How it all started

When a well-established global computer company suddenly pulled up stakes and left downtown Francesville, it looked like our small, rural community was well on its way in becoming another “small town statistic!”  With a declining school enrollment, coupled with a lack of employment opportunities, and a downtown area that was plagued with vacant store fronts, Francesville was in economic crisis.

Then in February 2016, a small group of residents from Francesville met at the public library to brainstorm ideas on how to save this small community from meeting its demise.  During this meeting, Indiana’s Main Street Organization was mentioned as one possible solution that merited further investigation.  (This organization under the umbrella of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, encourages community-driven revitalization of downtown areas in Indiana cities and towns.  The people who make up the Main Street network are passionate advocates, dedicated volunteers, influential stakeholders, and community organizers who work every day to turn the tide in their communities—catalyzing reinvestment, creating jobs, fostering pride of place and creating a better quality of life for all.)

Due to the excellent support and guidance received from Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Francesville became an “official” member of Indiana’s Main Street Organization in November 2016.   But even before the UPTOWN Project was officially recognized as a Main Street Organization, its members were hard at work.  The dedication, devotion and hard work of approximately 40 residents in this community of 850, has made all the difference!  

In addition, because several members of the Uptown Project have also served or are currently serving on the Community Foundation of Pulaski County’s Board of Directors, it was decided in June 2017 that one of UPTOWN’s long-term goals would be to create an “UPTOWN Project Endowment Fund.”  This Endowment Fund would not only help sustain the UPTOWN Project and strengthen its mission of enhancing “quality of life” for those living, working and playing in this community; but all contributions, given at any time, would make a significant impact on our community’s future.  Once this long-term goal was publicized, it didn’t take long before this goal was brought to fruition!  By the end of the November 2017 “#Giving Tuesday” campaign, through the generosity of many loyal residents and businesses, $10,000 had been ear-marked for the “UPTOWN Project Endowment Fund.  Yes, great things are happening in Francesville!  And even though our community continues to face many obstacles, that “dark cloud of doom” once leering over our small community seems to have been displaced with hope, optimism, joy and laughter!