A downtown that preserves its historic character, serves as a central place for residents to gather and engage, and provides opportunities for businesses to grow is one of the keys to a thriving community.

Eagle River, Ladysmith, and Ripon are three communities that demonstrate the vital role downtowns play in their community. They were among the 15 communities honored for their downtown revitalization projects at the 34th Wisconsin Main Street Awards Ceremony held at the Mable Tainter Theater in Menomonie on Thursday.

“Downtowns are the commercial and cultural centers of communities,” said Alan Christianson, city administrator in Ladysmith. “They are a place where residents and visitors get together to socialize, dine, and shop. Downtown provides one of the strongest ties to the history of the community. A healthy and vibrant downtown reflects well on the community as a whole.”

Eagle River was named the 2024 Wisconsin Main Street of the Year, an honor recognizing the city’s efforts to become a thriving, historic, and community center city where economic opportunity, cultural heritage, and local creativity come together to build a brighter future.

“The projects we’ve worked on — whether it’s revitalizing spaces, expanding opportunities for businesses, or preserving our history — feel like common-sense efforts to make Eagle River a better place for everyone,” said Karen Margelofsky, executive director of the Eagle River Revitalization Program. “We never set out to win awards; we simply focus on what’s best for our community.”

That focus includes earning a National Historic Registry Listing designation; expanding the farmers’ market to include not only produce, but also local artists and education on the importance of healthy eating and sustainable agriculture; the creation of a community square to serve as the social and economic anchor for the downtown’ public art initiatives; and a program to support and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“Each piece strengthens both downtown and the entire city, shaping Eagle River into a destination that inspires innovation, fosters deep community connections, and leaves a lasting impact on everyone who experiences it,” Margelofsky said.

Creating a lasting impact is exactly what Ladysmith did with a three-pronged project that was recognized with the Connect Communities Revitalization Award-Small Community.

The city undertook a complete rebuild of Miner Avenue, replacing underground utility lines that had been in place since 1911, ensuring modern infrastructure for the future.

It also restored an 80-year-old retail building that had been vacant for two decades. It now houses Connections Thrift store, the ICAA-Rusk County Food Pantry, and retail incubator, and provides essential services through the Indianhead Community Action Agency.

Finally, the city constructed a new pavilion and pedestrian-friendly space that creates a vibrant downtown gateway and permanent home for the Rusk County Farmers Market.

The city is already seeing the impact.

Visitor traffic downtown has increased, with approximately 1,900 visitors since the Connections Thrift Store opened five months ago. Sales at the Rusk County Farmers’ Market is estimated to have increased 33% over the previous year and two new businesses are expected to open along Miner Avenue in 2025, Christianson said.

“Together these components contributed to a more attractive and welcoming downtown,” Christianson said. “In a small community like ours, any one of these project components would have been a major accomplishment on its own, so to have the opportunity to tackle all three as part of a larger project by leveraging funding through a variety of sources and the collaboration of a number of community partners was huge.”

In Ripon, the transformation of an unused building into a state-of-the-art brewing facility and brewpub was one of two projects recognized as the Best Total Building Transformation.

The Knuth Brewing Company renovation serves as the “vibrant event center in the heart of the community” and attracts residents and visitors alike to the downtown, said Craig Tebon, executive director of Ripon Main Street, Inc.

“Downtowns serves as the heart of the community, playing a vital role in economic, social, and cultural growth,” Tebon said. “The Knuth Brewing Company is a central hub for our community.”

Missy Hughes, Secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and other WEDC leaders were on hand at Thursday’s award ceremony to recognize the successful projects and initiatives executed by Main Street and Connect Communities programs around the state. Recognized projects included business and community development initiatives, building renovations, community celebrations, and revitalization success stories from across Wisconsin.

“Every day across Wisconsin, business and community leaders are looking for new ways to build an economy for all, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our downtowns represent the heart and soul of our communities — and this year’s Main Street Award winners represent the very best our state has to offer,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the state’s leading economic development organization. “The Main Street Awards ceremony celebrates the hard work, vision and dedication of those who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to preserve and promote their downtowns.”

Individuals recognized for exemplary service include:

Executive Director Years of Service Awards

●  Jordan Nordby — Monroe (10 years)

●  Shauna El-Amin — Beloit (13 years)

●  Teri Ouimette — Chippewa Falls (14 years)

●  Amy Hansen — Fond du Lac (18 years)

●  Craig Tebon — Ripon (33 years)

2024 Community Champions

●  Stephanie Kneuppel — Beloit

●  Nancy Schuller — Eagle River

●  Tracy Mathweg — Fond du Lac

●  Julie Hill — Green Bay

●  Jeff Frawley — Menomonie

●  Stephani King — Monroe

●  Sheila Ruchti — Platteville

●  Jacqui Sharpe — Three Lakes

●  Kathy Theil — Tigerton

●  Mary Smith — Tomahawk

Wisconsin Main Street is a community development program administered by WEDC that targets Wisconsin’s historic commercial districts. WEDC provides technical support and training to the 34 Main Street communities to help them revitalize their business districts based on guidelines developed by Main Street America.

Since the program’s inception in 1987, Wisconsin Main Street community efforts have resulted in the creation of nearly 3,500 new businesses and more than 17,000 net new jobs, and over $3 billion in public and private investment has occurred in these districts. During fiscal year 2024 alone, Wisconsin Main Street communities added 92 net new businesses and 589 net new jobs. None of this activity would be possible without the nearly 30,000 annual volunteer hours dedicated to the Main Street effort by passionate individuals from each community.

Connect Communities Program is a companion program to Wisconsin Main Street created in 2013 to provide access to resources and training to help communities pursue revitalization and redevelopment efforts. Over the past decade, 143 participating communities have added more than 970 net new businesses and attracted nearly $5.4 billion in public and private investment.