avasquez@vicksburgpost.com

After 25 years’ involvement in the Vicksburg Main Street Program, Harry Sharp has received the Mississippi Main Street Association’s Spirit of Main Street Award.

Sharp, who has chaired the local program for 12 years, was unsuspecting when his name was announced at the MMSA’s Blues Reception and Annual Awards Luncheon in Jackson June 25.

“They flashed my name up and I just sat there in disbelief … I was quite surprised,” Sharp said. “I was very pleased and humbled to have received that award.”

The Spirit of Main Street is given for “display(ing) an involved commitment to the downtown,” said Jeannie Waller, MMSA’s director of communications.

“With his general leadership in the community and, specifically, how he’s served Vicksburg Main Street and just continues to support and to grow that program, it sets Vicksburg apart from other (Main Street) programs (in the state),” Waller said. “He has just been exemplary in his efforts with that program and an example to everyone in the state.”

The owner of The Duff Green Mansion and several other properties around Vicksburg, Sharp has been involved in Main Street since it began in 1984, giving him the longest tenure of anyone in the 56 programs across the state, Waller said.

Vicksburg Main Street promotes the downtown area by hosting events and advertising for businesses in the downtown taxing district.

Kim Hopkins, director of Vicksburg Main Street, nominated Sharp for the award “because of his dedication to Main Street and downtown and all his years of service.”

Sharp said much of his work with Main Street has been toward attracting Vicksburg residents to live downtown.

“The more people who live downtown, the more businesses will thrive,” he said. “We need to find a nice mix between business and residents, and I think we’ve worked very hard to do that.”

After more than a decade as chairman of Vicksburg Main Street, Sharp said it may soon be time to step down. But, before he does, he has a goal for the program: to expand Main Street up Clay Street to Interstate 20 and down Washington Street to the Mississippi River bridges.

“It’s been such a hard challenge to try to turn downtown around that receiving this award was very gratifying because it’s just been a lot of hard work with very little personal gain. I was working very hard for the whole community,” Sharp said. “We just need to grow this city so there are more opportunities for everyone.”