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Historic Downtown Kendallville is currently an accredited Indiana Main Street organization and Main Street America Affiliate, but we have an opportunity to become Main Street America Accredited in 2023! Nationally accredited Main Streets have front-row access to additional grants and other funding, as well as workshops and general support that other Main Streets do not. There are just 14 nationally accredited Main Streets in the state of Indiana. Together, we can make Historic Downtown Kendallville (HDK) the fifteenth! On Friday, February 3, 2023, Main Street America staff will visit Kendallville to review and assess HDK's progress towards meeting the criteria to achieve national accreditation. They want to hear from you - the community and stakeholders - on a variety of topics. The agenda for the February 3rd meeting is shared below, as well as recommendations to help you determine which sessions you should attend. As you can see, HDK staff will not be in attendance at a majority of the sessions. This is to encourage you and other stakeholders to speak freely of your thoughts and observations of HDK. 10:00 am – 10:50: Broad-based community commitment to revitalization Attendance: City, Chamber, Tourism, Economic Development, College, Arts organization, other community non-profits, business, and property owners (No HDK staff present) 11:00 am – 11:50: Preservation-Based Economic Development Attendance: Board, City, Property owners (No HDK staff present) 1:00 pm – 1:50 Standard III: Diversified Funding and Sustainable Program Operations Attendance: Executive Board only (No HDK staff present) 2:00 pm – 2:50 Inclusive Leadership and Organizational Capacity Attendance: Board and Committee members (No HDK staff present) 3:00 pm – 3:50 Strategy-Driven Programming & Standard VI: Demonstrated Impact and Results Attendance: Board and Main Street Staff. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience by email to kendallvillemainstreet@gmail.com or phone to (260) 318-0883 to let us know when to expect your participation. We hope you can attend and help drive continuous improvement towards excellence!

Great things are happening in downtown Kendallville and the city's Main Street organization invites you to be a part of it! Historic Downtown Kendallville has released the 2022 Annual Report, highlighting Kendallville "by the numbers". Included in the report are statistics, testimonials, opportunities, accomplishments, 2023 work plans, 2023 events, and financial reports. Also included in the publication is a Business Investment Guide aimed at business attraction and expansion downtown.

Historic Downtown Kendallville is excited to announce Shop Small Saturday deals at downtown merchants on Saturday, November 26. Enjoy great discounts, free gifts, and great food and restaurant offers when you Shop Small in Historic Downtown Kendallville. One day only! Don't miss out on the Shop Small Saturday Shopping Deals catalog just published - with deals good Saturday, November 26! Why Shop Small? For every dollar you spend locally, 68% stays right here in the Kendallville community! Support our local merchants this holiday shopping season - and SAVE!

The community is invited to two free workshops hosted by the Kendallville Public Library to learn how to make lanterns like those to be used in the city's first-ever Kendallville Lantern Parade happening on Friday, October 28 at 6 PM. All ages are welcomed to attend the free workshops being held on: Wednesday, October 19 from 5-7 PM Monday, October 24 from 5-7 PM

Kendallville’s Main Street organization has been known as “Experience the Heart of Kendallville” (EHK) for the past seven years. The transition to becoming a stand-alone 501(c)3 organization in May 2022 was followed up more recently by completing a process to bring a fresh look and feel that reflects feedback from the community and aligns with the organization’s objectives to revitalize and enhance the vibrancy of the downtown corridor. “Historic Downtown Kendallville” is the new name selected by the organization’s board of directors, a leadership team comprised of members of the community who represent a variety of demographics and perspectives and who share a passion for the transformational strategies developed to take Kendallville into the future. “Changing our name and logo has been in discussion by the board for a very long time. We needed a fresh new look to go along with the exciting new changes being made downtown,” explained Kristen Johnson, Kendallville’s Main Street Manager. “This spring, we went through a fairly rigorous rebranding process with the leadership and guidance of marketing professional, Lori Gagen. Lori is the owner of Catchy Creations LLC and she manages our website, among other things,” Johnson continued. “With her help, we were able to create a logo that reflects the vision for downtown Kendallville’s future while also creating a more modern and relevant digital presence that conveys a positive and harmonious message.” The new logo is an oval shape created by brightly colored curves that reflect an active, forward-moving community. The colors used mirror those of Indiana Main Street and Main Street USA to help define the organization’s mission and purpose. Both a modern, simple font, and a more classic cursive font are used in the name. A distinct representation of the lamp posts installed in 2021 help define the brand’s relationship to place and pay homage to the unique, historic features of the district. A heart, incorporated into the first letter of “Kendallville,” pays respect to the organization’s roots as the “Heart of Kendallville” and emote a bit of the district’s more modern, whimsical features. In addition to new branding, Historic Downtown Kendallville has also reviewed and updated the organization’s mission and vision statements. Those are featured on the updated website. “Our organization is growing rapidly and building great momentum and interest, and this new branding will help foster that momentum going forward,” added Tara Streb, Main Street President. Historic Downtown Kendallville has added several new board members since the city was named a PreservINg Main Street Pilot Community in late 2021. Those who support the economic development, design, organization and/or promotion of downtown Kendallville are encouraged to contact Johnson at kendallvillemainstreet@gmail.com to get involved. Find more information about upcoming events, the PreservINg Main Street project, and to subscribe to the organization’s blog for future updates at www.kendallvillemainstreet.com.

Kendallville recently launched an initiative to pay tribute and recognize the significant contributions of people, buildings, and products of Kendallville's past. The project was made possible by a $10,000 grant from Indiana Humanities. Visitors to Main Street in historic downtown Kendallville will now see a number of historical markers identifying noteworthy buildings and large window clings introducing many of the notable people who have historic ties to Kendallville. Each cling features a biography of the subject that paints a unique and interesting story. Historic Downtown Kendallville's humanities project team initially identified 21 individuals and six architectural sites to highlight on a walking tour of the Main Street corridor. Historic Markers - Architecture: 113 N Main Street - Alonso Anderson 132-136 S Main Street - John Mitchell 210-225 S Main Street - Spencer Opera House 201-203 S Main Street - Klinkenberg’s 101-105 S Main Street - Kelly Hotel 234 S Main Street – City Hall (National Register designation marker) Each historic marker provides date constructed and builder, the architectural style featured (if applicable), and other key information. Window clings feature the following people, with more expected to be added in the months ahead: Dr. Harold Urey, recipient of Nobel Prize for chemistry and NASA scientist Alvin M. Strauss, architect Arthur Franklin Mapes, Indiana Poet Laureate Gene Stratton-Porter, famous author and local business owner Amos Kendall, US Postmaster General William Mitchell, the “Father of Kendallville” John Mitchell, son of William; longtime banker and civic leader Simeon Flint and David Walling, founders of Flint & Walling Elmer McCray, founder of McCray Refrigeration Robert Klinkenberg, owner of Klinkenberg’s in business for 111 years Alonso Anderson, African-American builder of the “7 Sisters” buildings Cora Anderson, African-American woman who dressed as a man for employment Frank Shade, a "little person" and cigar shop owner Russel Frehse, local historian Laurence D Baker, Indiana State Representative Dick Cole, founder of the Cole Foundation Charles E Redman, US Ambassador to Sweden & Germany John DeCamp, the “Voice of Purdue” Chester Dekko, founder of the Dekko Foundation Ralph Atz, founder of Atz Ice Cream Herman Krueger, downtown builder/merchant Hiram Iddings, downtown builder/merchant In addition to the visual displays, the humanities project team has also designed a 36-page, full color Historic Downtown Kendallville Walking Tour guidebook that provides historic photos and in-depth historical accounts of Kendallville. Guidebooks are available for purchase for just $5 each. Points of interest have also been added to develop a Walking Tour on The Clio app, a free mobile application available for download for Android and Apple devices. The Clio app now serves as a permanent repository of local history that helps enthusiasts find self-guided walking tours all over the world. A variety of tours are available, each designed to appeal to one's own particular interests. For example, one local tour highlights the unique buildings and architecture in Kendallville; another can be used as a curriculum tool by schools and youth educators and will appeal to school-aged children. The first walking tours of Historic Downtown Kendallville were kicked off in June 2022 at an “Antiques Road Show” event. The event provided an opportunity for community members and history enthusiasts to come together to enjoy displays of antiques, photo albums, and see items manufactured in Kendallville and Noble County. During the event, the humanities project team hosted walking tours narrated by Terry Householder, a local historian and long-time newspaper publisher. The goal of the humanities project team is to provide the community a better working knowledge of the area's rich history while capturing the stories of yesteryear that make Kendallville special. In doing so, the team hopes to instill a sense of pride in the community and create an interesting, permanent learning adventure for all ages. The humanities project team members are: Terry Housholder, local author and historian Mike Mapes, local historian Amanda Blackman, local historian Alexis Wilson, local historian Kristen Johnson, Main Street Manager Julia Tipton, Community Learning Center Sam Opshal, Indiana Humanities

Come to Historic Downtown Kendallville for a free concert! On Saturday, July 23 we welcome Los Galaxy for a free community concert at the Pocket Park on Main Street. Come hungry! Common Grace Ministries will be selling porkburgers. Enjoy ice cream and smoothies from Hang 10 Desserts, too! This is a free community event for all ages, sponsored by Historic Downtown Kendallville and vendors.

The public is invited to a free keynote presentation with Eric Doden and Chris Mead at the historic Strand Theater on Thursday, June 16 from 4:30 to 5:30 PM.

Experience the Heart of Kendallville (EHK), the city's Main Street organization, has been awarded a non-matching grant by the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) for a new public art project. Winners in 34 counties across the state were announced on May 9. The IDDC press release indicates the funded public art projects will "tell a community's unique story" to help engage first-time visitors and build local pride. Kristen Johnson, Main Street Manager, confirms that Chris Lesley, the artist who produced the mural in the city's new downtown pocket park, will create another one on the side of the Atz Law building facing Williams Street. Early concepts discussed include spelling out "Kendallville" with letters filled in with graphics depicting notable Kendallville people, places, and things. Similar murals are seen in cities across the nation and are often the backdrop for traveler photos. Southbound traffic on Main Street will be able to enjoy good visibility of the new art piece when complete. EHK was awarded $3,975, which will fully fund the art project. The IDDC awarded a total of $242,000 to projects across the state for similar efforts in other communities and believe the effort will further promote Indiana as a destination for travelers.

Indiana and National Main Street representatives will be in Kendallville on June 9 and 10 to help guide the city's development of Transformational Strategies. Experience the Heart of Kendallville is asking all stakeholders, including property and business owners, residents, and visitors from near and far, to participate in a brief survey to help inform discussions that will take place during the meetings. Please participate here:

The past eight months, since Kendallville was named a PreservINg Main Street Pilot Community, has been a whirlwind of activity with leaders of Experience the Heart of Kendallville (EHK), city officials, volunteers, and stakeholders engaged in a tremendous learning curve. As is the nature of a "Pilot" program, some of the information shared at the beginning of the program to today has morphed along the way and more information became available and state officials worked through terms and conditions associated with funding, which is made possible by a number of collaborating partners. In an effort to bring all stakeholders back together around the most up-to-date information available regarding efforts to invest $2 million to preserve and transform historic downtown Kendallville, a meeting has been scheduled. The meeting will be hosted by EHK and is open to all downtown merchants, property owners, and the public: Main Street Community Meeting Thursday, May 19 5:30 PM Council Chamber, City Hall This meeting is an opportunity to receive clarification on any previous information shared and discussed and to ask questions about the PreservINg Main Street grant and related programs and projects. For more information, call EHK at (260) 318-0883.

Downtown Kendallville's first-ever Antiques Road Show is just the beginning of a project the Humanities Committee of Experience the Heart of Kendallville (EHK) hopes will highlight Kendallville's historic buildings, products, and people for many years to come. In a grant proposal submitted by EHK seeking $10,000 from Indiana Humanities, one of the supporting partners in the PreservINg Main Street program, plans are outlined to add multiple historic markers identifying noteworthy architecture of several buildings along Main Street, large format window clings featuring prominent Kendallville figures, an initial printing of 500 booklets to accompany self-guided walking tours, and the development of a mobile app offering a menu of walking tour options as well. The committee's proposal explained a mobile app called "Clio" will be used as a sort of permanent repository of Kendallville history. The app is described as a tool for residents and visitors to enjoy self-guided walking tours and is expected to be available for use later this summer. The upcoming Kendallville Antiques Road Show will mark the kick-off of EHK's celebration of local history and will take place from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 on Main Street. Community members, historians, and others are invited to bring and exhibit Kendallville-related antiques including products made in Kendallville and Noble County. Food, drinks, and historic walking tours narrated by Terry Household, local historian, will also be available for the public to enjoy. EHK Humanities Committee members: Amanda Blackman Terry Householder Kristen Johnson Mike Mapes Sam Opshal Julia Tipton Alexis Wilson For more information, contact a committee member or call the Main Street office at (260) 318-0883.