Wallowa revitalized with Main Street help

Published 8:00 pm Saturday, October 24, 2026

WALLOWA — More than a dozen people gathered early Oct. 16 to see what the Wallowa Main Street program can do to benefit the city.

Wallowa has about 900 residents — not counting those on the outskirts of town — but it serves as the gateway to Wallowa County along state Highway 82.

Ami Keiffer, of Main Street Oregon, and Jenny Hawkins, the Wallowa Main Street coordinator, were on hand to lead a walking tour of downtown to point out some of the accomplishments achieved under the Main Street program.

“It’s a way to get people to care about their downtowns,” Keiffer said of the 20-year-old program.

She said the program has participants all over the state.

“People are really into helping each other out,” she said.

That was evident the summer of 2022 when, in August, a serious hailstorm pummeled the town, destroying roofs, siding, building windows, car windows and much else in and around Wallowa. Power was knocked out and generators were brought from Enterprise until utility companies could restore the power. Lumber companies from around the county and neighboring areas brought plywood to cover shattered windows. The state government acted quickly to provide some $2 million in disaster aid for the city.

One of the chief organizations coming to Wallowa’s post-hailstorm aid was the Blue Mountain Long-Term Recovery Group, which estimated the storm had caused about $7 million in damage. That group was the recipient and disburser of most of the aid money.

But the Main Street program came through, too. Hawkins said the town has a real need for downtown revitalization work.

City Councilor Scott McCrae, who was among those present Oct. 16, said the hailstorm prompted the city to look for funding sources.

“We started really moving forward after the August 2022 hailstorm,” he said. “We needed the Main Street program to get grants.”

The organizational work of the Main Street program also was vital to know what grants were available.

“The fund to have things coordinated was absolutely critical,” he said. “We have to work with what we have. … We’ve got to follow the money.”

Hawkins agreed, but said Wallowa needs to work to make sure the public is aware of what’s available there.

“We have a wonderful Fourth of July parade, but after it’s over, the downtown’s empty,” she said.

It’s like most of those attending the parade don’t realize there are businesses open along the parade route on Main Street.

But, she said, because “we’re a Main Street community, we’re eligible to apply for revitalization grants.”

But, she said, because we’re a Main Street community, we’re eligible to apply for revitalization grants. The town had success in 2025. The actual amount awarded to all Wallowa building owners was $381,240. The portion specifically allocated for the Wallowa Legion Hall interior was $160,000

Businesses that had reach outside the community were able to help. For example, Columbia Bank invited businesses to apply for a revitalization grant $10,000 award that was divided between multiple businesses.

Projects included:

• Upgrading the unused second floor of the Nez Perce Homeland Visitor Center, which was to enable pop-up markets, events and cultural programming.

• The Wallowa Community American Legion Hall was to be fully rehabilitated into an accessible gathering space and emergency resilience hub.

• The Wallowa Public Library was to gain a safe, functional basement space for programs and job-seeker resources.

• The Lending Heart Community Resources project was to receive a much-needed HVAC upgrade to for counseling and medical equipment programs continued use.

• The Wallowa History Center was to complete its final restoration phase of the historic Bear-Sleds Ranger Station complex with porch and exterior upgrades.

• The Wallowa Creamery project was to replace siding and the roof, moving toward use as a downtown event venue.

• The Wallowa Community ReStore and Farmers Market project was to restore windows and repaint the building to contribute to the overall beautification of Main Street.

In Wallowa, usable spaces and facades received $381,240. Projects in Enterprise received $385,001 and Joseph received $335,435.

The Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant program provided the funds through Oregon Heritage, a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. State lottery bonds fund for the grant program, which supports preservation-based community revitalization efforts in designated Main Street communities across Oregon.

This story was changed to correct some errors in grant amounts.