Patrick Ford
Editor
Several Okmulgee Main Street board members recently traveled to Oklahoma City for the 2024 Main Street Day at the Capitol.
Attending from Okmulgee were Rusty Milroy, Mary Lewellen and Margaret Hess, who also took items and goodies from local merchants to share and showcase at the event.
Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell was in attendance and spoke to the groups from around the state.
For nearly 40 years, Oklahoma’s Main Street program has been pumping new life back into the historic commercial districts across the state.
Currently, there are 47 active Main Street programs including six urban and two county-wide programs.
These programs saw more than $35 million in private investments alone in 2023.
Since it was established in 1986, the organization has invested $2.2 billion and 1.7 million volunteer hours into restoring downtowns across the state. This has led to the creation of 21,600 jobs and rehabilitation of 15,600 buildings.
Oklahoma Main Street Center also recognized and celebrated those communities achieving a private reinvestment milestone in their local district during 2023:
- Main Street Enid, Inc. – $70 million
- Kendall Whittier Main Street – $175 million
- Newkirk Main Street – $10 million
- Woodward Main Street – $20 million
- Yukon 66 Main Street – $15 million
- Ponca City Main Street – $60 million
Okmulgee Main Street was among the pioneering five communities in Oklahoma to join the Main Street initiative in 1986. The hard work of the program has led to various accolades:
-In 1992, the Okmulgee Downtown Historic District earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places,
-2002 – named one of the top five Great American Main Streets.
-2019 – Okmulgee reaches $50 million private reinvestment mark
-2022 – Okmulgee Main Street was honored once again as an Accredited Main Street America™ program, marking 37 years of exemplary performance, dedication, and resilience.
Also in 2022, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO), in conjunction with the City of Okmulgee and Okmulgee Main Street Inc., announced the city has achieved film friendly certification after completing the requirements for OF+MO’s Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program.
