HISTORY OF MAIN STREET & UPTOWN VILLAGE:

Upper Main Street, the major thoroughfare running through Uptown Village today, has long been an integral part of Vancouver's history. From 1824 to 1849 it was Hudson Bay Company's trail to its northern farms. In 1909 the Andrew Carnegie Library (now the Clark County Historical Museum) was built at 15th and Main Street and across the street from it was the original Hidden Brick Yard that provided bricks for many of Vancouver's historical structures. In 1910 the trolley car line was completed, running up Main Street to 33rd and businesses soon began to develop along its line. In 1915 the original Vancouver High School opened at 4th Plain and Main and across the street from it the original High School Pharmacy. By the 1920's business was booming along Main Street with car sales, restaurants, bakeries, laundries, printers, groceries, a movie theater, a creamery, a building supply, a feed and seed store and many other small businesses.

But with the growing popularity of shopping malls in the 1970s and 80s, Vancouver and upper Main began to experience changes. Vancouver High School moved to another part of town and the old buildings were torn down. Boarded-up storefronts on upper Main began to appear as merchants left and were not replaced. Sidewalks and structures fell into disrepair. Vagrants frequented the alleys.

Then finally, in 1989, a task force of upper Main Street businessmen, property owners, realtors and city and neighborhood representatives came together to see what could be done to revitalize the area.  As a result of this group's efforts, the North Main Business Association came into existence and it was their efforts that continued the process. By 1994, streets had been switched from one-way back to two-way; abandoned, boarded-up buildings were gutted and turned into charming shop spaces; Main Street  from 4th Plain to McLoughlin was repaved (removing the old original trolley tracks underneath that had brought so much business to life in the old days); new and wider sidewalks replaced the heaving and tree-damaged old ones; and new period street lights were put in that today display colorful banners and flowers baskets. The North Main Business Association (NMBA) turned into the UPTOWN Business Association (UBA), and then into the Uptown VILLAGE Association (UVA) with "VILLAGE" being the new, operative word. And that's what the area has been successfully moving toward ever since. The list of new and interesting businesses along the Main Street of today again can compare to that of the 1920s. A list that is always changing but always interesting. New businesses have brought with them new energy and fresh ideas--street and art festivals of one sort or another, holiday strolls, wine tastings, art walks, parades, outdoor movies--all making our area a fun and vibrant "VILLAGE" that people like to come to to dine, shop, learn and explore.