Small Town Soul

08/27/2026

Google is celebrating America's National Parks with a different background every day and we are here for it! Yesterday's image was our very own Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Growing up in WNC, this was our playground.

Did you know this is America's most visited National Park? Seriously, look it up. Those of us who live here know why 😎

What's your favorite National Park and why?

07/30/2026

Did you know Springfield is the birthplace of Route 66?

We are all set up at Missouri Main Street Connection, Inc. Conference in Springfield, MO and we’ve been exploring all week.

So far our favorite place to eat is the Van Gogh’s Eeterie on C-Street. Incredible breakfast!

07/28/2026

We are excited to be attending the Missouri Main Street Connection, Inc. conference in Springfield, MO, this week.

We just got to Springfield yesterday and it is one of the cutest downtowns we've ever seen! Tons of public art and activated spaces, great eating places, unique shops, and so much more.

We can't wait to explore!

🏙️ Springfield is proud to welcome the 2026 Missouri Main Street Connection, Inc. Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference July 29-31!

Celebrating 20 years of helping communities strengthen historic downtowns, support small businesses and grow local economies, this year's conference will bring more than 375 community leaders, entrepreneurs, economic developers and downtown advocates from across Missouri to Springfield.

Centered around the theme "The Roaring 20th Anniversary of Missouri Main Street Connection," attendees will explore topics including housing development, small business resilience, economic development and creating vibrant, walkable downtowns. The conference also features an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Deb Turcott, Abby Newsham and Phil Eich.

Welcome to Springfield, and thank you for investing in the future of Missouri's downtown communities! Learn more: https://momainstreetconference.com/

07/18/2026

In the early 1800s during the NC gold rush, a privately-owned mint in the small town of Rutherfordton, NC out paced the federal government in currency production!

This started a legacy of entrepreneurship that is still going strong in Rutherfordton today.

Interesting read.

Decades before the United States government struck its first gold dollar, a German immigrant was already minting them by hand in the North Carolina foothills. 🪙 Christopher Bechtler arrived in Rutherfordton in 1830, in the middle of America's first gold rush, and began turning the region's raw gold into private coins that miners and merchants could actually trust.

Between 1831 and the late 1840s, the Bechtler mint produced millions of dollars in gold coins, including what is widely recognized as the first gold dollar made in the United States, struck years before the federal mint issued its own. So respected was Bechtler gold that his coins circulated widely across the Southeast and were still being hoarded and traded during the Civil War, when Confederate soldiers reportedly preferred them to paper money.

Today the Bechtler mint is largely forgotten, its story buried beneath the more famous tale of the Charlotte Mint. ✨ But for a remarkable stretch, a family workshop in the Carolina hills quietly set the gold standard for an entire region.

A private citizen out-minting the federal government from a mountain workshop. Why do you think this story slipped through the cracks of history?

07/17/2026

Our Mastering Main Street Planner is one of our favorite projects ever!

We love the monthly calls with local Directors and hearing how they are using the planner.

We ❤ the conversations and sharing of ideas during our monthly Mastering Main Street Planner live sessions. Our Main Street SC local directors most recently discussed building a robust communications strategy and the importance of event evaluation.

The Mastering Main Street Planner is a resource developed for our local directors as part of a capacity building grant from Main Street America.

When used consistently, the planner helps them:
🔨Build recognition as a strong economic development engine
✅Keep daily work aligned with their program's goals and budget
⏳Make intentional choices with limited time and resources
🗣 Communicate Main Street's value clearly
🔎 Stay focused and ready for opportunities

The peer-to-peer support is strong in our state network and we couldn't be prouder of the work being done at the local level in our Main Street SC communities!

07/01/2026

We just had this conversation with a community last week that was looking to add a tourism piece to downtown similar to one they saw in another state.

We said, let’s think bigger and build something truly unique to your community instead.

It’s great to get ideas from other places but then mold and shape that idea into something new and truly unique to your area. That’s what will set you apart. That’s what will make people want to come and experience your town.

🦊 Sometimes the best way to experience a downtown is to make it an adventure.

Aiken's "Can You Outwit the Kit?" scavenger hunt invites visitors to search for 6️⃣ bronze foxes hidden throughout downtown, leading them to parks, landmarks, shops, and local favorites along the way. It's a fun example of how creative experiences can encourage people to explore every block.

📸 Flora, Downtown Aiken, SC

Visit Aiken SC Aiken Downtown Development Association City of Aiken, South Carolina Government

06/29/2026

Building a simple template that can be easily customized and adapted across communities has been one of the most useful and impactful projects we’ve done for Main Street SC. We love seeing it implemented across the state ❤️❤️

Websites are the the digital front door for our Main Street SC communities.

A strong website helps your Main Street program:
🏛️ Showcase the unique character of your downtown.
📅 Promote events and drive attendance.
🛍️ Highlight local businesses, restaurants, and attractions.
🤝 Recruit volunteers, partners, and investors.
💻 Share resources with business and property owners.
📈 Build credibility and strengthen your community's brand

Main Street SC partnered with Leniece Lane and Small Town Soul to develop a website template for our local programs to make it easier to design and launch their own websites.

Check out Mainstreetinman's fun launch of their new website, www.mainstreetinman.com, here 👉https://www.facebook.com/reel/859896479949477

04/26/2026

We are excited to be involved in the Revitalize Reidsville campaign. This walking tour is a great example of how to engage the entire community and bring awareness to the challenges and opportunities for revitalization in a downtown corridor. ❤️

Happening today from 2-4. Join us at Market Square for a downtown walking tour where we will explore revitalization projects, vacant buildings, take a stroll through the history of Reidsville in the early 1900s and talk about how you can get involved in helping us revitalize downtown.

Here is a sneak peek at just some of the possibilities....see you at 2pm.

04/17/2026

Thank you Tulsa for a great week!

Making our way back to NC but you know we can’t leave without a visit to the Neon District!

04/14/2026

In order to award our followers, the first person to come by our booth this morning and mention this post gets our free drink ticket 😎