It's Spring Street's integration with the landscape that yields quirky yet pleasant architecture in the commercial district. Tightly packed structures on the west side of the street are built into the mountainside. Structures on the east side are built down the bluff and have street-level entrances on their top floors.

Spring Street extends into a residential district to the north that boasts the largest collection of Victorian architecture in the central U.S. The city's public transportation system consists of old-style trolleys and horse-drawn carriages, further enhancing the historic ambiance and character of the street.

Defining Characteristics and Salient Features

Historic Character and Heritage

• Street is significant portion of Eureka Springs Historic District, added to National Register of Historic Places in 1970
• Supposed healing power of the "Great Healing Spring" — located at Basin Park — brought thousands to the town site in late 1800s
• Eureka Springs Historic District Commission (1978) maintains historic character; approves new construction, demolition, or exterior alteration in Historic District
• Public transportation system (1979) uses old-style motorized trolleys; multiple stops along street; privately owned, horse-drawn carriages also available
• Period lampposts line the street in commercial district

Integration of Landscape, Natural Springs

• Although not formally planned, town used planning concepts to set aside natural springs along Spring Street as public areas
• Five natural springs occur along street creating pleasant pocket parks and areas of respite; Basin Park, at the southern end near intersection with Main Street, built around the spring upon which the town was founded; park will soon boast LED lighting, ornamental benches, beautiful landscaping, downtown views, live entertainment
• Crescent Spring, also on Spring Street, covered by a restored Victorian gazebo; surrounded by beautiful landscaping, including brick staircase leading up mountainside to a trail connecting to the historic Crescent Hotel, 75 Prospect St.
• All city streets, including Spring Street, follow natural terrain of the four ancient Ozark mountains upon which town is built — East, West, South, and Magnetic; terrain gives city unique "spaghetti bowl" layout
• No four-way stops or traffic lights along Spring Street; traffic calming attributed to many curves and turns of street; city has 230 streets, none of which intersect perpendicularly

Architecture, Street Art

• Buildings constructed into or down side of bluff because of terrain; most notable are Basin Park Hotel, 12 Spring St., a seven-story hotel bluff with seven ground floor entrances; Penn Memorial Baptist Church, 100 Spring St., built down the bluff, connecting to three different streets, on three different ground levels with three different addresses
• City Historic District Design Guidelines encourage contemporary design for new buildings or additions; scale and building material (wood, limestone, or clay brick) must be harmonious with existing structures; imitating historic architectural styles not encouraged in order to add architectural diversity
• Half-ton Humpy Dumpty figure (2010) built into bluff at Queens Deer place near Basin Park
• Across from Basin Park, street affords views of the ARTery, 1 N. Main St., an outdoor gallery consisting of 27 8'x4' murals lining a 150-foot retaining wall below Spring Street
• South end of street affords views of Centennial Mural (North Main Street and First Street), originally painted in 1979 and restored in 2007; expresses town's history, art
• Large Styracosaurus albertensis dinosaur sculpture in front yard of house at 218 Spring St.; sculpture once resided in Ola Farwell's now-closed Dinosaur Park

Defining the street's facades are rows of historic buildings fronting the sidewalks on both sides of the street, encouraging window shopping and impromptu exchanges with friends and neighbors. To ensure the integrity of Fifth Avenue's historic character, during the 1970s the city adopted guidelines for adaptive reuse of historic buildings within the Gaslamp Quarter; these guidelines established limitations on building heights for infill development and adopted design guidelines.

Since 1975, Gaslamp Quarter and downtown have attracted more than $7.5 billion in public and private investments, including expansion of the San Diego Convention Center and construction of the San Diego Padres baseball club's PETCO Park, both of which are near Fifth Avenue. These investments have pumped new life into Fifth Avenue at the same time the street remains true to its 18th and 19th century origins.

Defining Characteristics, Features

Historic Heritage

• Alonzo Horton builds wharf (1869); provides marine connection to San Diego retailers, establishing Fifth Avenue as backbone of the fast-developing city
• Gaslamp Historic District has more than 100 historic buildings; 1980 added to National Register of Historic Places
• Four gas-operated lamps, recalling original street lamps for which district is named, installed at intersection with Market Street (2002)
• Watts-Robinson Building (1913), 903 Fifth Ave., is one of San Diego's first skyscrapers; 1979 added to National Register
• Louis Bank of Commerce Building (1888), 904 Fifth Ave., reflects twin-towered Baroque Revival style; has oyster bar owned by lawman Wyatt Earp in the late 1800s

Downtown Revitalization

• Business, property owners petition city council for $100,000 to aid revitalization efforts (1974)
• Centre City Development Corp. (CCDC) created (1975) to help restore economic vitality along Fifth Avenue following decline from post-World War Two suburbanization
• Gaslamp Quarter Planned District Ordinance and Urban Design Manual, adopted 1976 (amended 2010), aid district's National Register nomination (1980); building heights limited to 60 feet; no setbacks allowed in order to promote sidewalk and street-side activity
• Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation (1981) helps promote and preserve historical integrity of Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter

Pedestrian Orientation

• Large archway sign — the "Historic Heart of San Diego" — erected on Fifth Avenue near L Street; funded  by Centre City Development Corporation (1988)
• Fifth Avenue utility boxes painted by local artists; inspired by Urban Art Trail started in 1997 to combat drug dealers using boxes as make-shift offices
• Intersection at Market Street inlaid with a large, brick Gaslamp Quarter medallion signifying center of neighborhood
• Intersection at Broadway Street highlights architectural contrast between shorter  historic structures and taller, more contemporary buildings
• City's first diagonal pedestrian signal at Market Street intersection (1992)

Vibrant Street

• Fifth Avenue intersects with all three major east-west thoroughfares downtown: Broadway Street, Market Street, Harbor Drive
• Trolley stop at southern end of Fifth Avenue part of 39-mile-long light rail system
• Fifth Avenue venue for festivals and celebrations drawing thousands of residents and visitors, including ShamROCK and Mardi Gras Parade
• Eighty-eight affordable housing units along Fifth Avenue; 44 units at Cole Building (Fifth Avenue and G Street) and 40 units at Lincoln Hotel (536 Fifth Ave.)

Just as compelling as its history are the magnificent views Bank Street affords of the surrounding Panhandle National Forest. Hillsides press so close it is not uncommon for pedestrians to see grazing elk or deer. Unbroken rows of three-story, brick Queen Anne architecture line both sides of the street, forming a perfect foreground to the picturesque mountains. Just a few hundred yards from Bank Street is the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, an abandoned Union Pacific right-of-way that hikers and bikers now use to reach the surrounding wilderness.

The town's mining culture still resonates strongly along Bank Street. Settled at the end of the 19th century, Wallace became one of the country's most prosperous silver mining towns and the heart of the "Silver Valley" almost overnight. Ore carts from the mines are now used as outdoor flower pots by many of the businesses along the street, while old style trolleys take visitors on narrated tours around Wallace and to a nearby silver mine for an underground walk guided by retired miners.

Defining Characteristics, Features

Silver Mining Heritage

• Wallace's first street rebuilt after the 1890 fire and a significant portion of Wallace Historic District (added to National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and expanded in 1984)
• Town originally settled in 1884 by its namesake Col. W.R. Wallace, a prospector who was looking for gold but discovered silver
• Architecture from turn of 20th century because of devastating fires in 1890 and 1910 (second fire burned three million acres of forest, still the largest fire in North American history)
• Neoclassical Revival-styled Shoshone County Courthouse (700 Bank St.,  built 1905); famous lawyer Clarence Darrow argued cases there
• City's planning, zoning, and historic commission responsible for review, approval of new construction and renovations to keep historic character intact

I-90 Litigation and Overhead Bypass

• Bank Street originally part of I-90; before 1991 the interstate followed Bank Street through downtown, then resumed as freeway on east side of Wallace
• In 1970 Idaho Department of Transportation (IDT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHA) propose expanding I-90 through Wallace; virtually all of Bank Street's buildings would be removed
• Wallace resident Harry F. Magnuson sues IDT and FHA for failing to file an Environmental Impact Statement for the project; first time a government proposal is challenged under National Environmental Policy Act
• Compromise reached in 1984 to construct an overhead bypass for I-90 east of Wallace; city's victory piques interest of national media, including CBS's "On the Road" correspondent Charles Kuralt
• Famous stoplight at intersection of Bank Street and 7th Street ceremoniously removed after bypass completed and given elaborate, New Orleans-style funeral; on exhibit at Wallace District Mining Museum (509 Bank St.); was only stoplight along 3,100 miles of I-90 between Boston and Seattle
• Original routing of I-90 through Wallace, including part of Bank Street, designated Harry F. Magnuson Way in 2010

Serves as Town Center

• No vacant lots or abandoned properties along street; 37 total buildings in commercial district, all of which contribute to historic designation
• In 1996, Universal Studios spiffed up facades along street for filming of the action film Dante's Peak starring Pierce Brosnan
• Local improvement district created in 1991; funds used for early 1900s-styled lampposts, trash receptacles, street banners and flower baskets, and pedestrian bridge with access to large parking area one block from Bank Street
• The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is just a few hundred yards from Bank Street; 72-mile-long hiking and biking trail spanning almost the entire Idaho Panhandle uses abandoned Union Pacific rail line

More than a century later, the street was the focal point of another controversy. Dubbed the "Mall Wars," the issue involved proposals to locate several large shopping malls near the city. To ensure Massachusetts Street remained the backbone of the local economy, the proposed development was challenged and blocked in 1989 by a federal district court. The basis for the favorable court ruling were the 1977 Plan '95 and the 1982 Comprehensive Downtown Plan, both of which emphasized Massachusetts Street as the community's primary business district.

Built on a gradual grade, the street affords views of South Park and the nearby University of Kansas. Unbroken rows of historic two- and three-story buildings, some of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, anchor the ends of each block between 6th Street and South Park. Locally owned shops and restaurants with names such as Free State Brewery and Liberty Hall reflect the city's turbulent history, as do two permanent sculptures, The Flame and Freedom.

Massachusetts Street's success is largely attributable to residents' strong sense of community pride and unwavering resolve — undiminished community hallmarks since Quantrill's Raid in 1863.

Defining Characteristics, Features

Importance of Planning, Preservation

• Leadership of city manager and downtown advocate Buford Watson and $300,000 urban-renewal grant (1974) reconfigured Massachusetts Street from four lanes to two with diagonal parking, trees and shrubs, and safer pedestrian access
• Gerald Cooley, attorney for city during shopping malls dispute: "[Lawrence] could not have won this case had we not had a long-range downtown plan in place."
• Lawrence Preservation Alliance formed 1984; instrumental in encouraging city to adopt 2001 Downtown Conservation Overlay District and Design Guidelines
• Large portion of downtown area listed as a National Register of Historic Places District in 2004
• Design guidelines updated in 2009; refined the design review process for the National Register District, new construction and exterior building alterations
• Downtown Area Design Guidelines mandate zero building setback along street

Historic Heritage

• Integral part of Downtown Lawrence Commercial Historic District; 2004 added to National Register of Historic Places
• Lawrence founded in 1854 by anti-slavery New England Emigrant Aid Society settlers from Massachusetts (the street's namesake)
• National Register Historic District includes 108 properties along designated blocks; four buildings individually listed in the National Register; 82 buildings contribute to district's historic designation
• Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., is the most famous landmark, built 1904 and added to National Register 1975; imposing three-and-a-half story native limestone Romanesque Revival structure with six-story clock tower; designed by noted Kansas architect John G. Haskell and Frederick Gunn
• Beaux Arts Bowersock Opera House (1911), 642-646 Massachusetts St., is listed in the National Register; currently houses fine arts theater and live music
• Second Renaissance Revival Eldridge Hotel (1928), 701-703 Massachusetts St., added to National Register 1986; five story, brick — one of tallest downtown
• Romanesque Revival Watkins National Bank building (1888), 1047 Massachusetts St., added to National Register 1971; city hall from 1929-1970; now a museum

Vibrant, Accessible Downtown

• Only two vacant lots along designated blocks — one is currently proposed to be an extension of the historic Eldridge Hotel, the other is a parking lot (across from Douglas County Courthouse)
• Four mid-block, brick-textured crosswalks (one along each block between 7th and 11th streets) lead to neighboring New Hampshire Street, Vermont Street, and parking; four bus stops along designated blocks
• Seventeen parking lots within one block of street; not visible from Massachusetts
• Nonprofit Downtown Lawrence, Inc. promotes interests of downtown district
• Dozens of special events held on Massachusetts Street every year, including parades, bike races, festivals, arts celebrations, running events, a large sidewalk sale by merchants, and University of Kansas Athletics events

Amenities

• Distinctive anchors — City Hall and Kansas River (north), South Park (south) — mark core business area and contribute to sense of arrival
• Lawrence Arts Commission hosts annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition along street; two permanent sculptures at the corner of Massachusetts and 6th streets — The Flame (Lin Emery, 1981) and Freedom (Steven Johnson, 2004)
• Mature trees line the street; each block has four to eight pieces of street furniture; also flower beds, bike racks at each parking meter
• Japanese Friendship Park (11th and Massachusetts streets) developed as part of Lawrence's Sister City Program with Hiratsuka, Japan

The gentle curves of Wydown Boulevard are lined with more than 100 architecturally prominent single-family houses. The residences, in turn, form a visually harmonious backdrop to the Gothic buildings of Washington University. Moorlands Addition, a historic apartment district bordering the avenue's western-most block, offers multi-family housing. Remnants from the boulevard's history as a streetcar line and host of the 1904 World's Fair are also evident.

The wide and verdant median, defined by its lush tree canopy and footpath, acts as an extension of Forest Park, the eastern terminus of the boulevard. Wydown Boulevard's reputation as a safe right-of-way attracts pedestrians of all sorts throughout the day and evening, from elementary, middle school, and college students to residents, joggers, and bicyclists.

Defining Characteristics and Salient Features

Planning Legacy, Historic Neighborhoods

• Four National Register historic districts share a border with Wydown: Brentmoor Park, Brentmoor and Forest Ridge District (added 1982); Carrswold District (1982); Wydown-Forsyth District (1988); Moorlands Apartment District (2009)
• Separation of City of St. Louis from St. Louis County in 1876 led Clayton to become county seat; first streetcar (1895) to run along what is now the Wydown Boulevard median connected Clayton to St. Louis; set stage for area development
• Subdivisions along trolley line originally developed as "private places," characterized by large 1- to 3-acre lots with traditionally designed single-family estates, mature trees, and native plants
• Four subdivisions platted in the early 1900s were either designed by or reflected ideals expressed by Henry Wright who, along with Lewis Mumford, became a  member of the Regional Planning Association of America (organized in 1923) and advocated a restructuring of urban living with a higher sensitivity to the natural environment
• Brentmoor Park, Brentmoor, and Forest Ridge subdivisions (platted 1910, 1911, 1913 respectively) designed by Wright; Carrswold subdivision (platted 1924) designed by Jens Jensen and based on Wright and Mumford's principles
• Wydown-Forsyth District between Washington University and Forest Park includes Georgian, Tudor, Spanish, Italian, and French Eclectic homes set back on well-manicured lawns; planned by Forest Park designer Julius Pitzman in 1874
• Moorlands Addition, originally planned  as a "private place" in 1922 by Julius Pitzman, adopted revisions to allow multi-family housing in 1926 to accommodate a wider range of residents; the period-style, low-rise apartments add variety to large single-family homes along boulevard

Impressive Streetscape

• Zoning ordinance restricts buildings heights to no more than 35 feet for houses and 45 feet for apartment buildings along boulevard
• Architectural Review Board approval for  all construction
• City of Clayton forms partnership in 2007 with Washington University, Fontbonne University, and the Clayton School District to improve median's landscaping and to maintain it as a linear park
• A diversity of mature trees line the median and sidewalks, forming lush canopy

Unique Design

• Fernando Botero's "Man on Horse" statue creates a distinct gateway at the western end (intersection with Hanley Road); the 1.25 ton bronze sculpture was put in place in 1999 by St. Louis Gateway Foundation
• Boulevard's eastern end marked by entryway to Forest Park — a 1,300-acre urban park that is 50 percent larger than New York City's Central Park
• Raised, planted median (as wide as 40-feet) separates two lanes of vehicular traffic, five-foot-wide bike lanes, and seven-foot-wide parallel parking lanes
• Four stone streetcar boarding stations still remain from the late 1800s when boulevard's median accommodated trolley car tracks
• Wydown Terrace, located in the Wydown-Forsyth District in the eastern portion of the boulevard, is a sunken park remnant of a large, man-made lake (Arrowhead Lake) built for the 1904 World's Fair
• Wydown Park, located just east of Hanley Road along the boulevard, is a one-half acre relaxing retreat; renovated in 2002; includes seasonal gardens, stone sculptures, and patio area with tables and chairs

Street Use

• Median transformed into footpath in when trolley line transitioned to a bus route in 1949; City of Clayton, neighboring educational institutions install reinforced turf (2007) to prevent deterioration
• Bike lanes completed in 2009; part of 77-mile on-street Bike St. Louis network
• Two MetroBus bus routes serve Wydown and connect it to Downtown Clayton, MetroLink light rail stations, Washington University Medical Campus, and St. Louis Community College; three mid-block crosswalks provide mobility to pedestrians and easier access to and from median

The other major influence contributing to Broadway's sense of place is its proximity and connectivity to the neighboring wilderness. Nestled high in a glacial valley near the base of the Beartooth Mountains, Broadway is the gateway to the Beartooth Highway — the northern access route to Yellowstone National Park and "the most beautiful road in America," according to the late "On the Road" correspondent Charles Kuralt.

For those not traveling by automobile, Broadway Avenue is part of the "Mainstreet to Mountains Rocky Fork Trail." This 80-mile network provides hikers, bikers, and cross-country skiers direct access from downtown to the neighboring scenery and wildlife. Not that one needs to leave downtown to see a wandering bear or moose on the street from time to time, another reminder of Broadway's intimacy with its wilderness surroundings.

Defining Characteristics, Features

Historic Heritage

• Red Lodge Commercial Historic District added to the National Register in 1983; expanded in 1986 to include all of Broadway Avenue between 8th and 15th streets
• Pollard Hotel, 2 N. Broadway St. (1893), town's first brick building; still operating, guests include William "Buffalo Bill" Cody and Martha "Calamity Jane" Cannary; Sundance Kid attempted bank robbery across street (1897)
• Carbon County Historical Society and Museum (224 N. Broadway Ave.) showcases town's history; three-story brick structure originally built in 1909 as the Red Lodge Miners Local No. 77 labor temple; served nearly 1,000 miners

Historic Preservation, Restoration Efforts

• Restoration efforts begin in 1983 with Patricia Bick of Montana State Historic Preservation Office; conducted a detailed study of each facade along avenue and laid the groundwork for 1986 Commercial Historic District Revitalization Plan
• Town participates in Montana Main Street program (2006); prompts local volunteers, community leaders to restore and promote Broadway Avenue, including site for annual Red Lodge Home of Champions Rodeo Parade each July
• Commercial Historic District Overlay adopted in 2006; protects downtown historic area through detailed design review; Carbon County Historic Preservation Officer approves any new construction or alteration to existing structures
• Red Lodge Development Code (2006) permits reuse of upper floors along Broadway Avenue for residential use
• No minimum parking requirements for businesses along avenue; outlined in 2008 Red Lodge Growth Policy in order to encourage infill development
• Street lights changed from "cobra head" style used along highways to 19th century–style lamp posts with hanging flower baskets in 2005
• Maximum building height of 45 feet and maximum setback of one foot help maintain uniform scale in keeping with Broadway's historic character

Connectivity

• Red Lodge Comprehensive Trails Plan (2006) creates the Rocky Fork Main Street to Mountains Trail; connects old trail segments into 80-mile-long foot, bike, and cross-country ski path. Connects the avenue at corner of Broadway and 8th Street to Red Lodge Mountain ski resort and scenic surroundings
• Broadway Avenue doubles as U.S. 212, Yellowstone National Park's most scenic access road; highway affords views of Custer National Forest and Granite Peak, the highest point of the Northern Rockies

A wave of new residents — young urban professionals from Manhattan — helped restore life to Washington Street in the 1980s and kept its storefronts open. Hoboken's discovery by so-called "yuppies" led to escalating real estate values and in some places long-term residents being priced out of their homes. In response, Hoboken's city council approved an ordinance in 1988 requiring affordable housing, including units along Washington Street, to be made available to low- and middle-income and disabled households.

The city also took steps to keep the historic character of Washington Street and adjoining blocks intact, creating a downtown historic district in 1981 and approving building height restrictions in 1982. Streetscape improvements also were made, including 19th century-style lamp posts and street clocks.

Defining Characteristics and Salient Features

Historic Heritage

• Southern Hoboken Historic District (city designated, 1981) includes both sides of Washington Street from Observer Highway to 15th Street
• Hoboken City Hall (1883), 94 Washington St., added to National Register in 1976; designed by Franklin George; Second Empire structure with Beaux Art Classicism exterior
• Yellow Flats (1890), 1200-1206 Washington St., built by Hoboken Land and Improvement Company; added to National Register 1987; home of Hetty Green,  first woman to have substantial impact on Wall Street
• Hoboken Engine Company No. 2 (1880), 1313 Washington St., one of six Hoboken fire departments in the National Register of Historic Places (added 1984); designed by Charles Fall in Neo-Romanesque style
• 19th century-style lamp posts, street clocks, brick sidewalks

Commitment to Planning, Design Guidelines

• Growth in Hoboken and along Washington Street guided by original street grid developed in 1804 by city founder Colonel John Stevens
• Affordable housing along street located at 1300-1312 Washington St. (Elysian Estates, 56 units) and at  58-72 Washington St. (Eastview Apartments, 79 units)
• Historic District Commission, created in 1978, keeps historic character of street intact; approves all building and demolition permits (including signage and exterior alterations)
• Height restrictions adopted 1982 to protect historic character; 40 feet maximum between 15th and 4th streets, 50 feet between 4th Street and Observer Highway

Vibrant Downtown

• Carlo's Bake Shop, 95 Washington St., is setting for TLC Network television show Cake Boss featuring pastry chef Buddy Valestro; bakery celebrating 100th anniversary in 2010
• Street hosts special events throughout the year including St. Patrick's Day Parade, semi-annual Arts Festival and St. Ann's Feast, an Italian tradition in Hoboken also celebrating 100th anniversary in 2010
• Well-known and up-and-coming bands comparable to those performing in Manhattan draw young and lively crowd to Maxwell's, 1039 Washington St.
• Some 175 shade trees line wide sidewalks, which allows for outdoor patio seating at restaurants and cafes, and people to congregate outside
• New Jersey Transit buses 126, 22, and 89 operate on street; connect Hoboken Terminal and Manhattan; bring in visitors from all around
• Signals, crosswalks at every intersection slow traffic, improve pedestrian safety

After a downturn in the mid–20th century, spurred by the harsh effects of urban renewal and business movement out to the malls and suburbia, New Bern adopted the Central Business District Plan in 1977 as the first step to revitalize the downtown area. Because of its central location, historical landmarks, and proximity to the waterfront, Middle Street was at the forefront of the plan to restructure the city's economic mainstays from lumber and agriculture to tourism and recreation. Since the plan's adoption, more than $100 million has been invested in downtown revitalization in the form of storefront restoration, construction infill projects, and pocket parks. The city implemented its 1990 Urban Design Plan, which called for new street amenities including street pavers, benches, pedestrian amenities, and street lighting.

The RiverWalk, a continuous 1.5-mile pedestrian promenade along the Trent and Neuse riverfronts, makes Middle Street more accessible and appealing to visitors and residents. Connecting with the street's southern terminus, the RiverWalk is nearing completion with the aid of a new waterfront and beach access grant from the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management. Eventually, the new Riverstation neighborhood will be connected to Leander Morgan Park.

Middle Street has it all: 19th and early 20th century homes; five landmark churches; a robust traditional downtown with stores, restaurants, art galleries, and coffee shops; the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola; and magnificent views of the Trent and Neuse rivers. Easily accessible by foot, auto and boat, Middle Street is a charming right-of-way and a perfect getaway.

Defining Characteristics and Salient Features

Historic Heritage

• Integral part of the New Bern Historic District that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973
• Street was part of Swiss colonists' original town layout in shape of a crucifix. While the street system has changed most of the original grid layout still survives
• St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, 510 Middle St., oldest Catholic Church in North Carolina; cornerstone laid in 1840 for Greek Revival style church; added to National Register of Historic Places in 1992
• First Baptist Church, 239 Middle St., Gothic Revival structure dates back to 1847; added to National Register of Historic Places in 1972
• Christ Church, 320 Pollock at the corner of Middle, was first established in 1715 by an act of the Colonial Assembly as "Craven Parish of the Church of England" and later in 1741 as one of the colony's 16 parishes in a subsequent act of the assembly. The first small brick church was built in 1751 on a site facing Middle Street. The current structure dates back to 1821-1824 and was rebuilt in 1871-1885
• Herbert Woodley Simpson, famous local architect, designed many structures in city including two along Middle Street: Classical Revival First Church of Christ Scientist (1907), 406 Middle St., added to National Register of Historic Places in 1973; and the W.B. Blades House (1907), 602 Middle St., an elegant mansion that combines Greek Revival and Queen Anne, added to National Register of Historic Places in 1972

Commitment to Planning and Revitalization

• Ordinance creating Historic Preservation Committee to oversee and approve all exterior alterations in the Downtown Historic District approved 1980
• Municipal Tax District created in 1979; property owners on the street agreed to pay an additional services district tax to fund public improvement projects including sidewalk treatments, benches, shade trees, and street lighting
• 1990 Urban Design Plan was the blueprint for many streetscape improvements beginning with the 200 and 300 blocks of Middle Street

Downtown Location

• Street connects to 1.5-mile RiverWalk, a continuous pedestrian promenade along the Trent River and Neuse River waterfronts of downtown New Bern; connects to scenic Union Point Park and historic Tryon Palace
• Bear Plaza, a mid-block pocket park, connects pedestrians to interior Federal Alley parking lot; enhanced with benches, lighting, and bear sculptures; built in a renovated alley after a fire in 1970
• Southern terminus of street is New Bern Grand Marina which includes boat slips and hotel accommodations
• Birthplace of Pepsi Museum, 256 Middle St., celebrates the origin of Pepsi-Cola by Caleb Bradham in 1898 at his pharmacy on the same site
• Fiberglass bear sculptures painted by local artists dot the street; put on by Bear Town Bears, a nonprofit organization; two located at Bear Plaza, another in front of 202 Middle St.
• New Bern volunteers have helped paint fire hydrants around town to resemble historical characters that helped shape the town; eight are located along Middle Street; project celebrates city's 300th anniversary
• Winning sculptures of the Outdoor Annual Sculpture Exhibition and Competition, put on by Craven Arts Council and Gallery, 317 Middle St., are displayed for a year at the sculpture garden at the corner of Middle Street and Broad Street. The park is replenished with new art each year
• Federal courthouse is landmark built in 1932 during the Great Depression; recently restored and again in use as a Federal Eastern District court

These efforts resulted in handsomely restored historic buildings that reflect seven different architectural styles and form a perfect backdrop for the street's everyday activity.

It was the region's mid-19th century oil boom that brought prosperous times to the area and led to the demise of the street's original wooden structures, which were torn down and replaced with impressive brick buildings, including the county's crown jewel — the commanding, twin-spired Italianate Venango County Courthouse.

Although Liberty Street handles through traffic from three major highways — U.S. Routes 8, 62, and 322 — it also accommodates non-motorized use. Pedestrian-only alleys decorated with hand-painted murals are located mid-block on both sides of Liberty between 13th Street and West Park Street. The walkways enable residents and visitors to easily access Liberty and off-street parking lots while avoiding busy intersections.

Defining Characteristics, Features

Historic Architecture

• Town surveyed in 1795 by Andrew Ellicott, who did final survey for Washington, D.C.; original plan identifies Liberty Street as main thoroughfare and two downtown public spaces — Bandstand and Fountain parks
• Main artery for Franklin Historic District (added to National Register 1984)
• Italianate, Second Renaissance Revival, Beaux Arts, Neo-Colonial, Moderne, Classical Revival and Victorian style architecture found on street
• The brick Venango County Courthouse (1867), 1168 Liberty St., designed by Sloan & Hutton of Philadelphia; downtown centerpiece
• Historic District Code (1979) requires Historic and Architectural Review Board, city council approval for facade changes along street visible by pedestrians
• United States Hotel (1806), 1213-1221 Liberty St., frequented by John Wilkes Booth; today used for office space and restaurant
• Four Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission markers highlight important buildings, places and events regarding the 19th century oil boom; most notable is Dodd-Osmer Building, 1249 Liberty St., home to law office of Samuel C.T. Dodd, a Franklin native and author of Standard Oil Trust

Community Engagement

• Barrow-Civic Theatre, 1223 Liberty St.; previously an out-of-business retail sports outlet, bought by Franklin Civic Operetta, a local musical theater company, in 1989; hundreds of volunteers helped revamp the building into a 500-seat theater; a former drugstore next door was converted into a children's theater in 2004
• DeBence Antique Music World, 1261 Liberty St.; museum opened in 1994 after a volunteer committee was able to preserve the DeBence family collection of antique mechanical music instruments and raise $1.2 million to secure the current downtown site of the museum
• The Commons at Franklin, 1340 Liberty St.; originally a private club dating back to the late 1800s, was purchased in 2005 by individuals and renovated to include a pub and a dining area that accommodates large receptions, community gatherings

Vibrant Downtown

• Annual three-day Applefest held the first weekend of October; attracts more than 100,000 visitors to Liberty Street and its parks; established by Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce (1983); one of seven major yearly events on street
• Liberty Galleria, 1255 Liberty St., established in cooperation with Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce in 2009, provides retail space for start-up businesses
• No vacant lots along designated blocks of Liberty Street
• Twice-weekly Farmer's Market next to courthouse
• Downtown Building Fund (2004) helps finance projects creating upper-level housing units in buildings along the street; $10,000 per unit matching grants
• Five municipal parking lots located no more than one block off of Liberty Street between 14th Street and 12th Street — two to the north and three to the south; no parking lots or structures border or are visible from Liberty Street
• Survey of Venango County residents (2004) shows 59 percent visit Liberty Street and downtown Franklin at least once a week

Pedestrian Friendly

• Engine Brake Ordinance prohibits compression braking along Liberty to reduce the loud exhaust noise made by trucks and create a more peaceful downtown
• $1.2 million streetscape improvement project began in 1980s; followed by revitalization efforts in 1999 including rehabilitation of sidewalks, traffic calming
• Six alleys along Liberty made into pedestrian-only corridors, four decorated with murals; two on north side connect to Elk Street; three on south side connect to Buffalo Street
• Overhead wiring in front of courthouse eliminated to improve streetscape, views
• Inlaid thermoplastic reflective overlay in crosswalks and fluorescent warning signs alert drivers to pedestrians
• Mid-block traffic light, crosswalk between 13th and West Park streets
• Period lamp posts with hanging flower baskets, street clock from early 1900s, and 19 benches add to pedestrian experience; bike lanes planned for street

A casual stroll down Washington Street still evokes a pleasant feeling of stepping back in time. Much of the streetscape and its architecture remained as they were when the town was founded in 1787. One of two main streets in Leven Powell's original town plan, Washington Street is lined with historic buildings – some listed in the National Register of Historic Places — containing shops and restaurants at street level and living quarters on the upper floors.

Washington Street also reflects the local equine culture in the heart of the Virginia Piedmont horse-and-hunt country. Each December thousands of spectators line the street to watch the annual "Christmas in Middleburg" parade where a "huntmaster" on horseback and dressed in a red jacket leads a procession of fox hounds and riders, also clad in traditional hunting attire, through the center of town.

Defining Characteristics and Salient Features

Historical Character

• Leven Powell, a Revolutionary War officer and Federalist leader, established the town in 1787, purchasing the land for $2.50 an acre from Joseph Chinn, first cousin to President George Washington, the street's namesake
• Nine-hundred-acre Middleburg Historic District added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982
• Most famous landmark is the Red Fox Inn (Madison and Washington streets), built in 1728 and added to National Register in 1997; Inn visited by George Washington in 1748, served as headquarters and hospital for Confederates during the Civil War, and was site of a President Kennedy press conference in 1961
• Lined with many historical buildings: Emmanuel Episcopal Church (1843) exemplifies early Gothic Revival architecture; Neo-Classical style U.S. Post Office (ca. 1850) is an example of adaptive reuse; Middleburg United Methodist Church (1856) and Middleburg Country Inn (1820) both lie on the south side of the street

Design Guidelines

• Adopted in 1980, Historic District Overlay governed by the Historic District Review Committee (HDRC) ensures the street's architectural integrity is maintained; construction and building alterations within street-level view must be approved by the committee
• Street-front buildings are similar in scale with two or three stories
• Capital fund created in 2003 using money collected under fee-in-lieu of parking option for businesses ($15,000 per required parking spot); funds slated for public parking; use of funds for sidewalks being considered
• Town ordinance requires all signs to be congruent with historical streetscape
• Town tree ordinance helps maintain aesthetic streetscape by requiring a 10-foot-wide tree and shrub buffer between sidewalks and adjacent parking lots
• Zoning ordinance amendments under study to lessen regulations affecting  adaptive reuse of historic buildings, sidewalk networks within commercial core surrounding Washington Street, and use of density credits

Community Involvement

• The Route 50 Corridor Coalition secured $13 million in federal funds in 1998 for traffic-calming along 20 miles of highway; crosswalks painted and pedestrian signs installed in Middleburg in July 2008; implementation of other measures along Washington Street — bulb-outs at four-way intersections, brick-textured on-street parking lanes, raised intersections at Madison and Pendleton streets — awaiting additional funds
• Go Green for Middleburg group in process of switching Washington Street lighting to energy-saving LED lights that meet historic guidelines
• Middleburg Community Center, 300 W. Washington St., is a popular meeting space;  provides variety of classes (horseback riding) and services (daycare)