Main Streets of Louisiana

Main Streets of Louisiana by Anne Butler; Photos by Henry Cancienne In 1980, realizing that across the nation significant historic commercial districts were at risk of being lost, the National Trust for Historic Preservation established the National Main Street Center to help revitalize deteriorating downtowns by focusing on preservation combined with sustainable economic development. In 1984 Louisiana joined the national network. Today there are twenty-nine Louisiana Main Street communities and four Main Street Urban Districts, thirty-three programs that are as different as they are alike in their attempts to improve their economic bases and rehabilitate historic buildings for productive, often repurposed, life. Louisiana’s lovely little Main Street communities are scattered across the state, providing a huge diversity, as seen in the spectacular full-color images that capture the spirit and soul of each place. The earliest ones developed along the major waterways, while inland ones h