In 2003 a group of citizens, city government officials and business owners, concerned about the future of La Grange’s central historic district, decided to form a Main Street Program based on guidelines from the Kentucky Heritage Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation—whose goals are to assist communities with downtown revitalization and economic development in the context of historic preservation. 

Our Main Street Program in La Grange became known as Discover Downtown La Grange.  We established ourselves as a non-profit 501c-3 organization and our mission centers on three pillars:

1. Business – to promote and support business growth and development, sustain existing businesses and recruit new ones.

2. History – to preserve, promote, revitalize and celebrate our unique historical character.

3. Community – to make La Grange a better place to live, work and play.

We are a private organization but have a strong working relationship with our city and county governments and frequently collaborate on projects and events.  We also partner with several local businesses and depend on their support, through our Ownership Program, to enable us to hold special events throughout the year.   These events include the La Grange Farmers Market, Light Up La Grange, the La Grange Loop Ironman Festival, Summer Concerts and the Spirits of La Grange Ghost Tours.

In 2004, First Lady Laura Bush recognized the city of La Grange as a Preserve America community, a designation for communities that protect and celebrate their heritage.