Page 162 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2024

JIM
FINAL SAY
MILLER
Executive Director,
Mississippi Main Street Association
In 1996, my mother published the first of several books focused on historical architecture in Mississippi. Although only 10 years old, I clearly remember her bringing a copy of the book home and showing my sister and me the introduction, which reads, “This book is dedicated to my parents, Russell and Sara Criss, who chose to raise their children as Mississippians, and to my own children, Emily and Jim, who will, I hope, make the same choice.”
I recall being profoundly impacted by seeing this in print. It gave me an identity, and perhaps for the first time I began to understand and truly pay attention to the beauty of our state, its people, buildings, and places.
All these years later, Mississippi remains for me a fascinating place. From the Hills, to the Delta, to the Pine Belt, and to the beautiful Gulf Coast, our state is full of the kindest people, and some of the most beautiful towns that you will find anywhere. Yet, as was the case in other states, many Mississippians had
to endure seeing their downtown corridors suffer with the rise of suburban shopping and the development of new highways. Once vibrant towns began to experience losses in revenue, as merchants closed up shop or moved to new locations.
However, since 1984 the Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) has worked to combat these losses and to reinvigorate within these communities a quality of place – to return these downtowns and commercial districts to their proper role as the “beating hearts” of our respective communities.
Enter stage right the true heroes – the local Main Street Directors in MMSA’s network of nearly 70 member communities. Incorporating Main Street America’s patented Four Point Approach (Organization, Design, Promotion, and Economic Vitality) to economic revitalization, the tireless efforts of these individuals are paying dividends, as we’ve seen
many once-deteriorating downtowns move back into vibrancy and viability, retaking their rightful role as the core of their respective communities.
Between 2013 and 2022, MMSA programs in Mississippi generated the following economic development activities in their downtown districts: 3,415 new businesses, 658 business expansions, 13,850 new jobs, 484 public improvement projects, 1,033 rehabilitation projects, 130 new construction projects, 4,766 downtown residential units, $991 million in private investment, $708 million in public investment, and nearly 459,000 volunteer hours!
Through the efforts of MMSA and these Directors, as well as the support of local business and industry, investors, and our State Legislature, we are truly experiencing across Mississippi a renaissance as our historical downtowns and traditional commercial districts again take center stage as community hubs. I would encourage you, Dear Reader, to visit www. msmainstreet.com to learn more, and most importantly, to check out the “Events” tab to see all the wonderful activities taking place across Mississippi. Take in the sights, meet the people, and eat some wonderful food!
Whether you’re a lifelong Mississippian, a new transplant,
or simply a visitor to our state, get ready to experience the kindness of the world’s most wonderful people in some of the most beautiful towns you’ll ever see... But a word of warning: you might not want to leave!
162 | August 2024
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