Main Street has historically been the face of a community--the place downtown where people gathered to conduct business and interact with each other--especially prior to World War II. In the decades after the war, people began to gather in places other than Main Street, and in many cases the local businesses closed or relocated away from the downtown area. Efforts to attract people back to "Main Street" began in the 1980s, with an emphasis on promoting the downtown area by encouraging new businesses to locate on Main Street, and improving the overall physical appearance of the environment.
This online exhibit is a compilation of images from various collections of the Arkansas State Archives and includes content illustrating what Main Street and downtowns were like in their heyday and later efforts for revitalization through rehabilitated historic buildings, community oriented events, and promoting local businesses.