Texas’ first lady visits area town
Abbott helps Linden celebrate Main Street city designation
Avisit from Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott helped Linden, Texas, celebrate its new status as a Main Street city Tuesday afternoon.
Residents and local officials gathered outside the Cass County Courthouse to welcome Abbott with a reception and listen to a ceremony featuring her keynote address. The event was part of the annual first lady’s tour of cities that earn Main Street designation from Texas Main Street, a program of the Texas Historical Commission that promotes economic development through preservation of historic downtowns. After process,a rigorous, Linden competitiveand Buda, applicationTexas, were chosen to join the program this year. Only 89 communities in Texas are fully designated as Main Street cities, and Linden is among the three with the smallest populations.
“Main Street communities represent the best of what the state has to offer,” Abbott told audience members, many fanning themselves with paper programs on a warm, humid afternoon.
“Linden’s commitment to historic preservation is apparent,” she said. “It is clear that Linden knows the importance of historic yet vibrant downtowns. All across Texas, from our busy urban centers to our treasured small towns, it is our downtowns where the past, the present and the future meet and a sense of community grows.
“I cannot think of a better way to commemorate the storied past of your
community than by working with your neighbors to honor these most cherished places and the promise their futures hold. I congratulate you on all you have already done to make Linden shine even brighter.”
Allie Anderson, Linden’s Main Street manager, put the designation into statewide context.
“We are joining cities that have participated for just a few years, like San Augustine, and others like Mount Pleasant and Corsicana that have maintained their Main Street designation for decades and have impressive economic results to show for it,” she said.
Texas Main Street communities have created more than $3.4 billion in economic reinvestment, 35,490 local jobs and almost 9,000 small businesses, according to a THC news release.
The event culminated with Abbott unveiling an artist’s vision for a downtown block of Linden’s actual Main Street. It showed the street’s historic buildings with features such as windows and signage restored, with care taken to preserve the structures’ various individual styles.
Linden City Manager Bob Swisher described the Texas Main Street application process as tough, involving thorough documentation, financial planning and demonstrated community buy-in. The result was a 65-page application package.
“It was a tough package to put together. But we put together a package for a town this small to compete with towns of 50- and 60,000 people,” he said, adding that it all was worthwhile just for the networking with other Main Street cities now available to him.
“There’s no more guesswork. You put out to the 88 towns, ‘Has anyone ever had an art show, and what did and didn’t work, and who should I talk to?’ Boom: You’ve got 88 people. It’s like Pinterest on steroids,” he said.
Texas Main Street Program participation will help Linden achieve goals in the city’s 10-year master plan, including 90 percent downtown retail occupancy, Swisher said.
THC Vice-Chairman John Crain praised the city’s commitment.
“This is competitive, very competitive. It is a great honor for Linden. We try to make the point that it’s wonderful to talk the talk, but you’ve got to get in there and form a task force and work and develop a plan of action. You’ve got to have the personnel. You’ve got to have the right people in the community. And obviously this community showed up real well when it came to all the criteria, and that’s a real plus,” he said.
Local children participated in the event. Linden-Kildare Elementary School students Madilyn Bynum and Brooklyn Bynum led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Pledge to the Texas Flag. Brianna Walton of Mae Luster Stephens Junior High sang “God Bless America,” and L-K Elementary students Axel Munoz and Jazmin Ramirez presented a school library book for Abbott to sign.
The Stephens Junior High choir sang state favorites such as “The Yellow Rose of Texas” before the ceremony, and the L-K High School band performed afterward.
Other speakers included Linden Mayor Clarence Burns and Chris Williston, CEO of Independent Bankers Association of Texas, which sponsored the first lady’s tour. American Legion Post No. 351 provided the color guard.
Abbott is a former Catholic school teacher and administrator who has also worked in the senior health care industry. She has served on the boards of multiple educational and philanthropic institutions. A granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, she is the first Hispanic first lady of Texas. She and Gov. Greg Abbott, her husband for 35 years, have one daughter, Audrey.