How Thorntown, Indiana Is Reviving Its Downtown Through Incremental, Homegrown Development
Writer / Shelby E. Farthing
The Enduring Value of Main Street
Main Streets have long been the heart of small-town Indiana. Yet, over the past several decades, many of these downtown corridors have fallen quiet, worn by economic shifts, suburban expansion, and the loss of locally owned businesses.
Across Indiana, a new generation of community leaders, entrepreneurs, and incremental developers are proving that Main Streets still matter. Thorntown, Indiana, illustrates this movement, blending historic preservation, entrepreneurship, and public art to renew its downtown.
Incremental Change and Local Vision
Thorntown’s story is one of steady, incremental progress. The current wave of redevelopment began when a longtime Boone County family purchased several historic properties along Main Street, including the Odd Fellows Building and neighboring storefronts at 110–112 W. Main Street.
The family approached the Thorntown Town Council to ask what the community needed most. The council’s requests were clear, new main street retail spaces, a coffee shop where people could gather, upper-level apartments on Main Street, and help addressing a nearby blighted property that risked demolition if left to decay.
Reclaiming Historic Spaces for Modern Living
The newly purchased and refurbished apartments breathe life into the historic character and charm. Exposed brick, vaulted ceilings, and Juliet balconies overlook Main Street. At 111 and 113 E. Main Street, two newly finished units now offer full laundry, office spaces, and open layouts. Additional apartments at 110 and 112 W. Main Street provide equally elegant spaces, and the ongoing restoration of the Odd Fellows Building will soon add four more two-story lofts with high ceilings, custom ironwork, and expansive views of either Main Street or a private garden next to the Thorntown Library. This update also includes a refreshed streetscape featuring trees, benches, and public art.
Entrepreneurship and Community at the Core
Revitalization has created new opportunities for entrepreneurship, providing space for three women-owned businesses to open their doors along Main Street. Welcome to the Country Antiques & Home Goods, owned by Thorntown native Peggy Beck, offers a mix of antiques and modern home goods in a space filled with history and heart. Sweet Linen, owned by another Thorntown native Stephany Jackson, curates classic apparel and refined home goods that elevate everyday living. Soon, Robin’z Nest, a 3,600-square-foot café owned by Boone County resident Robin Wornhoff, will open its doors as a cozy gathering place offering coffee, breakfast, and lunch, along with private meeting and event space.
Art as a Catalyst for Connection
Through a collaboration between the Town of Thorntown, the Boone County Economic Development Corporation (Boone EDC), the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), and local artist Anita Gordon of the Sugar Creek Art Center, three new murals now bring color and inspiration to Main Street.
Part of the statewide READI 1.0 initiative, the murals: “Welcome Home,” “So Glad You’re Here,” and “Dream Big”, combine message and place. “Welcome Home,” an abstract landscape, faces the library and Lions Park, greeting families and children alike. “Dream Big,” looks over the routes taken by local students each day. “So Glad You’re Here” welcomes everyone entering town from the east, a friendly reminder that Thorntown values every visitor and resident who passes through.
Looking Ahead: Lessons from Thorntown
Incremental urbanism allows communities to adapt, experiment, and grow organically, while maintaining authenticity and control. The heart of Thorntown beats along Main Street, where the past and present meet in brick, light, and color. Through the tenacity of local entrepreneurs, the vision of community-minded investors, and the creativity of local artists; Thorntown has reclaimed its commercial center and as a living, breathing symbol of small-town Indiana’s enduring spirit.
If you would like to learn more please reach out to hello@betterinboone.org.
