Special By Kyle Kramm, Main Street and CVB director
(Seguin) — Vacant downtowns became an all too common story throughout America as the culture in America went from a pedestrian lifestyle to a vehicular lifestyle throughout the 1950’s to 1970’s. As strip centers and malls went up, down came historic buildings and their small mom-and-pop entrepreneurs. For many communities fighting increasing vacancies in their downtowns, the solution was to demolish their downtowns or attempt to convert downtown to a mall like atmosphere.
Thankfully, preservationists and neighborhood advocates came to the rescue and began the work to turn the tide to prevent cities from losing their historic character and unique sense of place. From their fight to save communities birthed the National Main Street Center under the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The program started with three pilot cities in 1979 and then was rolled out to six states in 1980. Those six states each selected five cities to join the program in 1981. And Seguin was honored to have been one of those first 30 cities selected to join the program. Out of more than 200 cities that applied nationwide, the Texas Historical Commission and the National Trust saw the unique character and opportunity within downtown Seguin.
A resource came to Seguin in July 1981 to create a road map to start Seguin on the path of downtown revitalization. The report recognized Seguin’s strengths with historic character, strong recreational tourism draw, location and diverse workforce. The roadmap included a variety of ideas to address the needs and opportunities of downtown Seguin, many of which were accomplished like instituting city-wide zoning, expanding the historic marker programs and increasing the use of Central Park for events.
One of the most important items in the resource report still rings true today. “The degree of success in bringing new life, sparkle and activity back to downtown depends most on the energy and leadership invested in the program by the people of Seguin. The merchants, the city, the bankers – all have an obvious interest in downtown,” the report said, “But so does everyone else in town, from senior citizens to school children, from church groups to fraternal lodges. It’s time for everyone in Seguin to come back together again on Main Street. After all, without Main Street, where do you hold the parade?”
At the time, cities joined the Main Street program for three years and then would leave and continue their downtown program on their own, so Seguin would leave the program in 1985. That has now changed, and cities are encouraged to join the program and stay in to take advantage of the resources provided by the Texas Main Street Program and the National Main Street Center. So, Seguin would rejoin the program in 1997 and it has remained active ever since.
As the National Main Street Center and the Texas Main Street Program both turn 40 this year, Seguin Main Street is getting a little recognition for being one of the original 30 cities and the staff of the Seguin Main Street Program felt it important to share a little history of the program with locals and ensure they know how special and important downtown Seguin is.
The work of a Main Street Program never ends, there is no overnight success story. It is a long line of small incremental changes that will bring around positive change that result in a healthy business mix that creates a welcoming environment for everyone. Seguin Main Street appreciates the community’s support that creates a welcoming environment for everyone. Seguin Main Street appreciates the community’s support and will rely on that continued commitment in the years to come.