The Tennessee Main Street Program held its quarterly managers' meeting Wednesday and Thursday at the General Morgan Inn.

About 30 leaders from Main Street programs across the state attended the two-day event which included a variety of informative sessions and activities.

In a panel discussion on Thursday morning, Sarah Webster, Greeneville Alderman and Main Street: Greeneville board member, recalled the local organization's major accomplishments in the past 25 years.

Also on the panel -- titled "The Greeneville Story, Past, Present and Future," -- were Main Street: Greeneville board members Bob Cantler and the Rev. Dr. Dan Donaldson.

Webster said Greeneville was one of five Tennessee towns that were pilots of the state's Main Street Program in 1983.

In the years since then, Webster said, Main Street: Greeneville was involved in the following initiatives:

* 1984 -- Downtown banks formed a coalition with $100,000 for facade renovations;

* 1985 -- Brumley Hotel and surrounding parking areas donated to Main Street: Greeneville by Greene County Bank;

* 1986 -- Main Street: Greeneville aided in survey to expand the local Historic and National Register districts;

* 1987 -- Town received a federal grant for a new drainage system on Depot Street;

* 1988 -- Main Street: Greeneville partnered with the Greeneville Exchange Club to hang Lost State of Franklin banners on downtown lamp posts;

* 1989 -- "Christmas in Olde Greene" committee formed;

* 1990 -- First annual "GreeneSpring" week-long event held;

* 1991 -- Urn Beautification project with flowers planted throughout downtown began;

* 1992 -- Redevelopment Plan lead by Main Street: Greeneville adopted by the town;

* 1993 -- Main Street: Greeneville pledged $5,000 to renovation of the Dickson-Williams Mansion;

* 1994 -- Downtown Farmer's Market opened;

* 1995 -- Main Street: Greeneville purchased the Capitol Theatre and gave it to the Little Theatre of Greeneville Inc.;

* 1996 -- General Morgan Inn & Conference Center opened;

* 1997 -- Historic Heritage Building Series of miniature replicas began;

* 1998 -- Campaign to keep Greeneville High School downtown began;

* 1999 -- Main Street: Greeneville received Tennessee Main Street Program's Award of Excellence for the Morgan Square Project;

* 2000 -- Five facade grants awarded to downtown property owners;

* 2001 -- Main Street Matters conference held at the General Morgan Inn;

* 2002 -- Greeneville Federal Bank bought the old Federal Courthouse;

* 2003 -- Lost State Writers Conference held in Greeneville;

* 2004 -- "A Walk With the President" downtown walking tours and tours of the Dickson-Williams began;

* 2005 -- First Ladies Inaugural Gowns on display at the General Morgan Inn;

* 2006 -- International Tasting celebrates 17 years; and

* 2007 -- Three grants totaling $35 million awarded for signage, lights and the Farmers' Market.

Webster later shared a more comprehensive list of past accomplishments, which, in part, included:

* 1984 -- Main Street: Greeneville led coalition to have new jail site built on East Depot Street resulting in a totally new facelift for that entire block;

* 1985 -- Town, through Main Street: Greeneville efforts, received $100,000 grant for first phase of the Richland Creek project;

* 1989 -- First annual Halloween Happenings held;

* 1991 -- First Home for the Fourth celebration held at Burley Stadium and first Saturday Night Out Downtown Cruise-In held;

* 1996 -- Main Street: Greeneville helped coordinate Bicentennial Parade; and

* 1998 -- Main Street: Greeneville donated $1,000 to Nathanael Greene Museum for Early Business Gallery.

After recalling the past, Webster looked to the future and said, "It's an exciting time in Greeneville," referring to the Rediscover Greeneville plans for downtown redevelopment.

She urged participants to come back to Greeneville in three years. "I believe you'll see activity that hasn't been in Greeneville for years and years and years," she said.

Cantler, general manager of the General Morgan Inn and Morgan Square Development Group, said the group has been working on Rediscover Greeneville with the challenges of a new economy since the plans were unveiled 14 months ago.

He said financing has been the biggest hurdle to the plans, which propose redevelopment of several downtown properties for both residential and commercial use.

Cantler said Main Street: Greeneville has been looking to other communities for ideas on ways to preserve the vitality of downtown.

For example, he said, Greeneville has been studying a theater in Gallatin that is similar to Greeneville's struggling Capitol Theatre.

Donaldson said, "The vitality of our downtown is critical to all of us."

Donaldson also spoke about how Greeneville is the heart of Greene County and serves as its true county seat.

Also on Thursday, the group heard a presentation by special guest Kathy Adams, senior director of Heritage Travel Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Adams was introduced by Kimberly Nyberg, manager of the Tennessee Main Street Program.

Adams said the vision of Heritage Travel is to be "the premier online community in which people find and share heritage-rich experiences."

She showed examples of a new Web site expected to launch in February or March, that will showcase heritage travel destinations.

The Web site, she said, will offer photos, videos, feedback, statistics, links and other features.

The group was welcomed on Thursday morning by Rebecca Tipton, president of Main Street: Greeneville's board of directors.

Tipton introduced Jann Mirkov, executive director, who introduced several local leaders who spoke to the group.

Local speakers included Greeneville Mayor Laraine King; Randy Harrell, president of the Greene County Partnership; and State Reps. David Hawk, R-5th, and Eddie Yokley, D-11th.

On Thursday afternoon, participants shared marketing ideas and gave program updates.

Wednesday night's activities included walking tours from the General Morgan Inn to a wine and cheese reception at the Nathanael Greene Museum.

Kimberly Nyberg, Tennessee Main Street director, congratulated those present Thursday afternoon on the fact that last year the 21 Main Street communities certified and reporting had reported more than 76,000 volunteer hours for last year. 

"That's significant," Nyberg said. "It means that people care about the work of Main Street throughout Tennessee. She encouraged everyone to polish up the work plans in their various communities.

In her State of Tennessee Main Street Program report, Nyberg reported that although the sales tax revenues across the state are way down, the Main Street Program is relatively unaffected at this time.  However, there won't be any major new programs for this year.

The state government recognizes the significance of the programs across the state, she said.
Nyberg said she is very proud of the 10 regional economic development specialists across the state that work with the Main Street Communities.

She reminded the programs that National Accreditation/Annual Reports are due in January and that the winter managers' quarterly meeting will be held Jan. 21-22 in Nashville.

Other significant dates include the National Main Street Conference in Chicago on March 1-3 and the spring managers quarterly meeting April 7-8 in Bristol and Kingsport.

For more information on Main Street: Greeneville, visit www.mainstreetgreeneville.com or call 639-7102.

For more information on the Tennessee Main Street Program, visit www.state.tn.us/ecd/comdev_mainstreet.htm.