T

he quaint draw of a Southern main street is perhaps an unparalleled representation of America, with no better evidence than Monday’s Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza downtown.

As Maria Contreras-Sweet said to one of the storeowners during her visit Thursday, “You are the American story. There’s nothing more Americana than Main Street.”

Main Streets all over the Delta region feature unique wares and Southern hospitality, but only three in Mississippi were selected to be visited by the administrator of the United States Small Business Administration.

Contreras-Sweet’s visit to downtown Vicksburg—bright blue tour bus and all—stands as a testament to all Vicksburg has done right to support its downtown district and Washington Street in particular.

During Contreras-Sweet’s tour, she questioned occupancy rates for storefronts and apartments in the downtown district. Mayor George Flaggs Jr. and Kim Hopkins, director of Vicksburg Main Street, could say both had near 100 percent occupancy rates, with buildings like the former El Rio Mexican Restaurant just beginning renovations.

In 2014 alone, 20 new businesses set up shop downtown, 10 of which were on Washington Street.

The Washington Street of today would have been unrecognizable to riverboat visitors docking for the day just five years ago.

Those positive numbers and numerous improvements are high marks for Vicksburg, giving the city a chance to put our best foot forward as part of a national tour.

Contreras-Sweet has made it her mission to raise awareness about small businesses, but just as it is her mission nationally, it should be our mission locally.

As she said, it’s not enough to say you support local business without actually traveling downtown to buy gifts, dinner or a sweet treat.

Each purchase shows where local priorities lie.  For the survival of our main street and those around the country, those priorities must lie downtown.

With all the that has gone into—and will continue to go into—making Washington Street what it is today, residents carry the responsibility to support the business run by neighbors, friends of friends or the same family for generations.