A Small Town’s Big Comeback Story
On a bright and snowy November morning in Millersburg, a crowd gathered inside what will soon be the town’s next restaurant. Through the window behind the speakers, the morning light poured across the street onto 404 Main — a sturdy, timeworn brick building that’s about to get its long-awaited second chance.
The historic building, constructed in 1919, has seen the best and hardest years of Millersburg. Once home to storefronts and upstairs apartments, it sat empty for years, slowly deteriorating. Today, thanks to a partnership between state, county, and local leaders, 404 Main is being restored as part of the Jan Wagoner Preservation Fund — a $6 million initiative led by Community Ventures to rescue Millersburg’s most historic buildings.
The restoration marks a significant milestone in Millersburg’s transformation. Once struggling to fill storefronts, the town now boasts more than 120 active business licenses — a turnaround that local leaders attribute to years of investment, creative financing, and a belief that the heart of a community still beats strongest downtown.
Partners in Preservation to For Success
Funding for 404 Main’s restoration comes from a powerful mix of state, federal, and private sources:
-A Community Development Block Grant administered by the Kentucky Department for Local Government (DLG) to Bourbon County Fiscal Court
-State Historic Preservation Tax Credits through the Kentucky Heritage Council / State Historic Preservation Office
-New Markets Tax Credits with support from Fifth Third Bank
-And contributions from donors to the Jan Wagoner Preservation Fund
Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman joined state and local leaders at the event, calling Millersburg’s progress “proof that revitalization isn’t reserved just for cities.”
“Our small towns are the heartbeat of Kentucky,” Coleman said. “When you invest in Main Street, you’re investing in people — in the shopkeepers, families, and workers who hold these communities together. What’s happening here in Millersburg is exactly what we hope to see across the Commonwealth.”DLG Commissioner Matt Sawyers echoed that sentiment, calling the restoration “the kind of vision and collaboration that gives rural Kentucky a future.”
Behind the scenes, that collaboration has been years in the making. When Community Ventures first purchased 404 Main three years ago, the building’s floor had collapsed, and its walls were shifting. With help from DLG and the Bourbon County Fiscal Court, the organization was able to stabilize the structure just in time.
Bourbon County Judge Executive Mike Williams called the day “proof of what happens when everyone pulls in the same direction,” noting that Millersburg’s comeback has required patience, partnership, and persistence.
“Without DLG’s quick action and funding, this building wouldn’t be here,” Smith said, recalling how local contractor Mike Mitchell and his team shored up the building with steel beams “by hand and by heart.”Mitchell, who has restored more than a dozen properties in Millersburg, including Mustard Seed Hill’s Allen House, was praised by Smith as “the kind of craftsman who builds beyond what you can imagine.”
A Legacy Reborn from a Small-Town Hero
The project is named for Jan Wagoner, a former city council member and lifelong advocate for historic preservation in Millersburg. Her husband Rick and daughter Wendy attended the ceremony, drawing emotional applause as Smith described Jan as “a true saint and guardian angel for this town.”
“Jan’s vision and love for this place inspired us to keep going when some of these buildings looked impossible to bring back,” Smith said. “This restoration is her legacy — and proof that her faith in Millersburg was not misplaced.”
For Mayor Julie Hopkins, the symbolism runs deep. “When I look at 404 Main, I see hope taking shape in brick and mortar,” she said. “This is what it looks like when an entire community pulls together.”
How Investing in Main Street Lays the Foundation
When complete, 404 Main will feature 2,200 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor — ideal for a retail shop, or office — and two apartments upstairs. The mixed-use design reflects what Community Ventures calls the “Main Street model”: build density, attract foot traffic, and create new housing opportunities in the downtown core.
Gordon Wilson, Executive Director of the Paris–Bourbon County Economic Development Authority, sees the project as an economic spark.“When a town invests in its Main Street, it’s laying the foundation for everything else — jobs, housing, tax base, and pride,” Wilson said. “Millersburg is showing other small towns exactly how to do it.”
That confidence was echoed throughout the morning. With each handshake exchanged, it was clear that the project had come to represent a visible declaration that Millersburg is back on Main Street.
As the ceremony concluded, confetti filled the air and applause echoed across the square. Through the window, 404 Main stood tall — weathered but resolute — ready to begin again.“This is Millersburg’s story,” Smith said. “A story of second chances, partnerships, and perseverance. A story of Kentucky towns that refuse to fade away.”
To continue to follow along Millersburg’s continued restoration, please visit www.cvky.org/news
For partnership inquiries, please contact Brian Hutchinson: brian.hutchinson@cvky.org
Article by Madeline Diane. Photography by Abby Laub.
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