign or incorrect rehabilitation. “For all of its many positive attributes, the Main Street approach runs the risk of lapsing into formula and cliché, rendering a veil of sameness over the districts to which it is applied. In less capable hands, attempts to revitalize Main Street can transform historic settings into virtual theme parks that mock, rather than respect, the past.”57 It is always desirable to keep buildings historically correct. It is a balancing act to do this while making the building viable for the purposes for which it is to be used in the current time-period. The decision on which method is to be used ultimately rests with the property owner with consideration to input and restrictions of any historic district overlay present.

55

Francaviglia, Richard V., and Wayne Franklin. Main Street Revisited: Time, Space, and Image Building in Small-town America. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1996. 27

56

"Preservation Brief 11: Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts." National Parks Service. Accessed October 17, 2016. https://www.nps.gov/tps/howto-preserve/briefs/11-storefronts.htm.

57

Longstreth, Richard W. The Buildings of Main Street: A Guide to American Commercial Architecture. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2000. 1-4

31

Christy L. Adkins

Conservation of our important heritage-rich buildings means using sustainable development: “Meeting the world’s current needs by using what we already have, so that we’re not compromising the resources of future generations”.58 Sustainable development is used to save older buildings while using fewer new resources, the fuel to produce them and adding less debris to the landfills and our environment. Implementing guidelines and local legislation in the early stages of a program helps curb the effects of gentrification, whether residential or business related. Creating affordable housing in more affluent areas has been proven to be an important part of creating sustainable success and growth. This creates more foot traffic, spending and involvement within the community. In the city of Minneapolis, one of the parts of an ingenious plan that the metro area incorporated into their legislation was to create affordable housing within all areas, including the very affluent and middle class areas. The inclusion of these housing units helped, along with other innovative measures, to keep all residents happier and more satisfied with the area, and created opportunities for businesses to move into the area to satisfy the needs of the residents.59 Metro Minneapolis became one of the wealthiest areas in the country and has sustained that wealth. Community gardens established in districts help residents and other stakeholders to join together to create a networking venue and socializing event, which also has the side benefit of exercise and healthy food for the community, including the elderly and homebound.60 Adding a children’s garden helps teach the young the value of gardening and also shows them that there 58

Abraham, Melissa. “What Do You Mean, “Sustainability and Cultural Heritage”?” Getty Conservation Institute. January 7, 2011. http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/what-do-you-mean-sustainability-and-cultural-heritage/.

59

Thompson, Derek. "The Miracle of Minneapolis." The Atlantic. February 18, 2015. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/the-miracle-of-minneapolis/384975/.

60

"Downtown Revitalization." United States Department of Agriculture. November 9, 2016. https://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/downtownrevitalization.

32

Christy L. Adkins

are other interesting things in the world besides electronics. Involving school students in the garden can teach them new skills and having them distribute the food to elderly and homebound can teach compassion. This project must be approached in an organized manner, as do the other parts of the program, with planning, funding and implementation determined prior to the start.61 In rural areas, promoting agriculture is a great way to get people into the district. In addition to community gardens, farmers’ markets and food trucks can help bring locals and tourists into the area to purchase fresh food, which can keep local money in the area and bring in money from outside of the community. Arts programs can be a large draw for the community. Starting a library that can sponsor those programs for students, and the elderly and serve as a gathering place, can benefit the retention of residents as they grow older and improve their quality of life by increasing socialization.62 63 Arts fairs can bring in tourists to purchase locally produced art and crafts. Creating an art hub can bring in small boutique businesses that showcase art, increasing the tourist draw and keeping people in the area longer. More small businesses would then begin to open in the district to provide services for the increased human traffic. One of the most prevalent program subjects deals with automobile traffic and roads. The greatest threat to the success of a Main Street Program is caused from automobile traffic whether too much, too little, too fast, too slow, a lack of parking, the danger and so on. The previous

61

"10 Steps to Starting a Community Garden." American Community Garden Association. June 15, 2015. https://communitygarden.org/resources/10-steps-to-starting-a-community-garden/.

62

Cohen, Gene D., M.D., PhD. “The Creativity and Aging Study: The Impact of Professionally Conducted Cultural Programs on Older Adults.” National Endowment For The Arts, April 30, 2006. https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/CnA-Rep4-30-06.pdf.

63

Stephenson, Raquel, PhD. “How Creative Expression Can Benefit Older Adults.” Lesley University. Accessed November 11, 2017. https://www.lesley.edu/article/how-creative-expression-can-benefit-older-adults.

33

Christy L. Adkins

decline of cities was partly due to the engineering of roads and the American love for their vehicles. Suburbia would never have been possible if not for automobiles. People lived in towns to get to work and shopping. When the auto allowed them to drive long distances to do these things, cities no longer became essential. So much of the information about city and district revitalization is negative to streets and auto traffic. The literature greatly promotes slowing traffic and using some of the road space to create bike lanes and walkable areas. “The most walkable areas in the city take up less than one percent of the total acreage, but represent almost half of the most wealth-generating square footage for the whole city.” 64 The inability to drive causes a problem for the very young and the very old when there are no close knit communities where walking is safe and easy.65 Public transportation in some areas can be helpful, but in small towns, that is usually not available. Walking and bicycling safely is a great boon for the small town, for young people and hobbyists alike. Promoting biking trails and bike lanes can bring more people into town. There are great groups of hobbyist cyclers who spend a lot of time touring the country and spending large amounts of money to follow their hobby and see the countryside.66 Promotion to this niche can be very lucrative and can help build a positive view of the district. Beautification of the city or district is another way to attract people to the area. More and better lighting, good level sidewalks, access to rest rooms and benches and seating areas as well as

64

Walker, Alissa. "The More Walkable a City Is, the More Money It Makes." Gizmodo. June 17, 2014. http://gizmodo.com/the-more-walkable-acity-is-the-more-money-it-makes-1591945350.

65

Price, Andrew. "How Suburban Poverty Affects Seniors." Strong Towns. Accessed August 12, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/8/12/how-suburban-poverty-effects-seniors.

66

AmericanTrails.org. "Resources and Library:." Bicyclists Bring Business A Guide for Attracting Bicycle Tourists To New York's Canal Communitie. Accessed March 10, 2017. http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/Bicyclists-Bring-Business-New-YorkCanal-Trail.html.

34

Christy L. Adkins

good landscaping and well maintained buildings, make people comfortable and promote a longer time spent in the area.67 The accomplishment of the multitude of goals in a program is dependent upon the willing collaboration of the various stakeholders. Without the help of these parties, the success and continuation of the program would not be possible. Consensus building is based on the principles of local participation and ownership of decisions. Ideally, the consensus reached will meet the relevant interests of all stakeholders, who thereby come to a unanimous agreement. To overcome the differences, everyone involved must understand the common goal for the group.68 Program Refresh The Main Street Program has been refreshed recently by incorporating more involvement from the Main Street America™ staff. The Michigan Main Street is the first coordinating program to roll-out the refreshed Main Street Approach in all 21 of the Select and Master Level communities across the state. This process began in the spring of 2016, with the pilot cities being Saline, Boyne City and Grand Haven. The refresh has been very successful and the other communities began the process duplicating other’s successes, leveraging the nationwide network to collaborate and learn from each other. Though the Main Street Four Points remain as the foundation, the new approach causes a shift in the way they think and operate to develop programming and define success.69

67

Dono, Andrew L., and Linda S. Glisson. Revitalizing Main Street: A Practitioner's Guide to Comprehensive Commercial District Revitalization. Washington, DC: Main Street, National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Trust Main Street Center, 2009. Ch.20

68

Burgess, Heidi, and Brad Spangler. “Consensus Building \ Beyond Intractability.” Beyond Intractability. September 2003. http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/consensus-building.

69

“Main Street America™ Refresh.” Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/blogs/national-main-streetcenter/2017/10/michigan-main-street-refresh-implementation-the-refresh-from-our-communities-perspective.

35

Christy L. Adkins

Step One of Refresh is to work closely with Main Street America™ to conduct community and leadership surveys, as well as identify baseline market information about the community. This step involves meetings with and involvement of a substantial portion of the community, including input from stakeholders such as municipal leaders, business and property owners and other partner organizations prevalent within each particular community. Then the staff of the State Main Street program presents the community with a summary of demographic and market data, and two or three recommended transformation strategies.70 Step Two of Refresh begins with the local Main Street Board choosing one of the strategies that they believe would be most beneficial for the community, define actionable goals, and to develop a statement of the outcomes and measure of success that can be expected. Step Three of Refresh is the actual implementation of the strategies and management of the project at the Main Street local level.71 Lessons learned from this refresh of the program are designed to tailor the implementation of the changes to meet the community’s needs, an increase in the involvement of Main Street America™, an increase in the involvement of stakeholders, change the way that Main Street organizations think and act to begin working toward a common goal, and the continuous evaluation of the organization and changes.72 Boyne City Michigan’s Main Street program in the upper part of Michigan has a community of 3751 people. Their community is vibrant and economically successful in the downtown area

70

Ibid

71

Ibid

72

"“Main Street America™ Refresh.” Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/blogs/national-main-streetcenter/2017/10/michigan-main-street-refresh-implementation-the-refresh-from-our-communities-perspective.

36

Christy L. Adkins

largely in part to the Main Street Program, which began in 2003. There has been, since then, private investment into the community of $25,701,376. There have been over 44,000 volunteer hours, 76 new businesses, and 30 façade rehabilitations.73 They have begun the refreshed program and are achieving the goals that they set for themselves. (See Appendix B – Page 70) Preserving the heritage of our country, through the revitalization of cities and districts, using the Main Street America™ program is a proven and highly efficient method. Heritage in the United States is not as old as in other parts of the world, but it is equally important. Heritage is not specific but rather is in the eye of the beholder. The United States of America is young relative to other countries, so the material relics of our heritage tend to be younger. But that does not make it any less important to us. Heritage is anything and everything that reminds us of where we came from and who we were. Heritage is a warm and pleasant jacket that we can wrap ourselves in, when we need to feel comfortable and grounded. Throughout history, many humans have traveled and migrated, removing themselves from their past and the familiar. ‘Heritage growth reflects traumas of loss and change, and fears of a menacing future.’74 Saving heritage by saving the buildings of our past can be a rewarding experience and can help preserve bits of our history for future generations. Using these techniques, to implement the program, enhances quality of life, creates employment, supports businesses, provides money needed for property maintenance and revitalization and helps to beautify cities.75

73

Ibid

74

Lowenthal, David. The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 1-19

75

“Framework for Creating a Smart Growth Economic Development Strategy: A Tool for Small Cities and Towns.” United States Environmental Protection Agency. January 2016. www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/201601/documents/small_town_econ_dev_tool_010516.pdf.

37

Christy L. Adkins

The duties of a Main Street Director are as follows: 1. Coordinate, develop and maintain business relationships with stakeholders. 2. Maintain relationships and communications with the City. 3. Attend the committee meetings, board meetings, and other scheduled events. 4. Coordinate committee activities. 5. Promote program involvement and membership to stakeholders. 6. Make suggestions to committee members. 7. Coordinate all programs and projects. 8. Be an advocate for merchants and community members. 9. Be an authority on information, resources, programs and history of the district. 10. Work with local community to develop and implement action plans and events. 11. Find rehabilitation programs, existing state and federal funding sources and grants. 12. Develop strategies to attract new users of existing properties. 13. Expand current market opportunities. 14. Create and coordinate all social media accounts. 15. Develop and direct a strong volunteer base. 16. Event planning. 17. Fundraising. 18. Conflict resolution and problem solving.76 There are other programs that have emulated the Main Street Approach™ but have not achieved the numbers of participants. The program has a powerful support network of local programs all adding to the knowledge base through trial and error, decades of experience and a proven track record. Having thoroughly investigated the requirements of the Main Street America™ remarkable program and its effectiveness, I chose to follow the guidelines and the duties of a director in the attempt to demonstrate to the city and other stakeholders the advantages of becoming certified.

76

Bednarz, Natalie, and Caylah Hall. “A Local Thing.” Orlando Main Streets. Accessed December 01, 2017. http://www.orlandomainstreets.com/.

38

Christy L. Adkins

Chapter 2 Searching for a Solution

The Project Beginning The Main Street Approach® uses a Board of Directors who acts as an idea center, work group and sounding board for the Program Director. So my initial steps were to find stakeholders willing to give up their time and to donate their expertise to the project. I did ask several people,

39

Christy L. Adkins

but was politely turned down by some. Since very early on, having identified our greatest goal as creating a library, I approached the high school librarian. One of the fundraising events that I had in mind was a street art festival, so the high school art teacher was brought on board. Small business owners needed to be represented, so the owner of the gift shop joined us. A descendent of one of the original founding families agreed to help. Because one of our goals was to beautify the city with landscaping, we were joined by a master gardener. These five are now my steering committee and board of directors. I then had to create a Mission Statement, Bylaws and Articles of Organization, the first step to becoming a 501C3 tax exempt entity. (see Appendix B 89-90).

In order to accept grant money, Classic Cross Plains, was required to become a non-profit organization. That required raising $250 in order to apply, then completing extensive documentation and the 501C3 application, sending more documentation and rewriting our bylaws and Articles of Organization. (see Appendix B 91-92) After participating in several phone conversations with the IRS, we finally did receive our non-profit status (see Appendice B, Page 96) many months later, but not soon enough to participate in an essay contest held by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that paid $10,000, (see Appendix B, Pages 97 - 99) which we intended to use for street lamps in the downtown area if we were to win. We will be applying for their library computer grant in the future. The delay in receiving the non-profit status also caused us to not be able to hold our planned fall art festival or to accept donations or apply for grants. Having a tax exemption in order to accept grants and donations is important, as is becoming a Certified Local Government (CLG). The National Historic Preservation Act established a program to assist entities with technical and financial backing in the effort to preserve historic properties, buildings, structures, sites, neighborhoods and other places of importance. Being

40

Christy L. Adkins

certified as a CLG makes the city eligible to apply for specially earmarked grants from the State Historic Preservation Office. Cities also can receive technical assistance and training in preservation and plans for development. 77 Classic Cross Plains is now in the process of helping the city to attain a Certified Local Government status. We are working as a conduit between the TN Historical Commission and the Cross Plains Heritage Commission to accomplish this goal. Receiving this certification will increase the chances of receiving grants from government sources.

The Work Our first project was to show some change, albeit small, that would let the residents and business owners know that we were trying to make improvements. We needed money through donations, so a fund-raising letter was created and sent out. (See Appendix B 93) I also personally approached several of the local businesses in town and we were able to come up with enough to plant the floral containers around town. We found, filled and hung the unused baskets and planted the wine barrels after removing all of the dirt and filling them with aged donated horse manure. We began to get many comments from residents and business owners on how beautiful the town looked. Donna, my mentor, then told me about the Tennessee (TN) Downtown program, a step-up program on the road to becoming a Main Street Designated City. This program is called Tennessee Downtowns and there are similar programs in other states. Those that are lucky enough to participate in this program get free training for members of their steering committee

77

Benefits of Becoming a Certified Local Government. PDF. Olympia WA:Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation State of Washington.

41

Christy L. Adkins

and city officials, and recommendations for goals to work on for the most advantageous changes to the challenges in their city. After a time, they also receive a grant to begin accomplishing those goals. I then needed to request the $250 application fee from the city commissioners at their monthly meeting, which I did receive. I proceeded with the application process and a letter of intent to the TN Downtown Program. (see Appendix B – 94) The application is comprehensive and time consuming, requiring much documentation and letters of support from stakeholders, which I needed to ask for and gather. The competition is stiff. The judges pick only four cities each year out of the multitudes that apply. I completed the application and submitted it. Unfortunately, we were not one of those chosen, but I was told that we were at the top of the list and that we should apply again. I don’t look at this as a failure. It is more of a postponement, learning experience and challenge to find additional information to add to the application. I also believe that if we are further ahead with our other projects which would show commitment, we will be more desirable to the committee. I began meeting with individuals who could help with some of the issues in Cross Plains. I set up a meeting with the Operations District Engineer for the TN Dept. of Transportation (TDOT) about a drainage problem that was affecting some of the historic buildings on Main Street (which happens to be a state highway). We discussed the pending repaving of the highway that runs through the center of town (which has since been completed) and how the roadway was already higher than the surrounding historical properties and was causing a runoff of water onto original brick sidewalks and into the crawlspaces and foundations of buildings. He took many pictures, promised to do a survey and told me that he would bring this up for the engineering and design of possible curbs to divert the water more appropriately. Several of the historic buildings, including Villine’s Inn, along with the few remaining original brick paved sidewalks are in 42

Christy L. Adkins

danger. As with most government business which progresses slowly, this problem has not yet been resolved. I have sent additional communications to the main office officials. I met with the Executive Director and State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) from the Tennessee Historical Commission, Patrick McIntyre, who took the time to view the city with me. He and his assistant noted many of the historic buildings, including the Doctor’s House Museum, which is not on the historical register. Having registered historic structures helps to draw heritage tourists and would therefore be beneficial. I had been told by the Cross Plains Historical Society that they had tried several years before to get it registered but were told that it would not qualify. The current SHPO stated that it certainly was a viable candidate for the register and that we should retry. I informed the Cross Plains Historical Society chair, who is again attempting to get the building registered. After hearing my ideas about the possibilities of the Tate Auto building (to be detailed later) Mr. McIntyre was in agreement with my ideas and offered a great deal of advice, including an offer of grant money to retrofit the interior of the building. In December 2016, I was told by my mentor that a representative from the state Senators’ office had informed her that there was money available for community projects. I applied for a grant for help with the purchase of the Tate Building. The Senator’s Field Representative requested additional information in our most recent phone conversation. I have been in continuous communication with that office and have also created a Power Point Presentation to better explain our needs, our proposed project and familiarize them with our town. This information will help her and her staff to determine which grants will work best for what our project entails.

43

Christy L. Adkins

The Red River Regional Library Director met with me in Cross Plains to discuss the possibility of a collaborative effort to create a library and provide funding for purchases of books, materials and library fixtures. She said that there would be funding available once we had a building in place and were further along. She also supplied a grant application for when the time is right. I have spoken to County Mayor Bradley about possible funding sources. He gave me recommendations for several, including the Cumberland Region Tomorrow Program. I also met with one of our State Representatives, Dr. Sabi Kumar, who is a big fan of Cross Plains and has pledged to help with funding when it becomes available. Being concerned about the availability of parking for the city, I completed a parking survey (see Appendix B -page 95) in which I concluded that the parking is adequate for the existing number of businesses, but that additional parking would be required if the number of small businesses increased, which would require parking for their customers.78 The city of Cross Plains, along with the Historical Society, had already completed the certification required for an historical overlay district, a layer of local planning regulation that serves the purpose of preservation of the historic character of an area.

The principal of the high school gave permission to locate a community garden on the school property. I am now working with the Future Farmers of America teacher from the high school to organize the community garden program to begin in the spring of 2018. The students will start the seedlings in the school greenhouse with seed and supplies provided by the program. They will be doing the majority of the gardening once the plot has been established.

78

Edwards, John. D. Parking: The Parking Handbook for Small Communities. Washington, D.C. : Institute of Transportation Engineers, 1994.

44

Christy L. Adkins

One of the successes of the program has been to create a Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/classic.cross.plains) The success of this page is amazing with one of the posts receiving over 16,000 clicks. For a large town and subject, that might not be impressive, but for a town of only 1700 citizens, that tells me that the page is receiving views from many outside of the area. Most of the pages have received around 600 – 800 clicks. Visitors to the page leave comments that they visit for its historic value, the lack of political posts, and to get away from the world and enjoy a bit of nostalgia, which is also the emotion that our plan is attempting to create for the town itself.79 The post receiving the most clicks is featuring our town’s main attraction, Thomas Drug Store and Soda Fountain. (See Appendix B – Page 80) The building and business that it holds create an atmosphere of walking back into a much simpler time, whether or not it truly was simpler then. One of the goals that we are struggling with is creating a town theme or brand, an identity for the city that can be used to create interest, a logo, and advertising.80 Though Cross Plains is the original settlement in Robertson County, and we have a great history including previously having two important and bustling colleges (primary and secondary schools were referred to as colleges then) located here and we have a great drug store and soda fountain, we are having difficulty finding a discerning feature or event that will help us create a brand that can be used to market the city. Branding is integral to creating a perception of the city in the minds of the people you wish to appeal to and to create loyalty from them. We must determine what we wish to be known for, how we can stand out from other destination cities, what feelings and images come to

79

80

Lowenthal, David. The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Nichols, MacDuffie, and Elizabeth Jackson. Marketing an Image for Main Street: How to Develop a Compelling Message and Identity for Downtown. Washington, DC: National Main Street Center, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2004. Chapter 3.

45

Christy L. Adkins

mind when someone thinks about us and how to change any previous negative impressions.81 I believe that the answer to this challenge will come as we begin creating the changes within the town and from the stakeholders themselves, by how they shape their part in the revitalization. Building a brand begins with building a relationship with your target market, creating name recognition, associating your assets with consumers, helping your community sell itself and differentiating your commercial district from your competition.82 To determine what the town wanted and needed the most, I created and sent out a survey through social media and added to it by talking to business owners and residents. The greatest response, about 65% of those who answered, wanted a place to gather and more amenities, which was corroborated by a Pew Research Center survey which ranged from 49% to 63%.83 In all of its history, Cross Plains has had neither a library nor community center, and the survey confirmed a need to create them. The Tate Automotive building is perfectly situated on the main intersection, right across the street from our biggest attraction, Thomas Drugs and Soda Fountain. (See Appendix B – Page 85) It is a historical building, with the earliest portion built in 1932, and it is now for sale. It contains an operating mechanic’s garage and hardware store. The building has been passed down for three generations, with the current owner ready to retire. I sat with him for several hours and got a tour of the building. While talking to him to determine his concerns and wishes, I also was able to look over the building. Using my experience working on other historic 81

Baker, William W. Destination Branding for Small Cities: The Essentials for Successful Place Branding. 2nd ed. Portland: Creative Leap Books, 2012.

82

Nichols, MacDuffie, and Elizabeth Jackson. Marketing an Image for Main Street: How to Develop a Compelling Message and Identity for Downtown. Washington, DC: National Main Street Center, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2004.

83

Zickuhr, Kathryn, Lee Rainie, and Kristen Purcell. “Part 4: What People Want from Their Libraries.” Pew Research Center – Internet Libraries. January 21, 2013. http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/part-4-what-people-want-from-their-libraries/.

46

Christy L. Adkins

buildings, I determined that this property had good bones, was structurally sound and could be retrofitted to serve as a library, a community center and also a farmers’ market. The front of the building was originally built as a showcase for the automobile dealership that Mr. Tate’s grandfather started. It has a spacious main area, several small offices and storage rooms, a bathroom, a great staircase and attic space with enough headroom to use as an office. (See Appendix B – Page 86) The back area is a two story garage that is large enough to convert into a meeting hall, kitchen and bathrooms. (See Appendix B – Page 87) The lot has plenty of room for parking on one side and a vacant side lot on the other. (See Appendix B – Page 88) This lot once held two downtown historic buildings that have burned, is fenced and large enough for a good sized farmers’ market and there is plenty of street frontage on both streets and extra parking areas. With funding and hard work, this property, once retrofitted could meet our project needs and become the catalyst for the town revitalization. As for Mr. Tate’s concerns: 

He was worried about someone purchasing the property and destroying the building to build something else.



He was concerned that there would no longer be a hardware store in the town for his friends and customers.



He wanted more money than what the building is probably worth.

I assured him that if I was able to make this work, the building would be safe from destruction. I also told him that we would name the building the Tate Library and Community Center, after his family. That actually brought a smile to his face.

47

Christy L. Adkins

I came up with a possible solution to the next problem by telling him that we were also looking for a reason to convince the owners of the Pitt’s garage building, which his family used to own, to begin restoration of that historic building. The Pitt’s Garage building is on the side street, just off the main corner. It has a severe roof problem, but the current owners do not want to invest money in, it stating that the roof would cost more than the property is worth. Since purchasing the hardware was not something that would benefit the city, Mr. Tate could sell the inventory, at a discount, to an entrepreneur who would open a hardware store in the old Pitt’s Garage. This creates a possibility for a new small business. This idea also helped lower the price of the building (third item) since it would not include the inventory. As for convincing the Garage building owners to pay for the new roof, I believe that it is a possibility since they are great supporters of historic preservation and since there would be an income from rent to help offset their investment, it might be of benefit to replace the roof. The next step was convincing the city. I met with the Mayor of Cross Plains who was somewhat enthusiastic about the proposal. We were put on the agenda of the next town commissioner meeting. The events and results of the meeting were valuable lessons, that dealing with small town politics is not easy, nor is it enjoyable. Several of the commissioners had a huge problem with changes to the town and with spending any money. I defended the idea politely. The mayor called for a vote, but the commissioners would not second it. Their lack of enthusiasm backfired because many of the people in the meeting, including two future commissioners, and some of the city employees, donated money on the spot for the program to begin. At the next meeting, elections were held for the commissioners and two new, more progressive commissioners were elected. They made a point of approaching me and asking me to continue the work on the project. 48

Christy L. Adkins

We now have several pledges for donations to help get the project started. Meeting with the TN Historical Commission and the Red River Library Council garnered pledges to help with the funding for retrofitting the building and inventory for the library. Speaking with business owners in town, I received pledges for money should I get the project started. My mentor for my internship at the Greater Gallatin Main Street Program, told me to approach the Senator for possible federal grant money to help with the purchase of the property. I have had great feedback after speaking with them, and they are and have been, since December 2016, trying to find available grants that would qualify to help purchase the building. When I surveyed the building, I determined that repurposing the Tate Automotive building would require preservation to take the necessary measures to sustain the existing form, integrity and materials and rehabilitation to make repairs, alterations and additions that still preserve historic cultural and architectural elements. It may also include some restoration of the original elements, making repairs or reconstructing missing parts to reproduce how the structure originally appeared in its time period. Restoration, rehabilitation, preservation and reconstruction are the four procedures for historical structures with reconstruction defined as replacing the original with a new copy.84

84

Dono, Andrew L., and Linda S. Glisson. Revitalizing Main Street: A Practitioner's Guide to Comprehensive Commercial District Revitalization. Washington, DC: Main Street, National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Trust Main Street Center, 2009.

49

Christy L. Adkins

Chapter 3 Project Status and Ways Forward

Project Status

50

Christy L. Adkins

To be a certified Main Street America town, the city’s commissioners must believe that the process will create enough additional income to hire a paid program director, which is a requirement of certification. With the recent installation of more progressive commissioners, this seems within reach. In this attempt to create momentum, an application was submitted to the Tennessee Downtown Program. Although Cross Plains wasn’t chosen, there is great encouragement from the organization for the town to re-apply. We have several historic structures, but not as many as they would have liked to have seen, which is not rectifiable. What is possible is finding uses for the ones we have, and creating incremental changes that will motivate the stakeholders to become more involved. We need to create a process that will efficiently collect more input from the stakeholders so that their ideas and suggestions can be incorporated into our plans which will generate more community effort. There have been many successes and failures, but those failures were lessons learned and are not permanent. Persistence in the face of negativity and resistance will always win. Overcoming objections becomes a way of life, because many people tend to look at change as a negative. Resistance to change is one of the greatest obstacles to beginning a program to rehabilitate and preserve. Some believe that the town is fine just as it is, and therefore see no reason to change. This nogrowth attitude can be changed into a smart-growth strategy by using slow-growth techniques and keeping communication open. Others are wary of what may threaten their job, power or status within the community.85 To combat resistance, small improvements must begin to reveal the benefits of change to the stakeholders.86 Due to our previous lack of tax exemption status,

85

86

Beimborn, Edward. “RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.” Resistance to Change. Accessed November 02 2017. https://www4.uwm.edu/cuts/bench/change.htm. Dono, Andrew L., and Linda S. Glisson. Revitalizing Main Street: A Practitioner's Guide to Comprehensive Commercial District

Revitalization. Washington, DC: Main Street, National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Trust Main Street Center, 2009.

51

Christy L. Adkins

we were kept from fund-raising. Improvements can now begin with increased fundraising efforts. Because of the age demographics becoming younger, stakeholders with a vision for the future that showcases a more vibrant community seem to be in the majority.

The entrepreneurial spirit is very strong in this country, but creating something from little or nothing takes a great deal of time and even more money. The town needs small businesses in order to attract people, but people are needed to keep the small businesses in business. A program director must convince future business owners to invest their assets into an uncertain future and then do everything possible to help them succeed. If, as in the case of Cross Plains, the foot traffic and therefore the potential for profit are low at first, something must be found to work as a catalyst to begin creating a need for those small businesses. This begins by discerning that important first step that will increase the volume of people in the area. Once people do begin to come, they will be willing to spend their money, if you continue increasing the amenities that they need and want. This expands the need for even more small businesses. Increased revenues will result and these revenues will allow the town to make improvements that help promote stakeholder investment.

The Catalyst

52

Christy L. Adkins

The catalyst for the Cross Plains project is a community library, community center and farmers’ market. The atmosphere in a small town can be friendly and inviting. It can also become disconnected and distant. The lack of basic services can be difficult for some. A library can be a place for people to come together, meet new friends, and learn. It is a safe place for children and somewhere that the retired and elderly can find much needed contact with people that they might not have otherwise. Students about to graduate can research colleges and apply for scholarships. Retirees can volunteer to teach classes on occupations that they spent lives working at. Living in a small town, miles away from services and friends can be difficult for those who don’t drive. The elderly, who have no way to attend functions that require a vehicle, may be able to walk to a centrally located library.87 A community center will become a place where events can be held in a central location in town. Wedding receptions, business meetings, ice cream socials, family reunions, guest speakers, night classes and graduation parties will have a venue. The money spent to rent the center will help pay for the building. The food services, floral needs, small gifts, decorations and novelties can be purchased locally once more small businesses relocate to the area. Money from locals and visitors would stay in the community, increasing the economic base and further boosting the economy and the prosperity of the city residents. The ideal property for this project would also have to include space for parking and a farmer’s market. Booth space could be rented to local vendors who produce food or create crafts and artwork. The rental money would help the city pay for the costs of the building and the market would attract locals to purchase their items and visitors from outside the area looking for that

87

“How Suburban Poverty affects Seniors.” Strong Towns. Accessed December 12. 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/8/12/howsuburban-poverty-effects-seniors.

53

Christy L. Adkins

great little farmer’s market where the produce is fresh and the people are friendly. A farmer’s market would add to the feeling of nostalgia for the days of open markets and items made by hand with attention to detail. Having a community gathering area, or in this case…areas, creates a “sense of place that is important for individuals to feel anchored in their community.”88 Following the Plan It is difficult to conduct controlled experiments that might provide insight into better strategies for achieving the goal of revitalization. After consideration and canvassing of residents and business owners to determine what they believed were the important needs within the community, I concluded that a gathering place and library would be the right stimulus to provide growth, development and positive change for the area therefore creating the atmosphere that will lead to revitalization.89 This project, the creation of a library, community center and farmer’s market, once complete, could become a case study of the tried and proven method of the Main Street Approach®. We continue to work on our initial goals of creating the incentive for the city to eventually become a certified Main Street America™ town. The process would be much easier if this was a full time position with the required time to complete all the tasks that it requires. Achieving what is needed will require many hours of work and planning. Getting stakeholders involved is not difficult, but keeping them involved has been difficult. The patience required to work with government agencies and donors tends to cause stakeholders to lose faith in the project. According to the Main Street Program, what it takes to become successful is for the stakeholders to care and become involved. A program director must find a way to ignite that involvement. 88

89

Darnton, Julia. "Farmers Markets Act as Gathering Space and Local Economic Engine." February 20, 2012. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/farmers_markets_act_as_gathering_space_and_local_economic_engine. "Smart Growth Self-Assessment for Rural Communities." EPA. January 23, 2017. https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-selfassessment-rural-communities.

54

Christy L. Adkins

Believing in the people; the ones who live and work there and those who care about each other, believing that the town structures and cultural resources must be preserved for the future, and wanting to see the town prosper and enjoy more community spirit, keeps motivation high. Friendships have been formed with many of the people who have been involved in this project and whom I have developed a respect for. Organization is imperative and challenging, but necessary. I have learned that this work is also a continual education, and requires patience and research to make appropriate and beneficial decisions. Persistence is the key and a willingness to change course is necessary. The possibilities of what can be accomplished are infinite. Helping a small community to gain a better quality of life through preservation of its assets is the ultimate goal and will take many years. The Main Street Approach has decades of proven projects and success stories, so following the program guidelines will allow us to take advantage of a proven course to achieve our goals.90 The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Section 2, states that the purpose of the act is “to foster conditions under which our modern society and our prehistoric and historic resources can exist in productive harmony and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations.” and “to encourage the public and private preservation and utilization of all usable elements of the Nation’s historic built environment.”91 The Main Street America™ Program was created to fulfill those purposes. The programs’ guidelines have been enhanced over time and trial, and continue to change and improve today. This program serves to provide an itinerary for those of us who are trying to initiate these types of changes in historic districts all across the country. 90

"The Main Street Approach - Main Street America." Mainstreet.org. Accessed August 1, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/aboutmain-street/main-street-america/the-main-street-approach.html.

91

King, Thomas F. Cultural Resource Laws and Practice. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2013.

55

Christy L. Adkins

The heritage tourism boon in recent times is due to several factors. We now have more free time than our ancestors, we have more expendable income, we have access to more information to find heritage sites and we have an extreme need to escape from the world that allows all of those factors to exist. “Yet we can no more slip back to the past than leap forward to the future. Save in imaginative reconstruction, yesterday is forever barred to us; we have only attenuated memories and fragmentary chronicles of prior experience and can only dream of escaping the confines of the present. But in recent years such nostalgic dreams have become almost habitual, if not epidemic.” 92 Capitalizing on heritage tourism and the need to connect with the ideals and memories of a simpler time is exactly what it takes to preserve our resources, and the program encourages the promotion of that nostalgia. Whether or not that memory of the main streets of our pasts is valid, or just wishful thinking, is debatable. Richard Francaviglia writes: “The main question…ought not to be whether the ritualized Main Street experience is a good or a bad one, but rather a much larger issue stemming from that concern: 1) What was the small town American Main Street of the past really like? And 2) What did Disney and his fellow artists/designers choose to emulate?....It goes without saying that returning to a real small town Main Street at about the turn of the century would be a sobering experience for anyone who believes that Disney created the real thing….Main Street was liable to be dusty in dry weather, soupy in wet: or what one critic has called an ‘equine latrine.’ ”

93

Reality is not as important as perception in this situation.

92

Lowenthal, David. The past Is a Foreign Country. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. 4.

93

Carroll, Michael Thomas, and Eddie Tafoya. Phenomenological Approaches to Popular Culture. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 2000. 167

56

Christy L. Adkins

Following the Main Street America™ Four Point Approach© and their enhanced and refreshed guidelines would be much less difficult if the program was already established in Cross Plains. But becoming a member takes many steps. Starting a program from the beginning is a tremendous task which requires finding the correct path for the particular attributes and deficiencies of the area. Overcoming obstacles to find a starting point that will become the catalyst to create more change was the goal of this project. The library/community center project is what I have determined will be the best stimulus for the re-energizing of the community. We must wait to hear from the Senator’s office about the federal grant intended to help with the purchase of the building to house our library, community center and farmer’s market. Without this money, there is little chance of the city having the financial capacity to make the purchase. There is no way to know how much the grant will be, or even if we will receive one, although the Senator’s staff is enthusiastic. The cost to purchase the building is $325,000. If a substantial grant is received, the city could borrow the remainder and help make the payments from future funds by renting the community center and the booth space for the market. There are available grants for the additional funding from State and County Governments which we will pursue once we reach that point. The funding pledged for the retrofitting of the building and books for the library are dependent upon the purchase of the building. Funding for other items in the plan that I prepared for the city, including encouragement of bicycle tours, community garden, benches and other downtown improvements will be proposed at the appropriate time. The plan or roadmap for the recommended changes was created to present to the city administrators, so that they can understand the direction that we are taking and begin to form their own vision for the future of the town. (See Appendix B Pages 100 - 104)

57

Christy L. Adkins

Patience and persistence and an innate ability to ask people for help and to remind them of their commitments, are assets that a Program Director must possess. Finding out what is important to people helps bring them on board by showing them how investing their time and assets into the project will benefit them. The election in November changed the makeup of the city commissioners with two new, younger and more progressive commissioners. Along with the mayor who was already on board with changes, these commissioners will be the required three votes out of five needed. This is a new occurrence and it is the first time in many years that the city can move forward. With these recent changes, there is now hope for making Cross Plains a bustling little town with an abundance of small businesses and boutiques that cater to visitors and supply the needs of the residents while creating jobs. Most importantly, after the loss of so many of our city’s historic buildings to fire and deterioration, there will be a system in place to save the cherished ones that remain.

Final Words

58

Christy L. Adkins

The Main Street America™ Program has many goals, but one of the most important and the reason the program was created, is to provide the impetus required to create, implement and direct revitalization efforts, which leads to the preservation of historic buildings and other cultural resources. The program helps determine and promote the reimagined uses for older buildings, to keep them from being demolished to make room for newer buildings. Many developers believe they will make more money with demolition and then we lose the value that is inherent within an area of historical significance. With the recent economic growth in this country and the continuous loss of historic and culturally significant structures throughout, it is imperative that this program is expanded to include more historic areas to prevent the destruction of our cultural resources. In inner cities and in the business districts of small towns, people are working to bring back a sense of community and the feeling of belonging to a place, as well as that place belonging to them, which makes it their responsibility and a source of pride. America is expansive and therefore the diversity of different areas can be tremendous. The approach for a small town is very different than that of a large urban area. Small communities need to be cautious to not take on more at one time that can be sustained from an operations perspective. Finding major partners in the business or government sectors can improve the chances of success. Sticking to the Main Street guidelines and keeping the ultimate goal of rehabilitation through economic improvement will provide the best chance of saving the historic built environment. When successful, the cultural fabric and historic bits will continue to tell a story of the past. These stories need to be preserved for future generations as do the material pieces that make us feel connected to the past. By working with towns to help create and apply versatile zoning and building regulations, and adapting to the needs of the district, Main Street Programs are helping

59

Christy L. Adkins

cities and towns to hasten the process of the rebirth of these areas. The process, once begun, helps create an area that comes alive with residents enjoying the amenities in their own community, shopping for their needs, reinvesting in the community and helping the economy grow. The goal of this program is to find the best way to save the historical components of the town. When changes occur in the area, new investment into the old buildings is possible, usually saving the buildings from falling so far into disrepair that they are torn down. If successful, these preservation efforts save our history for us and for future generations. But the danger is that the areas that accomplish this sometimes become awash in gentrification. This is happening all over the country with the end result of the poor and sometimes long-time residents not being able to continue to live in the area that is revitalized. Long operating small businesses are sometimes be driven out of a revitalized area due to increased rental prices. In this way the social fabric of established communities can be destroyed. “There is a fundamental dichotomy and tension within economic development policies in general, and specifically with historic preservation, between the need to bring in wealthy residents and new businesses and the likelihood that it will drive out or alienate low to moderate-income local residents.”94 Plans to address these issues should be incorporated into the program at the beginning of changes, to discontinue this trend. Some ideas could include encouraging legislation limiting the amount of annual property tax increases that can be collected on owner-occupied homes, property tax increase exemptions for senior citizens, historic district designations preventing destruction of existing properties, encouragement of renovation of existing properties to help preserve affordability rather than demolition and rebuilding new, increased federal tenant protection laws such as increased rental 94

Turner, Professor Bob, and Denise Lapenas. Historic Preservation: Gentrification or Economic Development. PDF. Skidmore College, December 2002.

60

Christy L. Adkins

payment caps and vouchers, and requirements to include affordable units within new projects. A quota for affordable housing could be mandated for any new construction.95 The Main Street America™ Program is continually improving as is shown by their refreshed agenda. The reoccurring gentrification in some areas is another issue that should and could be addressed and solutions improved upon. Since the program began in 1977, with three pilot cities, there has been an increase to forty-two programs with more than a thousand cities.96 The growth is proof that following the approach can be beneficial when successfully managed. Not all programs have been successful for several reasons including:              

Not following the four points and eight principles. Lack of leadership rotation every three years Wrong volunteers as leaders. Lack of strong leadership from the board of directors. Committees running the program rather than a board of directors. Too much similarity with other organizations. No long-term planning. Poor relationship with other economic development entities. Unrealistic expectations – not fast enough or big enough. Tackling too large of projects too early. Too little effort in fund-raising. Changes in political climate. Poor handling of crises. Frequent staff changes.97

95

Leinberger, Christopher B. Turning Around Downtown: Twelve Steps to Revitalization. PDF. Washington D.C.: The Brookings Institution – Metropolitan Policy Program, March 2005.

96

“Main Street Impact.” Main Street Impact – Main Street America. August 2017. https://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/mainstreetimpact

97

Organizing a Successful Downtown Revitalization Program Using the Main Street Approach. PDF. Washington StateMain Street Program, 2015.

61

Christy L. Adkins

There is no conclusion to the work that must always continue for cities and historic districts when the goal is to save them from deterioration and destruction. I have been told that buildings have a shelf life and don’t last forever. That is true, but I know that there are human-made structures that are more than 7000 years old in this world. Saving our heritage in this country, which is so much younger, should not be so difficult. Saving Cross Plains TN and so many small rural towns and historic districts is a goal that is accomplishable. The method that is proven by 40 years of success to be effective, is to follow the Main Street America™ roadmap to preserve our historic buildings and places by creating the necessary investment. It is a proven process that allows communities to learn about and utilize the means to help preserve the historic resources within their areas by using those same resources to help create the funding needed for their own preservation. In doing so, they also help improve the economy of this nation because it is “a composite of the effects of all the decisions made in America’s cities and towns about the future of growth in their own economies.” 98 The future benefits of this plan will include the increasing pride within the community of Cross Plains, transformation of the city, boosting the local economy and improving the lives of the town’s people.

98

Gordon, Gerald L. The Formula for Economic Growth on Main Street America. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2010.

62

Christy L. Adkins

Appendix A Map

63

Christy L. Adkins

64

Christy L. Adkins

Appendix B Photos

65

Christy L. Adkins

Page 18

Franklin Tennessee Downtown

66

Christy L. Adkins

Page 18

Franklin Tennessee Historic District

67

Christy L. Adkins

Page 18

Acworth Georgia Downtown

68

Christy L. Adkins

Page 19

Acworth Georgia Historic District

69

Christy L. Adkins

Page 37

Boyne City Michigan

70

Christy L. Adkins

Page 14

Early days of Villine’s Inn

71

Christy L. Adkins

Page 14

The Purcell House ca. 1817 72

Christy L. Adkins

Page 14

Villine’s Inn ca. 1819

73

Christy L. Adkins

Page 14

Cook Bros Store 74

Christy L. Adkins

Page 14

Jernigan’s Tobacco Warehouse

75

Christy L. Adkins

Page 15

Neophogen School ca. 1880

76

Christy L. Adkins

Page 15

Graves Market 77

Christy L. Adkins

Page 26

Glidewell Store Interior now Thomas Drugs

78

Christy L. Adkins

Page 15

Thomas Drugstore ca. 1915 79

Christy L. Adkins

Page 16

Cross Plains Bank 80

Christy L. Adkins

Page16

Pitt’s Garage

81

Christy L. Adkins

Page 16

Tate Automotive Early Days

82

Christy L. Adkins

Page 9

Gallatin TN after Main Street Program

83

Christy L. Adkins

Page 15

Soda Fountain at Thomas Drugs

84

Christy L. Adkins

Page 46

Tate Automotive Building

85

Christy L. Adkins

Page 47

Tate Automotive Front Room

86

Christy L. Adkins

Page 47

Tate Auto Back Room/Future Community Center

87

Christy L. Adkins

Page 47

Tate Auto Side Lot/Future Farmer’s Market

Classic Cross Plains 88

Christy L. Adkins

Classic Cross Plains Mission Statement, Bylaws and Articles of Organization 1. Classic Cross Plains’ purpose, or mission, is to help the City of Cross Plains in the revitalization of the downtown Cross Plains TN area. a. Our intent is to work with the city government, the existing historical commission, the Community Chamber, the business owners, and the residents of Cross Plains to beautify the downtown area. We will provide information and suggestions to revitalize existing historical and non-historical elements of the city, find solutions for attracting more small businesses, and promote a home town atmosphere and neighborly city. 2. Classic Cross Plains will use the Quick Books accounting system to record all donations, grants or other funding sources, and all expenditures, keeping an account with co-signatory between the Director and the Financial Officer/City Recorder, at the local Farmer’s Bank branch in our city. All funds will accounted for monthly and submitted to the City government office for their records. 3. Director of Organization: Christy L. Adkins Duties to perform: Fundraising, Promotion of Small Businesses, Education of property owners to the refurbishment of historic buildings, beautification of the downtown area, contact of granters for funding and direction. 4. Persons responsible for the accounting and control of funding: Christy Adkins 4454 Cross Plains Rd. White House TN 37188 615-351-8933 Tammy Covington City Recorder – Cross Plains TN 615-654-2555 5. Board of Directors: Jo Carol Yates 615-972-4595 Gwen Day 615-438-0870 Jennifer Wolfe 931-239-7704 Melanie Trotter 615-944-9831 Barbara Blanton 615-654-9228 All positions listed are on a voluntary basis and therefore no forms of compensation are paid. 6. Organization was formed on June 1, 2016 7. Duties of Board of Directors: Attend board meetings to plan, discuss and vote on group decisions and projects. 8. Meetings to be held at the Cross Plains City Offices unless otherwise specified. 9. Meetings will be held on the third Thursday of each month, unless otherwise specified.

89

Christy L. Adkins

10. Meetings will be led by the Director, with any member of the board proposing topics of discussion. 11. If any board member wishes to relinquish their seat, nominations can be made by the remaining board members and voted on at the next meeting. 12. Board members each have one vote on any and all issues in front of the board. The Director does not have a vote. 13. If a conflict of interest arises within the board or the organization, a consensus vote shall be held to determine the organization’s next step. 14. Board members will vote on the determination of the distribution of all grant money and contributions. 15. All expenditures shall be reconciled monthly and submitted to the Financial Officer for review and recordkeeping. 16. If at any time this organization has either served its purpose or the board members decide to dissolve the organization, all monies within Classic Cross Plains account shall be transferred to the City of Cross Plains as a contribution to their general fund and the organization will no longer meet or participate in any fund-raising.

Signed: Christy L. Adkins

90

Christy L. Adkins

Classic Cross Plains Mission Statement, Bylaws and Articles of organization Amended April 16, 2017 1. Classic Cross Plains’ purpose, or mission, is to help the City of Cross Plains in the revitalization of the downtown Cross Plains TN area. a. Our intent is to work with the city government, the existing historical commission, the Community Chamber, the business owners, and the residents of Cross Plains to beautify the downtown area. We will provide information and suggestions to revitalize existing historical and non-historical elements of the city, find solutions for attracting more small businesses, and promote a home town atmosphere and neighborly city. 2. Classic Cross Plains will use the Quick Books accounting system to record all donations, grants or other funding sources, and all expenditures, keeping an account with co-signatory between the Director and the Financial Officer/City Recorder, at the local Farmer’s Bank branch in our city. All funds will accounted for monthly and submitted to the City government office for their records. 3. Director of Organization: Christy L. Adkins Duties to perform: Fundraising, Promotion of Small Businesses, Education of property owners to the refurbishment of historic buildings, beautification of the downtown area, contact of granters for funding and direction. Director of Classic Cross Plains is authorized to perform all business functions of this organization, including signing of documentation. 4. Persons responsible for the accounting and control of funding: Christy Adkins 4454 Cross Plains Rd. White House TN 37188 615-351-8933 Tammy Covington City Recorder – Cross Plains TN 615654-2555 5. Board of Directors: Jo Carol Yates 615-972-4595 Gwen Day 615-438-0870 Jennifer Wolfe 931239- 7704 Melanie Trotter 615-944-9831 Barbara Blanton 615-654-9228 All positions listed are on a voluntary basis and therefore no forms of compensation are paid. 6. Organization was formed on June 1, 2016 7. Duties of Board of Directors: Attend board meetings to plan, discuss and vote on group decisions and projects. 8. Meetings to be held at the Cross Plains City Offices unless otherwise specified. 9. Meetings will be held on the third Thursday of each month, unless otherwise specified. 10. Meetings will be led by the Director, with any member of the board proposing topics of discussion. 11. If any board member wishes to relinquish their seat, nominations can be made by the remaining board members and voted on at the next meeting. 12. Board members each have one vote on any and all issues in front of the board. The Director does not have a vote. 91

Christy L. Adkins 13. If a conflict of interest arises within the board or the organization, a consensus vote shall be held to determine the organization’s next step. 14. Board members will vote on the determination of the distribution of all grant money and contributions. 15. All expenditures shall be reconciled monthly and submitted to the Financial Officer for review and recordkeeping. 16. Said organization is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations described under Section 501 C3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501 C3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for the purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes. Adopted by the Board of Directors as of June 1, 2016. Signature Date Signature Date Signature Date Amended April 16, 2017 Signature Date

Adopted by the Board of Directors as of June 1, 2016

_________________________________________________________ Signature

Date

92

Christy L. Adkins

Fund- Raising Letter

Classic Cross Plains The downtown area of Cross Plains has a unique history. As one of the first settlements in Tennessee, settled by Thomas Kilgore, Cross Plains has a rich heritage of beautiful historic buildings, generations of families who have continuously resided here and a community spirit that is ready to become a cohesive force for the purpose of the revitalization and improvement of our downtown area, the heart of our community. Cross Plains TN has formed a steering committee in an effort to be accepted into the TN Downtown Program, a training and education program to help jump start our project. This twenty-four month program coaches selected downtowns and their steering committees through the steps of launching a successful and sustainable downtown revitalization effort, that truly impacts the planning and economic development of the town and provides a brighter future for the residents. We are trying to form a grass roots movement, inclusive of residents, business owners, and the entire community to start a community garden, beautify the downtown area, promote the arts, and instigate improvements to create a vibrant community spirit and a downtown area where residents and visitors want to spend time. Our long range goal is to help build a Library for our city. Cross Plains has a rich heritage and history. We have a small area, but it is full of classic grace and charm. Therefore, our local program has been named Classic Cross Plains. We need your help. If you would like to volunteer, please send us your contact information to [email protected] If you would like to donate, please send your donation to: Classic Cross Plains

(make check to)

c/o Cross Plains City Hall 7622 Hwy. 25 East Cross Plains TN 37049

See Page 41 93

Christy L. Adkins City of Cross Plains – Classic Cross Plains 7622 Hwy. 25 E. Cross Plains TN 37049

Tennessee Dept. of Economic and Community Development 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave. 26th Floor Nashville TN 37242 Letter of Intent to Apply for the Tennessee Downtown Program The City of Cross Plains TN is three fourths of a mile east of the location of the oldest settlement in Robertson County, Kilgore Station, which began in 1778. Cross Plains is the second oldest town in the county. The city prides itself on the historic atmosphere of the downtown area, with the center of the established historic district containing Thomas Drugs, a fully operating old time drugstore complete with a soda fountain/lunch counter. The proximity of the city to I65 makes for an ideal location for commuters from Nashville and Bowling Green KY. This small bedroom community is surrounded by family owned and operated farmland, with many of the local families having lived here for many generations. Recent improvements to the city include a new City Hall complete with a fire station and police department offices. Kilgore Park, continues to improve and now has ball parks, a playground, and an enormous and beautiful gazebo for events. Sidewalks in the new park and in part of the historic district have been added. It is the wish and hope, of the City of Cross Plains, that we may enter into the Tennessee Downtown program, to find the best direction for the continuation of improvements to our community and to have access to the education and information to preserve the historic character and physical presence that we cherish. Municipal Data Municipal Court: Yes 2013 Population (Certified by TNECD): 1,714 Election Date: 11/08/2016 Grand Division: Middle # of Employees: 12 Square Miles: 49.5 Time Zone: Central Year of Incorporation: 1973 Barry Faulkner - Mayor Tammy Covington – City Recorder/Court Clerk Phone: 615-654-2555 Fax: 615-654-3813 [email protected] th

th

4 Annual Kilgore Station Bluegrass Festival April 29 and 30 at Kilgore Park. kilgorestation.com th st 30 Annual Trash & Treasure city wide yard sale. July 1 , 2016 Fourth of July Celebration at Kilgore Park. Music, food and Fireworks.

94

Christy L. Adkins

Tennessee

Limited Parking Survey for Cross Plains TN May 8, 2016

Total sq. ft. of all existing commercial spaces in business district (occupied/unoccupied).

The total number of on and off-street parking spaces, including handicap.

78,178

169

Using a 2.5 space per 1000 sq. ft. of commercial space ratio, we should have 195 spaces.99

Therefore, there is shortage of 26 spaces if we had full occupancy. Since many buildings are now vacant, parking supply improvement can be postponed until we acquire new small businesses in the area. More businesses will increase demand for parking space, but will also increase foot traffic, so sidewalk improvements will become a priority.

Christy L. Adkins

99

Revitalizing Main St. by National Trust for Historic Preservation pg. 180

95

Christy L. Adkins

96

Christy L. Adkins

Essay Contest

Page 1/3

The Bill and Melinda Gates Competition was a great way to get money for library and city amenities. I wrote the application to enter, but could not because we were not a non-profit at the time. We had applied for the non-profit status but it had not gone through. One of my first lessons, but not the only lesson, of the time and patience that it requires to work with Government agencies. Essay contest for $10,000 grant My Giving Story . Submit your giving story and your favorite nonprofit organization could win. The top 20 essays with the most likes on Facebook will be sent to a distinguished panel of judges to pick the final winners. Rules of the Competition Entry. Entrants must submit an online entry form (http://bit.ly/2fM4SJp) beginning no earlier than November 17, 2016 at 10AM EST and no later than December 31st at 5PM EST. The #MyGivingStory (“Competition”) is governed by the conditions, rules, and requirements set forth herein (“Rules”). There is no fee to enter the Competition. The sole presenter of this Competition is The Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association ("92nd Street Y” or "92Y") located at 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10128. 2. Representations and Warranties. The Entrant who submits this application represents and warrants that he/she has the full power and authority to enter this Competition and that agrees that he/she will be bound by the Rules. By entering this Competition, Entrant warrants that he/she is not and will not be violating any laws, statutes, regulations, contract, agreement, or third party rights, including, without limitation, any patent, copyright, trade secret, proprietary or confidential information, trademark, service mark, publicity or privacy right or rights. The Entrant further represents and warrants that all ideas and submissions to the Competition are the original work of the Entrant. The Entrant further represents and warrants that he/she, as set forth in the online entry form, is the only individual entitled to the prize. The Entrant further represents and warrants that he/she has read and agrees to all of the Rules, including, without limitation, that 92Y will not protect the intellectual property and/or the confidential information of each Entrant (please see Rule 7). 3. Eligibility. The Competition is open to legal residents of the United States 13 years of age and older, except where prohibited by law. Employees, and their immediate family members (parents, children, spouses, and siblings) of 92Y, and of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, are not eligible to enter. Entries must be between 150 and 600 words; an optional video or photo may be included, provided the video or photo satisfies the requirements of paragraph 2 above. Submissions, including any video or photo, must be original, unpublished works. Only one submission permitted per Entrant. Entries must include a link to the nonprofit organization the Entrant supports. 92Y reserves the right, in its sole discretion (which shall not be unreasonably exercised) to refuse the Entrant’s selection of the recipient nonprofit organization. The nonprofit must be qualified as a 501(c)(3) organization in good standing both at the time of entry and at the awarding of prizes. Eligibility and satisfaction of criteria will be verified for each of the Competition semi-finalists. Void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. Winners will be solely responsible for all taxes and expenses related to the Competition. 4. Judging. The twenty semi-finalists will be the Entrants whose essays have the most Likes on Facebook. Semi-finalists’ essays will be sent to a distinguished panel of judges for final adjudication. All decisions of the judges are final. Winners will be selected by the judges based upon the following criteria, as determined by the judges’ sole discretion: a. How well the Entrant addresses the Competition question. b. Clarity and thoughtfulness of the Entrant’s argument. Honorable mentions will be determined at the sole discretion of 92Y. c. Honorable mention for best use of original video. d. Honorable mention for best Spanish language story. No comments about individual entries will be provided. 5. Prizes. Following the end of the Competition, the winning Entrant’s chosen nonprofit will receive a one-time lump sum payment by March 10th, 2017. as follows: Two grand prize winners: $10K each Two second prize winners: $5K each Two third prize winners: $2,500 each

97

Christy L. Adkins Two honorable mentions for best use of original video @ $2,500 each Two honorable mentions for best Spanish language story @ $2,500 each

Page 2/3

TOTAL: $45K in prizes awarded to organizations of entrants’ choosing. Prizes are non-transferable and no substitutions are allowed. Each winning Entrant hereby grants 92Y a perpetual, irrevocable, world-wide, nonexclusive license to use, edit, copy, reproduce, republish, exhibit and exploit his/her entry in 92Y’s sole discretion. Winning Entrants are subject to all applicable rules and regulations. Winners will be selected on January 13th, 2017 and will be notified by email. A complete list of winners can be obtained after March 1st, 2017 at givingtuesday.org/mygivingstory. 6. Disqualification. Violation of any one or more Rules will result in disqualification at any point by 92Y, in its sole discretion. 7. Confidentiality. By the submission of an online entry form, you as Entrant agree that a short description of your business concept or plan may be disclosed in public documentation related to the Competition. A copy of your entry form will be distributed to Competition staff and judges only. No staff or judge will be authorized to create additional copies of the entry form. 92Y hereby disclaims any and all responsibility to protect the intellectual property and/or the confidential information of each Entrant. Protection of the above is the sole responsibility of each Entrant. Please note that at no time do other Entrants, judges or staff sign Confidentiality or Non-Disclosure Agreements. 8. Indemnification. Entrant shall at all times defend, indemnify and hold harmless 92Y, its trustees, officers, employees and agents from and against any and all third party claims, damages and liabilities, and reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable outside attorneys’ fees) growing out of or arising from Entrant’s submission, any breach of the Rules by Entrant, or any action or inaction by 92Y in connection with the Competition. 9. Interpretation. 92Y retains the right, in its sole discretion, to enforce or interpret these Rules of the Competition. 10. Miscellaneous. Entrants agree that they will not use the names of 92Y or any variation, adaptation or abbreviation thereof, or of any of its trustees, officers, staff, faculty, students, judges or agents, or any trademarks owned by 92Y without the prior express written permission of 92Y. 92Y makes no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the Competition, express or implied. In no event shall 92Y, its trustees, officers, staff, faculty, students, judges, agents or affiliates be liable, responsible or accountable for any advice, information or decisions made for or on behalf of the Competition or for incidental or consequential damages of any kind, including economic damages or injury to property or loss of profits, regardless of whether 92Y shall be advised, shall have other reason to know, or shall in fact know, of the possibility of the foregoing. The Competition, and these Rules, shall be governed by the Laws of the State of New York, without regard to its choice of law or conflicts of laws provisions or principles.

Submit your giving story by December 31st, 2016. Promote and share to get as many FB likes as possible. Winners will be announced mid-January 2017

Two 1st place winners $10,000 for chosen nonprofit organization

Two 2nd place winners $5000 for chosen nonprofit organization

Two 34d place winners: $2500 for chosen non profit organization

Honorable mentions: Two for best use of original video Two for best Spanish language story $2500 for chosen nonprofit organizations.

98

Christy L. Adkins My Giving Story Essay

Page 3/3

The city of Cross Plains TN is a small town north of Nashville and just south of the state boundary of Kentucky. We have only 1700 residents who reside within the city limits, but many more who live outside the boundary who call Cross Plains home. It is the oldest settlement in Robertson County and has a rich history, having been the overnight stop for people in the 17th century traveling to Nashville from the east and north. At that time, it was called Kilgore Station and Nashville was called Fort Nashborough. The biggest draw to Cross Plains is an authentic old-fashioned soda fountain in the family owned drugstore, that serves lunch, hand squeezed lemonade and ice cream. There is a Piggly Wiggly grocery store and a couple of good family owned restaurants, a barber shop, a beauty salon and a gift shop. Cross Plains has two schools within its city limits, an elementary school and a combined middle and high school. Many of these students do not have access to computers or a library outside of school hours, to study, do research or just be in a safe place to get lost in a book. Our goal is to raise the funding to provide a library for the town; a place for students and the elderly to socialize and learn. The closest library is eight miles away and many of the young and elderly do not have the ability to make the trip. Our organization, Classic Cross Plains, has formed a committee to make changes in our town, including a beautification and revitalization effort, with a purpose in mind of attracting some small businesses to locate here to provide some much-needed services for the townspeople. We also work with the historic commission to retain the historical character of Cross Plains and our heritage and historic buildings. Our largest goal is to begin a local library. The Red River Library District Director has pledged some funding for books for our project, so our purpose for the money from this contest would be to finance the purchase of computers to provide access for those residents who do not have computers at home. Classic Cross Plains has five committee members and one director, all of whom are donating their time and effort to make significant changes in the quality of lives of our towns residents. Every dollar that we bring into our project will be used for the project goals. This money would be a great gift and a big step toward being able to make many people’s lives richer and more productive. Please vote for Classic Cross Plains.

From Page 40

99

Christy L. Adkins

The Plan for the Future Cross Plains TN has a rich history and longevity and is said to be the oldest community in Robertson County TN. What once was a vibrant frontier town is now a sleepy village and bedroom community where lifelong residents and new citizens, who moved here seeking a safe environment and quieter way of life, have combined to create the friendly atmosphere prevalent within the town and outlying areas. Steadily increasing property values and a good school system helps housing growth continue in the community. The town center has many older and historically significant buildings although many have been destroyed due to negligence or even from fire. There has been an effort, by some of the residents and property owners, to maintain and revitalize many of these historic structures, while others are in danger of condemnation, and destruction by the elements. The small-town atmosphere is conducive to the residents being on a first name basis with most and everyone knowing what everyone does. Improvements have been made over the years by adding a city park, including walking trails, playground, sports fields and a very large and beautiful pavilion for Independence Day celebrations and fireworks, jamborees and family picnics. There is an active Chamber of Commerce. Cross Plains is lacking a community center, where people can gather for celebrations, meetings and a safe comfortable gathering place for the elderly and young. There is a need for a library to provide access to computers and the internet, research and reference books for students and workers. Street lights would enhance the old-fashioned feel and walkability of the city. There needs to be a more vibrant economy by increasing tourism, foot traffic and more local money spent in the town, by community members. This increased economic activity would motivate more small businesses to move into the area and raise more money for the city by increasing

100

Christy L. Adkins

sales tax income, which could be reinvested into more improvements for the community. The outline to begin the process to achieve these goals is as follows: 1.

Library/Community Center/Farmers’ Market A. Facilitate the purchase, by the city, of the Tate Automotive Building in the very center of town for use as a combination Library (in the front), Community Center (in the back, garage area) and community farmer’s market in the side lot adjacent to Cedar St. Grant money has been applied for, to assist in the purchase. Senator Diane Black’s office is searching for funding for this project out of available Federal grants. B. Retrofitting and reconstruction of the separate areas: The TN Historical Commission has offered financial help through their grant program to help pay to change the interior design of the building to fit the needs described above. This offer is of course contingent upon the purchase of the building. C. The Red River Library District Director has pledged some funding for books to begin the stocking of the library. D. Additional funding could be applied for from the State of TN and possibly on a county level. State Representative Kumar has expressed an interest and willingness to help find funding as has County Mayor Bradley.

2. Increased business and foot traffic. A. Holding street festivals in the city center on Cedar St. would highlight local crafts and products, and could create more funding for other projects. Having the festivals there would increase business for and awareness of local small businesses. B. Coordinating with state and national bicycle clubs to promote local bicycle tours and riding-groups, would create a demand for more goods and services provided by

101

Christy L. Adkins

local businesses that cater to bicyclists. Bicyclists are tourists with a purpose, who will bring revenue into our community when they pass through and stop to refresh and rest. Many groups are looking for destinations that cater to their needs and provide an enjoyable environment. This could include more amenities such as a rest area with a public bathroom, safe parking for their bicycles and lighter food choices on the local restaurant menus with specials for their groups. Cross Plains has wellmaintained roads with scenic views and some hilly terrain which is great for cyclists. On average, bicyclists are well-educated and upper income tourists with more expendable income. The money brought into the community could be significant and provide a great boost to local small businesses. C. A well-managed and bustling Farmers’ Market would give residents of the area a place to sell their produce and goods, which helps preserve our local farmland. Jobs would be created for locals to work at the market. The market would stimulate the local economy because of a draw of shoppers from neighboring communities to bring outside dollars into the city. This would also increase foot traffic and revenue in our local businesses. When purchases are made, the purchaser connects the transaction to a pleasant experience, and generates the inducement for additional visits. People will connect with one another which create community spirit. D. A community garden could be started at the High School with the help of the FFOA instructor, who has offered his services. The School Principle has given approval for this project. A site needs to be chosen, volunteers to start and maintain the garden and then a system created to give some of the produce to the less fortunate in the community and sell off the surplus in the Farmer’s Market to make the program self-

102

Christy L. Adkins

sustainable. This would not only help some of the residents with nutritious food, but would nurture friendships and relationships between residents, and teach some of the younger citizens the benefit of volunteering and the process of growing food. 3. Applications for grants. A. Sidewalk lighting on Main Street. Installing old fashioned light poles along Main Street would create a safer and more pleasant environment and increase foot traffic and promote neighborly behavior. B. Restoration and construction of more sidewalks. Having level, safe and convenient places to walk would increase foot traffic and neighborly behavior. C. Library and community center fixtures. Starting small, but gradually adding to the features of the new library and community center will continue making these public places more hospitable, inviting and will increase the community standard of living. D. Sitting areas, landscapes and town beautification projects. When the downtown area is landscaped well, has lighting, sidewalks and great places to sit on a bench and visit with one another, the town will begin to have improved community spirit. Residents and visitors will be more likely to walk, shop and eat in town. E. Low interest loans and grants to property owners for improvements. There are some properties, in the town center, that desperately need revitalization efforts. Money is always a problem and low interest loans might encourage their revitalization and use and might save these historic buildings. F. Low interest loans for future small businesses wishing to move to the area. To cater to the increased foot traffic and to help keep money in the community, there must be stores and businesses that cater to the community members and visitors. To 103

Christy L. Adkins

encourage good investors to locate in our town, we could work with local lenders to offer low interest loans as an incentive to help some of these potential business owners get started. G. Senior citizen programs to help shut-ins get out and with food and welfare visits. H. Advice, mentoring and business wisdom programs by volunteer retirees could be funded to help the new small businesses grow and prosper and give retirees a feeling of purpose and importance in the community.

This plan is not meant to be comprehensive nor conclusive. This is just the beginning; a catalyst to start the process of turning the tide toward becoming a small but bustling community of small businesses and happy residents. Cross Plains could become a destination for those with expendable income, a heritage mecca for those who yearn for a bit of nostalgia and a break from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. The future could and should hold more projects and ideas to create a strong economy and diverse array of small mom and pop businesses where community members can find what they need, rather than driving to the next town. Cross Plains is a beautiful town but could be so much more. There is a great foundation and that is what can be built upon.

104

Christy L. Adkins

Bibliography

"10 Steps to Starting a Community Garden." American Community Garden Association. June 15, 2015. https://communitygarden.org/resources/10-steps-to-starting-a-communitygarden/. Abbey-Lambertz, Kate. "Cities Aren't Designed For Women. Here's Why They Should Be." The Huffington Post. April 26, 2016. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cities-designedfor-women_us_571a0cdfe4b0d0042da8d264. Abraham, Melissa. “What Do You Mean, “Sustainability and Cultural Heritage”?” Getty Conservation Institute. January 7, 2011. http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/what-do-you-meansustainability-and-cultural-heritage/. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Policy Statement on Historic Preservation and Community Revitalization. PDF. Washington D.C.: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, October 26, 2016 AmericanTrails.org. "Resources and Library:." Bicyclists Bring Business A Guide for Attracting Bicycle Tourists To New York's Canal Communitie. Accessed March 10, 2017. http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/Bicyclists-Bring-Business-NewYork-Canal-Trail.html. Andreou, Alex. "Defensive Architecture: Keeping Poverty Unseen and Deflecting Our Guilt." The Guardian. February 18, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/18/defensive-architecture-keeps-povertyundeen-and-makes-us-more-hostile. "Are Entrepreneurs a Better Gov’t Investment Than Corporations?" Next City. Accessed July 10, 2016. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/corporate-subsidies-states-should-investentrepreneurs. "Atlas of Reurbanism - Preservation Leadership Forum." Atlas of Reurbanism - Preservation Leadership Forum - A Program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Accessed November 1, 2016. http://forum.savingplaces.org/atlas. Babadjanov, Anton. "The Supply And Demand Of Street Space » The Urbanist." The Urbanist. May 30, 2016. https://www.theurbanist.org/2016/05/26/the-supply-and-demand-of-streetspace/. Baker, William W. Destination Branding for Small Cities: The Essentials for Successful Place Branding. 2nd ed. Portland: Creative Leap Books, 2012. Bednarz, Natalie, and Caylah Hall. “A Local Thing.” Orlando Main Streets. Accessed December 01, 2017. http://www.orlandomainstreets.com/. 105

Christy L. Adkins

Beimborn, Edward. "RESISTANCE TO CHANGE." Resistance to Change. Accessed November 02, 2017. https://www4.uwm.edu/cuts/bench/change.htm. Benefits of Becoming a Certified Local Government. PDF. Olympia WA:Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation State of Washington. Bjomeberg, Bart. Renovation, Restoration, Preservation, Conservation. March 2016. http://www.conservation-design.com/newsletter1_BA.html. Bramson, Robert M. Coping with Difficult People. Melbourne: Business Library, 1993. Burgess, Heidi, and Brad Spangler. "Consensus Building / Beyond Intractability." Beyond Intractability. September 2003. http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/consensusbuilding. Carroll, Michael Thomas, and Eddie Tafoya. Phenomenological Approaches to Popular Culture. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 2000. "City of Acworth." Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.acworth.org/. Cohen, Gene D., M.D., PhD. “The Creativity and Aging Study: The Impact of Professionally Conducted Cultural Programs on Older Adults.” National Endowment For The Arts, April 30, 2006. https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/CnA-Rep4-30-06.pdf. Committee Members Handbook. The Main Street Approach - Economic Restructuring. National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1996. Accessed February 19, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/resources/sample-documents/publications.html. "Creating Resilient and Vibrant Downtowns." University of Wisconsin Extension. Accessed November 9, 2016. http://fyi.uwex.edu/resilientdowntowns/. "Cross Plains." American Historical Magazine, 1900. "Cross Plains, Tennessee Education." Accessed August 08, 2017. http://www.bestplaces.net/education/city/tennessee/cross_plains. Dallen, Timothy J. "Cultural Heritage and Tourism: An Introduction, by Dallen J. Timothy." Journal of Heritage Tourism 7, no. 3 (2012): 277-78. doi:10.1080/1743873x.2012.671565. Darnton, Julia. "Farmers Markets Act as Gathering Space and Local Economic Engine." February 20, 2012. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/farmers_markets_act_as_gathering_space_and_local_econ omic_engine.

106

Christy L. Adkins

Dono, Andrew L., and Linda S. Glisson. Revitalizing Main Street: A Practitioner's Guide to Comprehensive Commercial District Revitalization. Washington, DC: Main Street, National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Trust Main Street Center, 2009. "Downtown Franklin, Tennessee." September 2017. http://www.downtownfranklintn.com/. "Downtown Market Analysis." University of Wisconsin Extension. Accessed November 9, 2016. https://fyi.uwex.edu/downtown-market-analysis/. "Downtown Revitalization." United States Department of Agriculture. November 9, 2016. https://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/downtown-revitalization. The Economic Benefits of Open Space, Recreation Facilities and Walkable Community Design. Report. 2010. http://atfiles.org/files/pdf/Economic-Benefits-Active.pdf. Edwards, John D. Parking: The Parking Handbook for Small Communities. Washington, D.C.: Institute for Transportation Engineers, 1994. Eichenfield & Associates, comp. Strategies for Revitalizing Our Downtowns and Neighborhoods: Evaluating California Main Street Programs. Report. A Study for the Local Government Commission. July 2002. https://lgc.org/wordpress/docs/freepub/community_design/reports/evaluating_main_stree t1.pdf. Evaluating Internet Information. Accessed November 11, 2017. http://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit07/internet07_08.phtml. Food Streets. ABC News. Accessed October 5, 2016. https://www.facebook.com/abcnews.au/videos/10155029440674988/. "Foster + Partners to Transform Historic Madrid Building into Solar-powered Prado Museum Addition." Inhabitat Green Design Innovation Architecture Green Building. November 24, 2016. http://inhabitat.com/foster-partners-to-transform-historic-madrid-building-intosolar-powered-prado-museum-addition/. "Framework for Creating a Smart Growth Economic Development Strategy: A Tool for Small Cities and Towns." United States Environmental Protection Agency. January 2016. www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/201601/documents/small_town_econ_dev_tool_010516.pdf. Francaviglia, Richard V., and Wayne Franklin. Main Street Revisited: Time, Space, and Image Building in Small-town America. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1996. Gordon, Gerald L. The Formula for Economic Growth on Main Street America. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2010.

107

Christy L. Adkins

"The Guiding Principles." Mainstreet.org. Accessed August 1, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/about-main-street/the-approach/eightprinciples.html. Hazzard, Tracy Leigh. "Main Street America Revitalized, One Small Town at a Time." Inc.com. November 26, 2016. https://www.inc.com/tracy-leigh-hazzard/creating-storefrontentrepreneurs-one-small-town-at-a-time.html. Herriges, Daniel. "Narrow Streets Do More With Less." Strong Towns. Accessed June 6, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/6/6/narrow-streets-do-more-with-less. Hester, Randolph. Subconscious Landscapes of the Heart. PDF. EScholarship University of California, 1985. “History.” Heritage Trust Network. Accessed December 01, 2017. http://www.heritagetrustnetwork.org.uk/. "History of the National Main Street Center." Accessed March 18, 2016. www.mainstreet,org/main-street/the-center/history.html. Hood, Nathaniel M. "4 Easy Steps to Squash the "There's No Parking" Argument." Strong Towns. Accessed May 12, 2017. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/5/9/4-easysteps-to-squash-the-theres-no-parking-argument. "How Suburban Poverty Affects Seniors." Strong Towns. Accessed December 12, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/8/12/how-suburban-poverty-effects-seniors. Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities: 50th Anniversary Edition, New York: Modern Library, 2011 Jeffrey Schwartz, Executive Director of Broad Community Connections | From Main Street Story of the Week | June 19, 2014 |. "The ReFresh Project." Mainstreet.org. Accessed May 12, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/main-street-news/story-of-theweek/2014-/the-refresh-project-an.html. Johnson, Gracen. "Places Where I Don't Want to Sit." Strong Towns. May 23, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/5/23/places-where-i-dont-want-to-sit. Jokilehto, Jukka. “Chapter Seven – Conservation.” In History of Architectural Conservation. New York: Routledge, 2017 Jon Stover & Associates Economic Development Consulting. Fiscal Impact Analysis of Public Sector Spending on Four Main Street Programs. Publication. National Main Street Center, 2017. https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NMSC/Upoaded Images/f8427bO-3cd147fa-9f77-420e664b444a/NMSC-Fiscal-Impact-Analysis-Report-2017.pdf. 108

Christy L. Adkins

Kimmel, Chad M., PhD, and Joel Schoening, PhD. “Sustainable Main Street Revitalization: An Evaluation of the Four-Point Approach in Pennsylvania’s Main Street Programs.” EcDevJournal.com, September 19, 2016. http://www.ecdevjournal.com/en/new/index.aspx?Catld=e3b8a559-6c57-43b0-bc10d7a71e778aaa&newld=d0acf5ab-1310-4d26-837c2a3937ae. King, Thomas F. Cultural Resource Laws and Practice. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2013. Kinney, Jen. "Are Entrepreneurs a Better Gov’t Investment Than Corporations?" Next City. February 8, 2016. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/corporate-subsidies-states-shouldinvest-entrepreneurs. Krueger, Robert. "Trail-Oriented Development: New ULI Report Looks at Projects Tailored to Those Who Prefer Cycling and Walking Over Driving." ULI Americas. March 31, 2016. http://uli.org/press-release/trail-oriented-development-active-transportation-report/. Lane, Scott. "Show Me the Money: Why Complete Streets Make Economic Sense." Stantec. April 27, 2016. http://www.stantec.com/blog/2016/show-me-the-money-why-completestreets-make-economic-sense.html. Leinberger, Christopher B. Turning Around Downtown: Twelve Steps to Revitalization. PDF. Washington D.C.: The Brookings Institution – Metropolitan Policy Program, March 2005. Leonard, Gary. "Growing a Garden and Growing Community." Los Angeles Downtown News For Everything Downtown L.A.! April 27, 2016. http://www.ladowntownnews.com/opinion/growing-a-garden-and-growingcommunity/article_ac19c204-0b0d-11e6-896e-6f73c319fbe2.html. Lewis, Andy. "First Impressions - How It Works." University of Wisconsin - Extension. May 1, 2015. http://cced.ces.uwex.edu/files/2012/05/First-Impressions-Flyer.pdf. Lewis, Andy. "First Impressions Revisited." Center for Community & Economic Development. Accessed November 9, 2015. http://cced.ces.uwex.edu/2014/11/21/first-impressionsrevisited/. Lind, J.R. "Williamson County Sets Tourism Records." Franklin, TN Patch. August 23, 2017. https://patch.com/tennessee/franklin/williamson-county-sets-tourism-records. Loescher, Doug, and Teresa Lynch. Organization - Main Street Committee Members Handbook. 1996. Accessed January 12, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreet/resources/sample-documents/publications.html. Loescher, Doug, and Teresa Lynch. Promotion - Main Street Committee Members Handbook. 1996.

109

Christy L. Adkins

Longstreth, Richard W. The Buildings of Main Street: A Guide to American Commercial Architecture. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2000. Lowenthal, David. The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Lowenthal, David. The past Is a Foreign Country. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. “Main Street America™ Refresh.” Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/blogs/national-main-street-center/2017/10/michigan-mainstreet-refresh-implementation-the-refresh-from-our-communities-perspective. "Main Street America™ Tier System." Mainstreet.org. Accessed May 12, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/about-main-street/main-street-america/mainstreet-america-tier.html. "The Main Street Approach." The Main Street Approach - Main Street America - Refresh. Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/theapproach. “Main Street Impact.” Main Street Impact – Main Street America. August 2017. https://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/mainstreetimpact. "Main Street Reinvestment Statistics." Mainstreet.org. Accessed December 18, 2016. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/about-main-street/reinvestment-statistics-1.html. MAIS Guide to Completing a Master's Thesis or Applied Project. Report. University of San Francisco, 2017. 1-14. https://myusf.usfca.edu/sites/default/files/Thesis_Applied_Project_Manual_2017.pdf. Marohn, Charles. "Greatest Hits: The Strong Towns Strength Test." Strong Towns. June 15, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/6/15/greatest-hits-the-strong-townsstrength-test. Marohn, Charles. "The Greatest Social Challenge of Our Generation." Strong Towns. August 12, 2016. Accessed May 12, 2017. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/8/12/suburbanpoverty-week. McCann, Barbara. Completing Our Streets the Transition to Safe and Inclusive Transportation Networks. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2013. McDowell, Jade. "Life in Echo Shows Pros and Cons of Small Town Life." East Oregonian. April 19, 2016. http://www.eastoregonian.com/eo/local-news/20160420/life-in-echoshows-pros-and-cons-of-small-town-life.

110

Christy L. Adkins

"Measuring the Impact of Public Markets and Farmers Markets on Local Economies." January 1, 2009. https://www.pps.org/reference/measuring-the-impact-of-public-markets-andfarmers-markets-on-local-economies/. Milder, David N., and Andrew Dane. Citizens' Institute on Rural Design. 2013. http://www.ruraldesign.org/resource/revitalizing-small-towns-resolving-downtown-challenges. "Mission." Strong Towns. Accessed May 12, 2017. https://www.strongtowns.org/mission/. "Mixed Use Development." Vermont Natural Resources Council. Accessed September 9, 2016. VNRC Mixed Use Development Comments. Morse, Suzanne W. Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2014. Mullin, John, and Zenia Kotval. "Measuring the Effectiveness of Downtown Revitalization Strategies." June 2003. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=larp_faculty_p ubs. "National Trust for Historic Preservation." Eight Tips for Understanding the Complexities of Historic Districts | National Trust for Historic Preservation. March 15, 2016. Accessed May 12, 2017. https://savingplaces.org/stories/eight-tips-for-understanding-thecomplexities-of-historic-districts. NextCity.Org. “Are Entrepreneurs a Better Gov’t Investment Than Corporations?” Next City. Accessed July 10, 2016. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/corporate-subsidies-statesshould-invest-entrepreneurs. Nichols, MacDuffie, and Elizabeth Jackson. Marketing an Image for Main Street: How to Develop a Compelling Message and Identity for Downtown. Washington, DC: National Main Street Center, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2004. Nicola.wille, and University of Wisconsin Extension. "About the First Impressions Program." Center for Community & Economic Development. Accessed November 9, 2016. http://cced.ces.uwex.edu/2012/08/04/first-impressions-program-2/. Odio, Sarah. Community and Economic Development in North Carolina and Beyond. Report. Vol. 1. Development Finance Initiative. Chapel Hill NC: University of North Carolina Dept. of City and Regional Planning., 2009. https://ced.sog.unc.edu/retail-incubators-andmain-street-revitalization-part-1/. O'Neal-McElrath, Tori. Winning Grants Step by Step: The Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing, and Writing Successful Proposals. 4th ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2013.

111

Christy L. Adkins

Oregon Main Street 2015 Program Handbook. Heritage Programs, Oregon Parks and Rrecreation department, 2015. Organizing a Successful Downtown Revitalization Program Using the Main Street Approach. PDF. Washington StateMain Street Program, 2015. Park, Hyung Yu. Heritage Tourism. New York: Routledge, 2014. Pinkovitz, Bill, Bill Ryan, and Mary Vitcenda. "Downtown Market Analysis." Downtown Market Analysis. Accessed October 04, 2016. http://fyi.uwex.edu/downtown-marketanalysis/. Powe, Mike. "Preservation Leadership Forum." National Trust for Historic Places Resource Library. Accessed October 6, 2016. http://forum.savingplaces.org/viewdocument/reportatlas-of-reurbanism-buildi. "Preservation Brief 11: Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts." National Parks Service. Accessed October 17, 2016. https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/11-storefronts.htm. Preservation Nation, ed. Design Basics for Buildings - Storefront Rehabilitations. National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2015. http://www.preservationnation.org/preservationbooks/Promotion Committee Handbook. Price, Andrew. "How Suburban Poverty Affects Seniors." Strong Towns. Accessed August 12, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/8/12/how-suburban-poverty-effectsseniors. "Publications." Mainstreet.org. Accessed May 12, 2017. http://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreet/resources/sample-documents/publications.html. Quednau, Rachel. "The Economic Benefits of Biking Cannot Be Ignored." Accessed May 11, 2016. http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/5/10/the-economic-benefits-of-bikingcannot. Read, Rita A. Across the Plains: A History of Cross Plains, Tennessee, 1778-1986. Cross Plains, TN: Cross Plains Heritage Commission, 2017. Rocchi, Julia. “Six Practical Reasons to Save Old Buildings.” National Trust for Historic Preservation. November 10, 2015. https://savingplaces.org/stories/six-reasons-save-oldbuildings#.WgnbzGhSyM8 Ross, Ben. "Careful Jaywalking Saves Lives." Greater Greater Washington. Accessed May 3, 2016. https://ggwash.org/view/41338/careful-jaywalking-saves-lives. Royal Institute of British Architects. 150th Anniversary Gala. “A Speech by HRH The Prince of Wales.” News release, 1984. www.princeofwales.gov.uk/media/speeches/speech-hrh-theprince-of-wales-the-150th-anniversary-of-the-royal-institute-of. 112

Christy L. Adkins

Rypkema, Donovan, Caroline Cheong, and Randall Mason, PhD. Measuring Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation – A Report to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Report. University of Pennsylvania School of Design, Historic Preservation Program. Accessed November 2017. https://www.novoco.com/sites/default/files/atoms/files/htc_measuring_economic_impact s_of_historic_preservation1111.pdf. Rypkema, Donovan D. "Global Urban Development." Global Urvan Development. 2008. http://www.globalurban.org/GUDMag08Vol4Iss1/Rypkema.htm. Sanphillippo, Johnny. "The Trajectory of Suburban Poverty." Strong Towns. Accessed May 13, 2017. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/8/15/what-does-suburban-poverty-looklike. Schmitt, Angie. "The Feds Want to Reform the Cult of “Level of Service”." Streetsblog USA. January 29, 2016. http://usa.streetsblog.org/2016/01/28/the-feds-want-to-reform-the-cultof-level-of-service/. Schmitt, Angie. "Tell the Feds: Don’t Turn City Streets Into Highways." Streetsblog USA. April 22, 2016. http://usa.streetsblog.org/2016/04/22/tell-the-feds-dont-turn-city-streets-intohighways/. Schwartz, Jeffrey, and Broad Community Connections. “The Refresh Project.” www.mainstreet.org. June 19, 2014. http://www.mainstreet.org/main-street/main-streetnews/story-of-the-week/2014-/the-refresh-project-an.html "Smart Growth Self-Assessment for Rural Communities." EPA. January 23, 2017. https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-self-assessment-rural-communities. Steuteville, Robert. "Old Buildings Are Made for You and Me." CNU. November 29, 2016. https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2016/11/21/old-buildings-are-made-you-and-me. Stephenson, Raquel, PhD. “How Creative Expression Can Benefit Older Adults.” Lesley University. Accessed November 11, 2017. https://www.lesley.edu/article/how-creativeexpression-can-benefit-older-adults. "Strong Towns Focus on Education." Strong Towns. September 11, 2016. http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/9/11/strong-towns-focus-on-education. "Suburban Poverty." Strong Towns. Accessed October 17, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/suburban-poverty/. Temali, Mihailo. The Community Economic Development Handbook: Strategies and Tools to Revitalize Your Neighborhood. Nashville: Fieldstone Alliance, 2012. The Tennessean December 1939 113

Christy L. Adkins

Thompson, Derek. "The Miracle of Minneapolis." The Atlantic. February 18, 2015. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/the-miracle-ofminneapolis/384975/. Thompson, Todd. "REVITALIZATION." 353Court. Accessed October 5, 2016. http://353court.com/revitalization. Turner, Professor Bob, and Denise Lapenas. Historic Preservation: Gentrification or Economic Development. PDF. Skidmore College, December 2002. Tyler, Norman, Ted Ligibel, and Ilene R. Tyler. Historic Preservation: An Introduction to Its History, Principles, and Practice. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2009. "Vernacular Domestic Architecture." Vernacular Domestic Architecture | Entries | Tennessee Encyclopedia. 1998. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=31. Vermont Natural Resources Council. "Mixed Use Development." VNRC Mixed Use Development Comments. Accessed September 9, 2016. http://vnrc.org/resources/community-planning-toolbox/tools/mixed-use-development/. Walker, Alissa. "The More Walkable a City Is, the More Money It Makes." Gizmodo. June 17, 2014. http://gizmodo.com/the-more-walkable-a-city-is-the-more-money-it-makes1591945350. Wille, Nicola. "First Impressions Revisited." Center for Community & Economic Development. Accessed August 2, 2016. http://cced.ces.uwex.edu/2014/11/21/first-impressionsrevisited/. Williams, Nancy. "Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Tennessee Downtowns Program." Cis.tennessee.edu. Spring 2017. Zeren, Seth. "Jane Jacobs, an Urban Ecologist." Strong Towns. Accessed May 6, 2016. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/5/4/the-value-of-old-buildings. Zickuhr, Kathryn, Lee Rainie, and Kristen Purcell. "Part 4: What People Want from Their Libraries." Pew Research Center - Internet Libraries. January 21, 2013. http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/part-4-what-people-want-from-theirlibraries/.

114