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main street
we are
About Downtown Hertford
The Mission of Historic Hertford, Inc. (Doing Business As) Downtown Hertford is to facilitate the development of Hertford's Historic District as the cultural, economic, social, and historic center of Perquimans County, through the fostering of strategic civic, government, and business alliances.
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit with an all volunteer board of directors and one staff person. Historic Hertford Inc. (HHI)- Downtown Hertfort became a Main Street Program in 2000. Our focus is on promoting the Town as a place to live, work, and visit. We focus on all things Downtown Hertford including business development within the realm of historic preservation, the planning and implementation of the mural on the Gunther Law building at the corner of Church and Grubb, the development and implementation of this website, providing facade grants and providing and tending to the beautiful planters and offering events that bring visitors to Town.
As a Main Street America Affiliate™, Town of Hertford Main Street Program is part of a national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.
Our Plan of Work:
The Downtown Hertford five year strategic plan was adopted by the Downtown Hertford Board of Directors in Jan. 2024. The plan includes initiatives for enhancing Hertford such as obtaining funding and coordinating the implementation of our new mural. We are working to Identify potential locations for restaurants and food markets downtown and assist our downtown businesses by offering facade grants. Some highlights from the strategic plan include:
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Economic Development Strategy: Downtown offers an elevated authentic small-town experience that is enhanced by waterfront recreational opportunities.
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Goal: Utilize the waterfront experience to attract visitors to come to downtown Hertford.
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Objective: To extend the downtown users' visit, on average, by 2-3 hours, and to extend the business hours by 1-2 hours each day.
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Economic Development Strategy: A creative and diverse artistic community that is inspired by the rich history of the Inner Banks riverfront community.
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Objective: Objective: To make downtown Hertford a more creative environment that will attract 100 more visitors a week to the downtown district.
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Promotion Action: Between 2024 (anniversary of song written), and 2028 ( anniversary of release) incorporate the 100-year anniversary of the song "Carolina Moon" into existing celebrations and promote it statewide.
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Promotion Action: Incorporate the local schools in art and music events in downtown quarterly beginning in March 2024.
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Promotion Action: Once a month, create a Fast Ferry Outdoor Marketplace with local artists, live entertainment, and local foods that are representative of Hertford and Perquimans County, beginning in Summer 2024.
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Promotion Action: Develop a plan and secure grant funds to Install downtown wifi for an enhanced visitor experience by June 2024.
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Promotion Action: Develop a plan and secure grant funds to Install downtown wifi for an enhanced visitor experience.
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Organization Action: Partner with local churches for ways they can provide information on Downtown Hertford.
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Organization Action: By June, 2024, assemble the stories of the inner banks, and compile info about the moonshine running, battles fought here, Harvey Point base and the personnel assigned there which created a very active social life in Hertford with two movie theaters, dance hall, etc. The boating industry. The native Americans. The Quakers. Docks shipping. (This may become a museum later).
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Organization Action: Purchase or rent 2 golf carts to transport people from the Fast Ferry Docks to Downtown.
Our Leadership:
Our Board of Directors Chair is Lynne Raymond. Sandra Anderson is the Vice Chair and Sonya Hodges is Treasurer.
The board meets monthly and includes the following committees:
Design (Chair: Thomas Waller) Economic Vitality (Chair: Pamela Oliveira), Organization (Chair: Jennifer Harriss) Promotions (Chair Georgeanne Thorton Midgette). Our additional board members include Ernell Brown, Diane Camgemi, Susan Cox, Gina Durante, John Lassiter, Stacey Layden, Mary Sue Rieger
As a Main Street America™ Affiliated program, Downtown Hertford is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities that share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ Accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by Main Street America.
Downtown Hertford is an affliate North Carolina Main Street community, recognized by the N.C. Department of Commerce Main Street & Rural Planning Center. Downtown Hertford is charged with administering the program at the local level and building public-private partnerships to spur economic development that achieves measurable results such as investment, business growth, and job creation.
Meet Our Staff
Support Opportunities
Volunteer:
Our volunteers are the backbone of our success. Downtown Hertford is made up of an all volunteer board. Members give their time to help make our events and initiatives successful and we can't thank them enough!
Friends
We need your support!
Main Street Program
We Are a Proud NC Main Street Affiliated Community
North Carolina Main Street Rural Planning Center
The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is North Carolina's state coordinating program for Main Street America. The NC Main Street staff are charged by the NC Department of Commerce to facilitate downtown economic development, using the Main Street America Four Point Approach, in designated communities. The Main Street Approach™ is centered around economic development strategies that will transform downtown. These strategies articulate a focused path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown economy. Designated NC Main Street community's work is organized around the Four Point Approach: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization.
The selection process is competitive. The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center's Downtown Associate Community is the first step towards the NC Main Street Designation. Communities are selected every other year via a competitive application process. North Carolina municipalities, with an identifiable traditional downtown business district and a certified population under 50,000 are eligible to apply to the Center for services under the Downtown Associate Community program. Selected communities will receive three years of downtown revitalization technical assistance services from the NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center and may have the opportunity to move up to Main Street designation upon successful completion of the program.
Learn More: NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center
The National Main Street Program | Main Street America™
Main Street America™ has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation o Main Street America™ is a movement. Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 40 years. It is the leading voice for
preservation-based economic development and community revitalization across the country. Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, Main Street America represents the broad diversity that makes this country so unique. Working together, the programs that make up the Main Street America network help to breathe new life into the places people call home.
Main Street America is a mark of distinction. It is a seal, recognizing that participating programs, organizations, and communities are part of a national movement with a proven track record for celebrating community character, preserving local history, and generating impressive economic returns. Since 1980, over 2,000 communities have been part of Main Street, bringing renewed energy and activity to America’s downtowns and commercial districts, securing $61 billion in new investment creating more than 525,000 net new jobs and rehabilitating 251,000 buildings.
Main Street America is a time-tested strategy. Main Street America communities are encouraged to make use of a time-tested approach, known as the Main Street Approach. The Main Street Approach is rooted in a commitment to broad-based community engagement, a holistic understanding of the factors that impact the quality of life in a community, and strategic focus on the core principles of downtown and neighborhood revitalization: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization.
Learn More: Main Street America