Historic Downtown
The Main Street Program was created in 1990 to facilitate the revitalization of downtown Toccoa and has been accredited by the National Trust for Historic Preservation since 1999.
Toccoa’s Program is based on the National trust for Historic Preservation’s recommended four-point approach to downtown redevelopment within the context of historic preservation.
The primary mission of Main Street Toccoa is to improve Toccoa’s quality of life by strengthening downtown’s role as the community’s heart. Toccoa Main Street is a nonprofit organization formed to make the downtown district the economic and cultural center of the community. The overall objective is to improve the viability and appearence of the downtown district and to stimulate long-term reinvestment through business recruitment and retention, all within the context of historic preservation.
What is historic preservation?
It’s much more than saving old buildings! Historic preservation champions and protects places that tell the stories of our past.
It enhances our sense of community and brings us closer together: saving the places where we take our children to school, buy our groceries and stop for coffee – preserving the stories of ancient cultures found in landmarks and landscapes we visit – protecting the memories of people, places, and events honored in our national monuments.
Historic preservation is also about getting involved in saving these monuments, landscapes, and neighborhoods. There are many ways you can get involved in historic preservation and save places that matter in your life. The important part is that you recognize the places that are meaningful to you, and to our nation’s heritage, and that they deserve to be around for future generations. That’s what preservation is all about.
Chartered by Congress in 1949, today's National Trust, a privately funded nonprofit organization, has become the organization its founders envisioned: the vigorous leader of an expansive movement that is changing the face of America.
The program has achieved success. Honors include the Great American Main Street Top Ten Semi-finalist from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Excellence in Downtown Development Award from the Georgia Downtown Association, and the Excellence in Rehabilitation Award from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.
