Architect Forrest French is the chairman of the Tappahannock Main Street Program, a grass roots organization with 30 volunteers committed to redeveloping as much of the historic area as possible.

"Things have been cooking," said French. "We are focusing on Prince Street right now. We're working on non profit status for the historic DAW Theater and the old Beale Church."

He said the program wants to persuade other groups to oversee the renovation the theater and the church, which they hope will be a community center.

"We'd like them to not be run by us," French said "We just want to initiate someone else to become the director and apply for the non profit status for each building."

French's committee is circulating a survey in the town asking residents to comment on what improvements they would like to see develop and how they would like to participate.

A second year VCU graduate student is helping with the project by writing her Urban and Regional Planning Master's thesis on the Main Street approach developed by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Laura Baker is using Tappahannock as a case study in her paper.

"She's really been making us work," said French, explaining that her need for information has spurred efforts to document town assets. French said that he hopes many residents will participate in the survey and revitalization efforts.

"We need as much cooperation as we can get," he said. "It is going to take all of us working together to make this happen."

Tappahannock joins Warsaw as both towns pursue revitalization projects for the downtown areas.

Kilmarnock completed a Main Street revitalization project in 2006 after five years of planning and grant applications and almost two years of construction. Planning for the Steptoe's District project started in 1999, according to Susan Cockrell, Kilmarnock's Director of Community Development.

"It takes awhile to accumulate funds," she said. "The money comes in waves."

Warsaw is in the middle of a preliminary study initiated last fall that is being conducted by Frazier Associates of Staunton. Tappahannock's effort has reached affiliate status with Virginia's Main Street Program, a division of VDHCD after two years of organization and planning.

Several towns in Tidewater have embraced the Main Street concepts and made considerable improvements, particularly Kilmarnock, Gloucester, and Urbanna.