TNECD Program Provides Resources to Preserve Historic Districts, Support Local Businesses and Encourage Economic Growth
(UCBJ) – Crossville has been selected as one of Tennessee’s newest Main Street communities.
The program, which now reaches 50 communities, expands opportunities for downtown revitalization and economic development in the Upper Cumberland region. The Tennessee Main Street (TMS) Program provides communities with training, support and grant opportunities designed to strengthen downtown districts through historic preservation, adaptive reuse of commercial buildings and efforts to encourage economic vitality.
“The Tennessee Main Street (TMS) program showcases what makes our state great: preserving the unique character of our rural communities while creating opportunities for Tennesseans to thrive,” Tennessee Deputy Gov. and TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter said. “Thank you to the leaders of Crossville, Newport, Springfield and Loudon for partnering with our department to strengthen their downtowns and make Tennessee an even better place to live, work and raise a family.”
According to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), four new communities have been accepted into the Tennessee Main Street Program, including:
- Crossville
- Newport
- Springfield
- Loudon
Crossville and Newport were added to the program in September 2025, while Springfield and Loudon joined in May 2026. Crossville joins Cookeville and Livingston as Main Street America network communities in the Upper Cumberland.
“TNECD is excited to welcome these four communities to the Main Street America network,” Tennessee Main Street Program Director Kim Parks said. “They successfully completed the requirements and community application process, and with this designation as a Tennessee Main Street community, they’ll be able to take the next steps to grow businesses, preserve buildings and develop community pride in their downtown district.”
Communities seeking Main Street designation “must demonstrate a commitment from government and community organizations, maintain an adequate organizational budget, hire a dedicated program manager, support historic preservation efforts and have a collection of historic commercial buildings within a walkable downtown district.”
With the addition of Crossville, Newport, Springfield and Loudon, Tennessee’s 50 Main Street communities now include:
- Athens
- Bolivar
- Bristol
- Brownsville
- Centerville
- Cleveland
- Clifton
- Clinton
- Collierville
- Columbia
- Cookeville
- Covington
- Dayton
- Dyersburg
- Elizabethton
- Etowah
- Fayetteville
- Franklin
- Gallatin
- Greeneville
- Halls
- Jackson
- Johnson City
- Jonesborough
- Kingsport
- Lawrenceburg
- Lebanon
- Lewisburg
- Livingston
- Madisonville
- Maryville
- McKenzie
- McMinnville
- Morristown
- Mount Pleasant
- Murfreesboro
- Paris
- Pulaski
- Ripley
- Rogersville
- Savannah
- Sevierville
- Sweetwater
- Tiptonville
- Union City
- Winchester
For more information, visit TNECD.
Photo via the City of Cookeville.
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