As we gear up for Halloweekend 2022, I thought it might be interesting to dig into the Great American Main Street Program in general. Most of us realize that our amazing Halloween festivities are planned through Los Alamos Main Street, but we might not realize that this organization is actually part of a huge network supporting small towns across the United States.

Main Street, Anytown, USA

According to MainStreet.org, “collectively, the Main Street movement is the leading voice for preservation-based economic development and community revitalization across the country”.

What does that really mean?

Think about our struggles here in Los Alamos to pep up our downtown areas. We spend countless hours talking about bringing in businesses, restaurants, and activities that encourage residents to enjoy our community. That’s what The Main Street Movement is all about.

This movement focuses on small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts. The United States has a long history of small town life going back to our identity as a fledgling country. A number of towns used to have a town square, (or a plaza!) with a community building or courthouse in the center, and businesses, financial institutions, and restaurants occupying the surrounding streets. Or maybe the towns were more like Western towns you see in old movies where there was a main street lined with mercantile stores, hotels, and businesses. Perhaps these business centers were clustered around the railroad or a main highway crossing. No matter where they were, these central areas were the lifeblood of the surrounding community. A place to gather and enjoy the fruits of labor.

Ashley Pond during the Manhattan Project days. I think we need to give our downtown area more credit for progress, don’t you?

Gradually over time, super highways and air freight terminals changed the way that local businesses were able to compete. Big box stores moved in with lower prices and a larger selection of goods and services. Smaller businesses couldn’t compete and gradually were lost to time. Since the addition of Internet shopping to the economic landscape, small businesses struggle even more to maintain storefronts that allow them to connect with their communities.

Main Street America is all about salvaging that community feeling. Our Los Alamos chapter was given the Great American Main Street Award in 2016. That’s quite an honor! The award was established in 1995 and each year since, the organization has picked winners from towns and districts nominated all over the country. In 2022, Biddeford, Maine, Hammond, Louisiana, and Laramie, Wyoming have all been honored for their amazing efforts to revitalize their Main Street districts.

In 1947, the Atomic Energy Commission built our Community Center as a place for community life in Los Alamos. The complex housed the post office, retail shops, and even a cafeteria. From 1953-1995, this complex also housed the Mesa Public Library. These were the very beginnings of Main Street Los Alamos, a term that would not become “a thing” until developer Tom Netuschil renovated the Community Center Complex into Central Park Square in 1998.

Community Center circa 1950s

Here in Los Alamos, the efforts to revitalize our Main Street are still full steam ahead. You might have noticed that the Hilltop House Hotel is coming down. We have modern apartment complexes going up and a continually growing number of Main Street activities planned to help our community connect. Los Alamos is a great place to be! When we were granted the Main Street America Award in 2016, we were dubbed “One to Watch”. So while the progress might seem slow at times, the wheels are in motion. And if you’re willing, volunteer with Main Street Los Alamos and get involved! Or, if you’re ready to join our community, give me a call! I’d love to talk Los Alamos real estate with you.