Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral, is a landmark Romanesque Revival church located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The cathedral serves as the mother church and seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. Modeled loosely after the Cathedral of St. Ludwig in Munich, Germany, the building’s exterior features prominent red brick construction, large louvers for the … Read more
S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald Anchor One evening in 1974, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald anchored at the Detroit River’s Belle Isle Anchorage, 800 feet off Riopelle Street, east of the Renaissance Center. The next morning, as the crew worked to raise the starboard bow anchor, a chain link separated. The 12,290 pound anchor remained on the bottom … Read more
Mary Means when she started Main Street America had three concerns which guided her – caring for historic downtowns, but also courthouses and churches which were threatened with being lost forever. This morning while at mass at the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit, I was reflecting on our Main Street network and particularly how the … Read more
This image shows the newly revitalized pedestrian alleyway in Historic Downtown Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Located right off historic Route 66, this corridor recently underwent major streetscape renovations to transform a traditional brick alley into an inviting, walkable public space. The building on the right features a prominent, historic painted brick advertisement for the Central Drug Store, … Read more
The Holy Family Cathedral, located at 810 South Boulder Avenue in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, serves as the historic mother church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa. tHe central stained glass masterpiece featured in this window group portrays Christ’s Resurrection, a cornerstone scene within the historic Munich-style Franz Mayer & Co. window collection. Arrayed in … Read more
Community Aid That Supports Local Businesses, Main Street Now Conference, Tulsa, Oklahoma (April 2026) Have you ever wished you could create programs that address Main Street’s challenges and opportunities using a “local currency” that also keeps those funds in your community, benefiting your small businesses? Join us to hear case studies on how organizations like … Read more
The Main Street Now conference is the largest gathering of downtown revitalization leaders each year. This year the conference is in Tulsa from April 12-15, 2026. Wayfinding helps to orient to the downtown. There are multiple subareas that they define. I started in the Cathedral District, moved through the Art Deco district and got as … Read more
On Good Friday in 2026, we retraced the “Seven Church” walk in Washington, DC. The first three we reached by car and found street parking outside. The final four we accessed by scooter. Starting at 1pm we were done by 5pm. St. Stephen the Martyr Distance to next church 0.8 miles, 19 minutes walk. Cathedral … Read more
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church is located in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. Situated roughly 40 minutes northwest of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, this historic church was originally founded and built by Slovak immigrants. The stunning apse backdrop features the same intricate gold cross stenciling against a brilliant blue sky backdrop that you … Read more
The mosaic sanctuary wall belongs to St. Aloysius Catholic Church, located at 1234 Washington Boulevard. The sprawling, glittering gold mosaic depicts Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders, surrounded by a flock of sheep resting beneath palm trees. The marble structure built below the mosaic features a recessed arch detailing … Read more