‘Vision is a powerful thing’

Local leaders discuss downtown revitalization

Elizabeth Gist

Of the billions of people who travel every year, millions will experience the places, artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. Heritage tourism, as it is better known, includes cultural, historic and natural resources and is a resource that Ball State’s Building Better Communities program wants to see utilized in Rushville.

During Wednesday’s round-table discussion meeting with area business owners and community members, Jim Glass, a professor of architecture at Ball State University and the head of the graduate program of Historic Preservation, threw out ideas for the local citizens to bring to the downtown area. Glass has worked on several downtown revitalization projects, including downtown Muncie and Elwood.

Glass told the business owners that in order for people to want to stop and visit Rushville, there has to be something for them to stop and look at.

“You have one of the best courthouses in the state of Indiana,” Glass said. “A historic beauty that most cities in the state would kill to have on their Main Street. Utilize it. Set up mock trials of famous or infamous cases in the history of the town, and let people in to see how glorious it is.”

Glass stressed the value of the heritage that Rushville has to offer to travelers.

“Set up walking tours or carriage tours of the beautiful Victorian residences that rest in the neighborhoods of this town,” Glass said. “If you fix up some of these structures and develop some kind of a grant for citizens who want to restore, with restorations and improvements investors and economic benefits will follow. Then make some maps and research the history of these structures. Everyone and every home has a story to tell. Share it with the rest of the world.”

Glass also shared some other heritage-related ideas.

“Unlock the history of U.S. 52, and the heritage corridor that it has to offer,” Glass said. “Maybe devise a festival or a yearly tour that takes travelers and locals on the same journey that our ancestors who built this country took. Set up some more bed and breakfasts, more downtown restaurants, make people want to stop in Rushville instead of passing it up to go to Metamora. You have way more history here. Utilize it.”

Ball State University’s goal for Rushville is to plan and develop a well-designed, aesthetically pleasing community and an empowered local citizenry. Students and citizens work together to create design and development strategies.

This focus includes:

n Downtown revitalization plans

n Historic preservation projects

n Land use planning

n Geographic information systems (GIS) planning and assessment

n Community and neighborhood development planning

n Assessment of housing needs

n Tourism development

n Transportation and energy studies

n Social Science research

n Grant writing skills development

Glass also offered an outsider’s perspective.

“You all may not see what others see when they drive through Rushville, because you see it everyday,” Glass said. “You know what I said? ‘Wow!’ There is such a small business attraction in a historic community, because big city people are sick of the rat race. They want small towns, they want heritage. If you roll out the welcome mat and show them what Rushville has to offer, they will come.”

Tracy Armstrong, of the Holiday Inn, agreed with Glass’s outlook.

“People come to Rushville to research their heritage,” she said. “Somewhere along the line, something brings them back here. If we can tap into that somehow and find our niche, we’ll be set. They are coming, I see it everyday. And they want something. Trust me when I say, it’s there.”

Greg Griffin of the Economic Community Development Corporation also echoed this observation.

“There’s a feeling of place here in this community,” he said. “People live here, go away, and come back because they love it here. Carmel, Fishers, all of these ‘big’ small towns are striving to be a place like Rushville because it’s authentic and it’s real. Be passionate about that. Vision is a powerful thing.”



Rushville Republican staff writer Elizabeth Gist can be contacted at (765) 932-2222 or via e-mail at elizabeth.gist@cnhimedia.com. To add a comment visit our Website at www.rushvillerepublican.com.

Text Only