Preservation, Authenticity and Cultural Heritage

The comment I hear most often by visitors is “Your downtown is so beautiful.” Travelers want to know more about our town and its rich history; how did our town come to be, why are the streets so wide or the buildings so substantial, and how did we manage to preserve our authentic downtown?
Preserved and revitalized historic commercial districts are a major attraction when travelers seek a real experience or businesses and people consider relocating. Many people who have moved here mention the emotional pull and magnetic attraction of our historic downtown as a deciding factor in their decision making.
One look at the “before and after” pictures of our downtown tells the story of Historic Baker City’s revitalization efforts. Since 1993 HBC’s Destination Downtown has helped facilitate more than 80 restorations in the downtown district (with a 50% matching grant incentive program), attracting attention in state and national preservation arenas. The Destination Downtown program revolves around preserving, promoting, and capitalizing on downtown Baker City’s Historic District as a key strategy in Baker City’s economic development.
Downtowns are the heart and soul of a community. A trip down any USA Main Street will tell a lot about the history, community pride, vitality, livability, and the uniqueness of a community. Baker City stands out in everyone’s mind as something very special.
Preservation and heritage tourism are strong components in economic development of a community; jobs are created for local tradesmen and visitors help drive the economy, directly and indirectly through “the multiplier effect” (the increase in demand for local services, products and human resources).
"Over the past decade, travel industry research confirms that cultural and heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry."
-US Dept. of Commerce A Position Paper on Cultural and Heritage Tourisn, 2005

As the globe shrinks and visitors grow tired of creeping homogenization, authentic experiences become a key factor in deciding where to go and what to do. Will I find a distinct sense of place, a genuine glimpse into other cultures, other times, other ways of living? Will I connect with real people? Will I learn something new? Will I create unique memories?*
Tourists are by and large a curious breed with a hunger for experience and knowledge of the world and the people in it. It’s the same urge that draws people to arts events, museums, and festivals, and that drives artists to create. In a world of interchangeable communities, cookie-cutter malls, and plastic souvenirs, a growing number of travelers are searching for the new, the different, the authentic. *
Ann Mehaffy, Program Director

*Last two paragraphs reprinted with permission from the Oregon Arts Commission- Exploring
Authentic Oregon: The Importance of Cultural Tourism

SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY

Record crowd at HBC Annual Meeting & Awards Night April 23rd

It was a spectacular evening with the Queen City Room at the Geiser Grand filled to capacity. HBC President Jeremy Thamert opened the evening with a review of HBC's 2008 accomplishments. Andrew Bryan took over as master of ceremonies to recognize outstanding business and property owners for their contribution to downtown revitalization efforts. After the awards, superb entertainment was provided by the Past Their Prime Time Players with their vignettes of early Baker County characters.

HISTORIC BAKER CITY, INC.'S
DOWNTOWN AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Volunteers of the Year
CORRINE AND BRIAN VEGTER

Business of the Year
CLARK & COMPANY HOME
Matthew Clark & Brian Olson, owners

Physical Improvements
BAKER GARAGE
Randy Daugherty, owner

Community Partnerships
JENNIFER WATKINS
Baker City Community Development Director

Stepping Up To The Plate
MARV SUMNER, ROCKY BROWN
TABOR CLARKE, RANDY DODSON

Downtown Business Success
THE SYCAMORE TREE
Jacki Adams, owner

OPENING APRIL 21st

Starwood Garden Market
1623 Dewey Avenue
(across from old post office square)

Local produce, seeds, plants
and much more!

Welcome
To the Neighborhood!
BAKER BISTRO
1925 Washington
Open Everyday
7 am - 3 pm
breakfast & lunch

Are You Part of the Solution?

JOIN US
EVERY WEDNESDAY
BAKER CITY CAFE
1840 MAIN STREET
8:00 am
FOR RETAILERS' COFFEE
BRING YOUR IDEAS !

THANK YOU ROUND TABLE HOSTS

Our heartfelt thanks to these Business Resource Fair round table hosts for taking time from their busy schedules to help the participants: Jacki Adams - The Sycamore Tree, Capitalizing On Your Assets, Matthew Clark - Clark & Company Home, Merchandising, Lisa Dawson, NEOEDD, Dennis Dorrah - York's Park Grocery, Destination Downtown, Don Hollis - REAP Program,
Kurt Miller - Baker Truck Corral, Diversification, Nancy Morris - CPA, Your Financial Tool Box, Linda Nobel - Oregon Employment Department, Kari Waldhaus - E Myth, Kina White - Paizanos Pizza, Marketing. A special thank you to our Business Resource Fair sponsors: Baker County Economic Development Council, Baker County Marketing, and Oregon Work Force Employers' Council. The Baker County Business Fair was organized by the Baker County Economic Resource Alliance (BC-ERA) : Baker County Marketing, Baker County Economic Development, Baker County Chamber of Commerce, and Historic Baker City, Inc.

DOWNTOWN BAKER CITY CLEAN UP DAY

SATURDAY
MAY 16TH 9:00 - 2:00
Bring your gloves, clippers, brooms and enthusiasm. We'll meet in front of Coughlin, Leuenberger & Moon,
1650 Dewey Avenue.
Keep It Clean
is a community
TAKE CARE OF OREGON project
sponsored by
Historic Baker City, Inc.
Questions? Call 523 5442.

YOU'RE INVITED

HISTORIC BAKER CITY INC.'S

ANNUAL AWARDS NIGHT & CELEBRATION
GEISER GRAND HOTEL
QUEEN CITY ROOM
Thursday April 23rd 5:30 - 7:30 pm
complimentary hors d'oeuvres
with Past-Their-Prime-Time-Players
(The Baker Bunch)
150 YEARS OF BAKER COUNTY
Historic Baker City, Inc 523 5442
Promotiing A Healthy and Prosperous Downtown
Since 1982

Put Your Money Where Your House Is

SHOP LOCAL CAMPAIGNS

In cities, towns and villages across the nation, there is an effective and growing Shop Local /Local First movement to support local economies by localizing consumer spending. This movement recognizes that self-reliance of a community and local ownership of businesses are critical requirements for a sustainable and prosperous economy. This Shop Local movement does not require or demand that we never go outside our community for consumer goods; it only asks that we first look locally and make conscious decisions to support our community businesses. It makes sense to start at home where our spending will have a great impact on our community:

●Locally owned businesses maintain the local character and diversity of our community. Our one-of-a-kind stores are an integral part of our distinct and unique character, adding to our sense of community and appealing to out-of-town visitors and investors.

●Dollars spent at locally owned businesses have three times the impact on the community as dollars spent at national chains.

●Local ownership means important decisions are made locally; by people who live in our community and who are invested in our community’s future.

●Local charitable and non-profit organizations receive an average of 350% greater support from local business owners than from non-locally owned business.

●Entrepreneurship fuels America’s economic innovation and prosperity.

●Customer service is better; small business owners consistently rate customer service as their top priority and best marketing tool.

●Local businesses create good jobs; small businesses are the largest employer nationally.

●Local businesses can make more local purchases, supporting local agriculture, producers, and other local businesses.

Interested? Try reading Michael H. Shuman’s The Small-Mart Revolution. “It’s not about stopping anything. It’s about starting something—vibrant local economies that will make our cities and towns the places we very much want them to be.” (Bill McKibben, in Foreward to M. Shuman’s book).

Ann Mehaffy, Program Director

Upcoming Free Business Workshop

Baker County Economic Resource Alliance**
BUSINESS WORKSHOP AND FAIR

Friday, April 3^rd 3:00 Pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday, April 4th 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Register now for this no-cost event

Full workshop schedule and registration at www.visitbaker.com or call Baker County Chamber of Comerce 523-5855 or HBC 523 5442

Changing Rules: Doing Business in a New Economy

No more business as usual! With the shift the economy, it is a whole new ball game these days. Things have to change. Figuring out where to start can be overwhelming. Statistics show that those who prepare for times of change are those who do more than just survive, they can thrive.

Prepare yourself to lead your customers and community. Entrepreneur and strategist, Kathie Nelson will inspire you with fresh insight and tools to sort through conventional business wisdom with critical new business strategies to guide you through the upcoming year.

• get un-stuck when you find yourself stalled out.
• successfully re-purpose, re-tool, or re-position yourself – and why you must do it.
• create a business dashboard that keeps your finger on the pulse of the activities that make you money
• identify your ideal customers and grab their attention
• become the “Voice of Reason” in a turbulent business climate

Keynote Speaker:
Kathie Nelson, Entrepreneur, Coach & Strategist
Sharpen Your Entrepreneurial Edge in Tough Times
Bombarded with negative press it is easy to become fear and scarcity focused. Now, more than ever, you can’t afford to waste time in worry and despair. Kathie shares simple techniques to take charge of the attitude, words, and actions that keep you from moving forward. Leave with 3 easy to implement practices that set you apart as a leader and encourage those around you.

Kathie Nelson’s signature talks leave audiences motivated with tools in hand to more effectively serve customers and build sustainable businesses doing what they love!

Kathie Nelson, founder and CEO of Connectworks, is a serial entrepreneur and born powerhouse when it comes to connecting people to business growth. Kathie is a three time author, highly sought after speaker, top tier business strategist, and coach. Her contributions have impacted local organizations like Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon, Portland Business Alliance and IKEA Portland as well as businesses across the US from boutique law firms to wineries to day spas. More about Kathie and her latest e-book "Turn Passion to Profit: The Essential DIY Guide to Package your Talent, Leverage your Time, and Get the Clients you Want" at www.KathieNelson.com

Complete schedule and registration available on the Chamber’s Community Calendar for April 3^rd at www.visitbaker.com For more information call Baker County Chamber of Commerce 523 5855

**BC-ERA is a Business Resource Alliance formed by the Baker County Chamber of Commerce, Baker County Economic Development, Historic Baker City, Inc., and Baker City Economic Development.

Shopping Locally, even in 1907

SHOP LOCAL CAMPAIGN 1907
The Baker County Library was kind enough to put aside for me a copy of the 1907 promotional brochure titled Baker City: The Metropolis of Eastern Oregon. This booklet was designed to lure prospective residents, farmers, ranchers, and businesses; it is filled with advertising and information about Baker City and Baker County, heralding Baker City as the most favored region of the great Northwest.
“It is a region where nature has stored away with great profusion her untold mineral treasures; a region of beautiful valleys with matchless soil; magnificent mountains, hills, trees and rivers; a region with a stimulating, vigorous, health-giving climate. Hither are coming the awakening multitudes of the Eastern States—the hard-toiling farmer, the city man, wearied of the daily grind of soul-less occupation, the scholar, the mechanic, the laborer, lured by the irresistible call of “the West”, to the land where there is a joy in living, and where men forget to grow old.”
The back page of the booklet is most surprising of all; readers are urged to shop locally!
“All of us have to spend money. There is an art to spending it where it will do the most good. If spent so that it will circulate around this community, it will help this community. You belong to this community. Therefore it will help you. Isn’t that good logic. Suppose you think it over next time you pick up the Mail Order Catalogue.”
Whether a hundred years ago or today, the self-reliance of a community and local ownership of businesses are critical requirements for a sustainable and prosperous economy. Locally owned businesses maintain the unique local character and diversity of our community. Additionally, dollars spent at locally owned businesses have three times the impact on the community as dollars spent at national chains. Our new Shop Local campaign suggests you put your money where your house is– Shop Baker!
•Ann Mehaffy, Program Director