Downtown Washington, Inc.

In April of 1973, a group of downtown merchants incorporated Washington Downtown Shopping Center, Inc. as a not for profit corporation in response to the rise of shopping centers in the southern part of town. Their early efforts to improve the civic conditions in the downtown shopping district eventually blossomed into Downtown Washington, Inc. Washington, along with four other Missouri towns, was selected to become a pilot community for the newly formed Missouri Main Street Program, an initiative created by the Missouri Department of Economic Development and National Trust for Historic Preservation. During the 1990s, the organization began to reshape the layout and aesthetic of the downtown district. Along with constructing the Main and Elm Street parking lot in 1991, Downtown Washington, Inc. partnering with the City of Washington, led the renovation of Main Street by installing new lamps and banners. Downtown Washington, Inc. also established the gift certificate system, a program that has encouraged shopping in the downtown district for more than 20 years. The historic log cabin on Jefferson and 2nd Street belongs to Downtown Washington, Inc. Restoration began in 1993 and lasted for four and a half years. Upon completion in 1997, the organization’s operations were moved from the Chamber of Commerce’s basement to their new offices in the cabin. During the next decade, the organization’s focus gradually expanded to encompass property redevelopment and ownership. More recently, the organization completed a massive renovation of the downtown post office. In 2010, they moved their operations once more and on March 1, 2011 the newly renovated post office was opened, hosting both new offices for the organization and also a Contract Postal Unit providing mail services. These efforts and expansion culminated in 2012 when the organization won the coveted Great American Main Street award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.