Dedicated to supporting the past, present and future of the community
By Katelynn Henry
Hanover’s history dates all the way back to the 1730s; the town was officially founded in 1763. Over the years, the town experienced the American Revolutionary War, the Civil War and a transformation into an industrial powerhouse in the 20th century. Today, the Hanover community continues to flourish, embracing its future while honoring its past.
Launched in January 2013, Main Street Hanover set out to expand downtown Hanover’s economic capacity and, in turn, improve the overall quality of the local community. Offering free marketing and events to drive foot traffic to downtown businesses are some of the ways it accomplishes this goal. Main Street Hanover also supports those businesses by providing resources, such as educational workshops and networking opportunities. “We don’t have a membership program,” says Moriah Tyler, executive director of Main Street Hanover. “If you’re in the downtown map, you automatically get our services.” The organization also works closely with the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce to support businesses outside the downtown area.
The small but mighty two-person staff of Main Street Hanover, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 2018, understands the hardships of running a small business and enjoys being able to support their growth. A favorite part of Moriah’s day is walking around downtown and talking to business owners, building relationships and forming partnerships. “It really is dream-job level,” she says.
The organization works hard toward its goal by implementing various community programs, such as 2nd Saturday, a themed monthly event designed to drive foot traffic to small businesses. “When you drive through downtown, you think there isn’t much to do,” says Moriah. “But when you walk through, you realize how much there is to offer.”
To help locals and visitors discover the wonders of Hanover, the organization created a color-coordinated map of downtown and its businesses (see above). Another program, the Heart of Hanover Trails, leans on Hanover’s deep history to draw in folks as they explore the downtown area. Main Street Hanover’s other major programs focus on creating a better environment, remembering Hanover’s history and bringing together the community. “Downtown is at the heart of Hanover,” says Moriah. “Anything that is going on in the heart will expand outwards.” Its beautification program prioritizes keeping the environment clean and well-maintained. Hometown Heroes allows people to show appreciation to locals who have served in the armed forces. Christmas in Hanover brings holiday cheer to the entire community, with an estimated 2,700 children visiting Santa at the Christmas cabin in 2024.
In June, Main Street Hanover was designated as an Accredited Main Street America program. This accomplishment reflects its 2024 achievements, with 18 new businesses opening in downtown, sold-out community events and nearly 550 volunteer hours tracked. The title helps support future projects through valuable resources and helps the organization stand out when applying for grants.
“It shows that we are doing serious things and doing them well,” says Moriah.
Looking to the future, Main Street Hanover hopes to secure more internal sustainability. In August, it was awarded a Google Ad Grant to help support this goal with free web ads designed to drive visitors to the Main Street Hanover website. The organization has already seen more website traffic because of the grant and aims to turn those online visitors into regular downtown Hanover visitors. To ensure that Main Street Hanover continues to support the needs of the town’s businesses and residents, the staff is working on creating a five-year plan based on community input. “We don’t want to assume what people want,” Moriah says. “We want to hear their goals and build our plan off that directly.”
Main Street Hanover
Visit mainstreethanover.org to learn how you can support its mission through donations, sponsorship opportunities and volunteering. And stay up to date on downtown Hanover news and events by subscribing to Main Street Hanover’s newsletter.
40 York St., Hanover
717-637-6130
