Recent History and Main Street Murfreesboro

After urban renewal in the mid-20th century uprooted Murfreesboro’s downtown landscape, the square endured a period of stagnation. Disinvestment in the Square as Murfreesboro’s cultural anchor culminated in the destruction of the landmark Polk Hotel in 1977. In December of 1984, Murfreesboro was awarded a Main Street grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center, which began a revitalization movement centered around the city’s downtown. Murfreesboro’s Public Square revived and today, the Murfreesboro Public Square is the site of several successful Main Street Murfreesboro programs, including the Community Farmers Market, Taste of Rutherford, and Murfreesboro’s annual Jazz Fest. Local investment in the square and Murfreesboro’s downtown has filled the square with restaurants, nightlife, and unique events like Boro Fondo, a two-day arts and bicycle festival held every spring.