Main Street Joins National Register Of Historic Places

WASHINGTON, DC – Water Valley’s Main Street Historic District has joined the list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.
The National Park Service approved the district to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places last week. That word was received by the Water Valley Main Street Association Wednesday.
The purposed district was approved in January by the Mississippi Historic Preser-vation Professional Review Board.
The district was one of seven items up for approval during the meeting at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Jackson. From there, the nomination went to Washington, D.C. to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places.
“Districts just don’t happen, it took a strong desire and concerted effort for this to come about,” said Mickey Howley, Water Valley Main Street Association Director.
Others who were involved locally included the City of Water Valley and Mayor Larry Hart, and the property owners in the district, Howley said.
The WVMSA Director added that the effort put forth was “because this place, this town matters. It is a real honor to be part of National Register.”
Howley emphasized that no federal agency will say you have to do anything with a listed property. He noted that the advantages of being in the district are significant.
“It is the long-term hope that property owners in the district take advantage of the substantial federal and state tax credits that can help them maintain and improve their historic properties.”
In November of last year, Michelle Jones, Northern Director for the MDAH, was in town to promote a better understanding of the National Register and to debunk some myths about the program. For one thing, being listed to the National Register does not diminish a property owners rights, she said.
Jones said that there are usually a small number of objections from those who don’t want the federal government to have any say over their property or they believe their property rights are going to be infringed upon.
“They can tear it down, it can burn. It doesn’t change what the individual owner’s rights are to that property,” she emphasized.
Among the benefits is that property owners who are doing substantial renovations could get tax credits of up to 45 percent by being listed on the National Register.
 “There are no cons with the NR program,” Jones said.
According to Howley, there are 106 properties in the district, which runs along North Main Street by Big Yank and Markette Street to the south where Town Creek crosses South Main Street.
All properties that border Main Street in that area are part as well parts of Railroad Avenue, the courthouse area, and parts of Martin Street.