2C0C2Dc6 3De0 4095 A2A0 A5A37D401E32 Main Street, Monroeville — “WILDLIFE IN THE GARDEN – Taken on the Courthouse Lawn in Monroeville, Alabama – Home of Harper Lee” by UGArdener is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

It’s been 10 years since Monroeville established its Main Street organization to try and revive the dwindling city center. In that time, downtown vacancies have dropped over 25%, over 70 new jobs were created and, now, it’s received the Great American Main Street Award.

Keep reading for all the details on the honor.

Monroeville Main Street

The honor was bestowed upon Monroeville by Main Street America, which works with historic downtown areas in small towns across the country to turn them into thriving community centers.

Monroeville Main Street was founded during a tumultuous time in downtown Monroeville. Building vacancies were in the 30%, storefronts were dilapidated and folks had no reason to visit. Since 2014, the group has worked tirelessly to give the entire area a facelift—from public art initiatives embracing the area’s literary history to adding more residential spaces downtown.

Now, building vacancies are at just 5%—in them, new businesses. Leaders in Monroeville say 42 new businesses have opened since the project began.

“This achievement is a testament to the unwavering commitment and hard work of our board members, volunteers, property owners, entrepreneurs, and community partners, as well as the power of the Main Street Approach. We are grateful for everyone’s passion and dedication, which have collectively contributed to the revitalization of downtown Monroeville.”
Anne Marie Deas Bryan, Executive Director at Monroeville Main Street

About Monroeville

4556F982 69D0 45A4 8Bfd Ffd76F3E033B Main Street, Monroeville — “Monroeville, Alabama – Home of Harper Lee” by UGArdener is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

If you haven’t heard of this adorable little hamlet, it’s the county seat of Monroe County in Southwest Alabama. With a population of just under 6,000, the town is known as the birthplace of Harper Lee and Truman Capote. It’s known as the “Literary Capitol of Alabama” and hosts a yearly Literary Festival to celebrate great authors from the town.

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