Port Gibson Main Street
Port Gibson Main Street Mission Statement
To facilitate economic revitalization of Port Gibson's
downtown district within the context of historic preservation, focusing
on the unique heritage of Mississippi's third oldest town while maintaining
the architectural integrity of historical structures through planned, progressive
development and strong community commitment.
Port Gibson Main Street is affiliated with the Mississippi Main
Street Program and The National Main Street
Center of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation in Washington DC Port Gibson gets a nice
mention on the Main Street
Web site.
Port Gibson Main Street sponsors the annual
Main Street Heritage Festival. This years Festival will be held Saturday
March 25th. Further details may be found on the Port Gibson
Events page.
For more information, contact:
Mr. Al Hollingsworth
Port Gibson Main Street
PO Box 607
Port Gibson, MS 39150
(601) 437-4500
- PORT GIBSON MAIN STREET
AWARD PROGRAM
1998 AWARD OF MERIT
· Nancy and B.G.Jones -
Interior rehabilitation of Port Gibson Art and Gift
Gallery - 204 Walnut Street
· Jerry Bangham -
Development and maintenance of an Internet site for
Port Gibson and Claiborne County
· Deborah Purviance -
Leadership in development of
the sixteen page feature on Port Gibson/Claiborne
County published in the 1997 Holiday Edition of Colonial Homes
1998 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
· Hystercine Rankin -
Acknowledging her lifelong achievement as a traditional
artist and the honor she has brought to her community
- SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS
- 1997
- Organization:
7th Annual Meeting, Award
Ceremony and Reception was held on January 21st at City Hall; 67 volunteers
attended
Two Special Awards of Merit were presented
for lifelong contributions to the retail community
During the year Port Gibson Main Street
was featured in 9 statewide news articles and 18 local articles
Included as a case study in Saving
America's Countryside -; A Guide
To Rural Conservation (second edition) Published in 1997
Participated in The Countryside
Institute's 10th Anniversary Celebration
One of three communities highlighted
in Shaping The Future- Lessons Learned
Presented the Port Gibson Story
at Cold Spring, N.Y., October 23 - 25, 1997
Received one of three Countryside
Community Achievement Awards for 1997
Russ Miller and Amelda Arnold participated
in Countryside workshops on November 6-8, 1997 (Air travel paid by Mississippi
Southern Bank and Port Gibson hank)
The Port Gibson Main Street Story
A presentation was made to approximately
300 participants in the South Carolina Governor's Rural Summit held in
March
A follow-up presentation was made
to approximately 70 volunteers and community leaders in Allendale, S.C.
in June
Promotion:
Sponsored the 5th Port Gibson Main
Street Heritage Festival on March 22, 1997. Events included:
- Dilla Dash (5K walk/run)
- Children's Activities
- Arts and Crafts Show
- Food Fair
- Music
- Historic Guided Tours
- The Original Mississippi Venison
Cookoff
- Award of Excellence received from
MDDA for the Dilla Dash as an outstanding special event.
Sponsored the 4th Annual Children's
Halloween Celebration on October 25, 1997 - over
100 children participated.
Sponsored the 7th Annual Festival
of Carols and Lights on December 4, 1997
Sponsored the 8th Annual Main Street
Christmas Parade on December 6, 1997
In cooperation with the Chamber
of Commerce, co-sponsored the 1997 Shop At Home activities in December
- Economic Restructuring:
Six new businesses located in the
Main Street District
- Port Gibson Art and Gift Gallery
- Smitty's Furniture Company
- Port Gibson Music Services
- Each opening was celebrated with
a ribbon cutting ceremony
Design:
Completed plans for the tree planting
project in the 600 block of Market
Street. Trees will be planted in February.
Expanded the downtown planter program
to 62 pots.
Port Gibson Main Street Statistical Summary
|
Life of Program
(10/90 -
10/97)
|
1997
|
| New Businesses |
36
|
6
|
| Lost Businesses * |
24
|
3
|
| Business Expansions ** |
-
|
1
|
| Facade Renovations |
|
|
|
|
9
|
1
|
|
|
33
|
1
|
| New Buildings |
1
|
0
|
| Public Investment |
$ 3,082,776
|
$ 55,051
|
| Private Investment |
$ 567,700
|
$ 79,100
|
| New Jobs |
109.5
|
11
|
| Lost Jobs |
42
|
3
|
| Facade Grants Paid |
10
|
1
|
| Low Interest Loans Processed |
2
|
0
|
* 5 of these
businesses relocated to areas Outside the Main Street District but within
Port Gibson
** Not recorded
as expansions prior to 1997
The Renewal of Main Street
Photographs by Al Hollingsworth
The former Planter's Hotel, now the office of Dr. David Headley
From a vacant lot to the new Matt Ross County Administration Building
Our Mart Grocery, a Civil Rights Landmark
The Harriette Person Memorial Library
The Dagel Building
The Mississippi Power and Light Building
The Port Gibson Water Department
The Main Street Planter Program
