MATHEWS MAIN
STREET
ABOUT US
Our mission is to ensure the vitality of downtown Mathews Main Street by preserving its period charm, engaging in events and programs to promote it in creating a safer, more inviting, and environmentally sensitive business area.
OUR STORY
Main Street Mathews, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization formed for the purposes of developing and promoting the economic and physical revitalization of the Mathews Main Street District. The organization has been in existence since 1994, first as a sub-committee of the Mathews County Chamber of Commerce, then as a community committee and, finally, incorporated with non-profit designation in 2001. It continues to foster a vision of a revitalized village of Mathews that functions as a vibrant center of economic and social activites. Its mission is to raise funds and act as a catalyst in creating a safer, more inviting and environmentally sensitive business area for the benefit of the community.
As the gateway to Mathews County, the downtown district plays an important role in shaping first impressions and supporting local commerce. With thoughtful stewardship and strategic investment, Mathews Courthouse Village can better align its historic significance and existing assets with the goals of downtown revitalization by improving its visual presentation, strengthening district branding and promotion, and supporting long-term economic resilience.
From a Virginia Main Street perspective, Mathews Courthouse Village presents many of the core ingredients of a successful downtown district: historic fabric, recognizable civic anchors, locally significant cultural institutions, and an identifiable sense of place. The opportunity now is not to create identity where none exists, but to build on a strong historic foundation through coordinated revitalization efforts that address aesthetics, promotion, organizational capacity, and economic positioning in a measurable and sustained way.
The presence of landmark structures associated with early trade and later rural commerce gives the district a high degree of authenticity and a clear market distinction rooted in local heritage.These historic assets position downtown Mathews well for revitalization strategies that leverage existing character while encouraging compatible reuse, improved presentation, and stronger economic activity.
Along Main Street, several community institutions already contribute to the district’s identity and functionality. The Mathews Museum, the Bay School Community Arts Center, the Mathews County Visitor Information Center, and a cluster of locally owned businesses together create a base of cultural, civic, and commercial activity that can support a broader revitalization strategy. At the same time, the downtown would benefit from targeted investment to enhance visual cohesion, strengthen the appearance of the commercial corridor, improve wayfinding and presentation, and communicate its assets more effectively to residents, businesses, investors, and visitors.
Mathews Courthouse Village is the historic and cultural center of Mathews County, where more than two centuries of architecture, commerce, and civic life remain concentrated within a compact, walkable downtown. More than a collection of historic resources, the district serves as the county’s principal civic and commercial center and reflects the kind of authentic place-based character that preservation-based downtown revitalization seeks to strengthen.
At its center is Courthouse Square, one of the Commonwealth’s most distinctive civic landscapes. Anchored by the historic courthouse complex and surrounding public buildings, the square has long functioned as the physical and symbolic center of county life, supporting public activity, community identity, and continuity of place over generations. These assets provide a strong foundation for reinvestment and reinforce the district’s significance as a downtown with both historic integrity and ongoing civic relevance.
Just steps away, the Sibley’s and James Store Historic District illustrates Mathews’ long commercial history and the enduring value of its built environment.
Photo by David Karp, www.davidkarp.com
About Mathews
Board of Directors
Our board continues to foster a vision of a revitalized village of Mathews that functions as a vibrant center of economic and social activities while setting strategic direction and ensuring financial oversight.
Stan Grice (ex officio committee member)
President/ Chair
Carolyn Taylor
Vice President/ Vice Chair
Hugh Turner
Treasurer
Dee Russell
Secretary
Board of Directors
Mary Chapman
Stan Grice
Tim Hill
Jim Meade
Robb Riddle
Dee Russell
Carolyn Taylor
Josie Thorpe
Hugh Turner