Bridging preservation and economics in Granite Falls, Minnesota

Abstract

Granite Falls, Minnesota, is a small, rural city with a sleepy downtown. The town’s population is declining, the community lacks diversity, and seventeen of its downtown commercial buildings are vacant. While the downtown is currently undergoing revitalization efforts, the community is not fully aware of the benefits of using historic preservation as a tool to help bring back their downtown. Historic preservation is often misinterpreted or viewed with suspicion by people in rural communities. This project will examine the various issues and values involved in waking a sleepy downtown and provide a guide for how Granite Falls can use historic preservation as an economic tool in their revitalization plan.