Earlier this year, the downtown district in Dallas was added to the national register of historic places. Some of the city's historic buildings are visible in this 2022 photo.
Reed Lane Photography/courtesy of the City of Dallas
Brian Dalton is the former mayor of Dallas in Polk County, Oregon. For more than 70 years, his family owned a furniture store downtown. Dalton says he grew up in the downtown district which he and other city leaders have been working for more than two decades to reinvigorate.
And now, those efforts have paid off. Downtown Dallas was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May. The Salem Statesman Journal reported on the historic designation of the district which includes buildings built between 1870 and 1955. Dalton said the designation can help draw attention to downtown.
“A really vibrant town sprung up around the courthouse over the years, and most of that area around that courthouse is of the 100-year-old variety and is pretty much intact,” he said. “So, having a national historic district really elevates our presence and, I think, our visibility.”
The courthouse is a prominent landmark in downtown Dallas. This photo was taken in 2022.
Reed Lane Photography/courtesy of the City of Dallas
Dalton recognizes that Dallas has had its ups and downs.
“It was just vibrant at that time, in the ‘50s and ‘60s. And then, of course, small towns in Oregon encountered lots of difficulties like big box stores, and the big cities, and better highways to get to them, and all that,” he said. “So downtowns just kind of languished.”
That spurred Dalton and members of the city’s downtown association to make efforts to refresh the city. The State Historic Preservation office has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to Dallas over the last few years, according to Dalton.
Earlier this year, the downtown district of Dallas was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This photo was taken on May 10, 2023.
Spencer Howard/courtesy of Northwest Vernacular
Dallas has also participated in Oregon Main Street, a program that helps cities throughout the state with revitalization efforts.
“We’ve grown to a network of over 109 communities, and we reach the depth and breadth of the state,” said Oregon Main Street coordinator Sheri Stuart. " We work on supporting folks who are ready and willing to undertake a comprehensive effort to help enhance and sustain their downtown, through technical assistance and on-site support.”
At the national level, Main Street America has been working with downtown and other commercial districts to re-energize communities. Its member network consists of more than 1,600 coalitions throughout the country.
Earlier this year, the downtown district of Dallas was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This photo was taken on May 10, 2023.
Spencer Howard/courtesy of Northwest Vernacular
In Oregon, communities can learn from each other on best practices for revitalization efforts, like the city of Independence, also in Polk County. The city has a thriving downtown and hosted the Oregon Main Street Conference last year.
“I think that’s what Main Street’s all about, really helping build that community, having those common dreams and visions, and making them a reality,” Stuart said.
Dallas will be celebrating its 150th birthday on Friday and Saturday. The city is hosting a weekend street party filled with food, music and activities for all ages.
Dalton and Stuart spoke to “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller to talk about Dallas and the Main Street program. Press play to listen to the full conversation: