Salem Main Streets was founded in 2001 by the City of Salem and a coalition of downtown businesses and area residents. It is modeled after the highly successful community revitalization program developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

A downtown reflects how the community sees itself — a critical factor in business retention and recruitment efforts. The downtown provides a significant portion of the community’s tax base, and is an indispensable shopping and service center, as well as the historic core of the city. It represents a vast amount of public and private investment, City Hall, the Court complex, heritage destinations, major tourist draws, a working waterfront and marinas, and most importantly, provides a sense of community and place.