Mississippi Main Street Association is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Mississippi Development Authority. Main Street is an economic development program based in historic preservation. Mississippi Main Street Association has many strategic partners in Mississippi including the Mississippi Development Authority, Mississippi Division of Tourism, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Mississippi Arts Commission, Mississippi Heritage Trust, Mississippi Urban Forestry Council and the Carl Small Town Center at the Mississippi State University School of Architecture.
News Headlines
- Jeannie’s Jaunt to Holly Springs
- MMSA Resource Team Makes Progress on Coast
- Two Main Street directors nominated for South Mississippi’s “Top 10 under 40”
- Year Round Tourism Offered In Columbus
- Picyaune tops record at 2008 Egg Drop Festival
- Greenwood-based Viking Range Takes Top Honor for Exporting Success
- Downtown Pontotoc Sees Renovations
- Historical Preservation Projects Funded
- Columbus named distinctive destination by National Trust
- Governor Haley Barbour gives Main Street towns cultural tourism boost
- Reba Beebe named 2008 Charles O. Beasley Award recipient
Upcoming Events
- May 16: Annual Awards Luncheon, Jackson
- May 28: ARC and WIRED Charrette Program Coordinators Meeting
June 5-6: Mississippi Market Wholesale Show- July 30: Main Street Day at Neshoba County Fair
- August 28-29: Manager Training, TBA
- October 6-8: Destination Downtown Conference, Bay St. Louis
Featured Community
Ripley, Mississippi
RIPLEY became a Mississippi Main Street community in 2001. In the ensuing seven years, Ripley Main Street volunteers have changed the face and feel of Ripley.
In 2003, Ripley became a Certified Local Government. This designation allowed Ripley to create an historic district protected by a city ordinance, a design guidelines handbook and the Historic Preservation Commission. As a certified local government, Ripley Main Street could apply for Historic Preservation Grants.
To date Ripley Main Street has applied for and administered grants to restore and re-purpose two buildings in downtown. The first building to be renovated was the old Dixie Theatre. The renovated theatre opened its doors during the summer of 2007 with a production of Grease. Since then the theatre has hosted six community plays, a gala, a talent show and a business seminar.
The second building renovated in Ripley was the old Tippah County Jail. In 2005, the former Tippah County Jail (1938 - 2003) was named one of Mississippi's Ten Most Endangered Historic Places by the Mississippi Heritage Trust. The renovation, completed just last month (April 2008), will allow the building to become an archive for county papers which have been stored improperly for years and are suffering decay. The archive will serve as a vehicle for genealogical and historic research. Continue Reading...
