Nestled in Northern Illinois along Route 72, just 20 minutes from NIU, is the small town of Genoa.

Although the town of 4,200 is growing, its charm isn’t changing thanks to the Main Street Program.

The Illinois Main Street Program began in 1993 through the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. The goal of the program is to revitalize the downtown area while keeping the historic value.

It also gives assistance with organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring. However, the state has discontinued the program because of budget constraints.

Accepted to the program in 1996, Genoa declared all the buildings in its downtown area as a historic district. This means the owners can’t tear down the buildings or allow strip malls to move into the area.

Program manager Susan Golden Jursich is glad that Genoa is able to keep its historic buildings.

“We’ve kept a small-town feel,” Jursich said. “There’s friendliness and caring among our neighbors.”

The town received its present name from a man named Thomas Madison who lived in Genoa, New York. Before becoming Genoa, though, the town was known as Wooster Precinct. By 1835, Genoa replaced Wooster Precinct.

Genoa served as a stopping point for people traveling from Chicago to the mining town of Galena. Travelers would stop and rest at the Stagecoach Inn, also called the Pacific House Hotel. The building dates back to 1843 and still stands today, but is used for offices.

“It’s very unusual to find that old of buildings in Illinois,” Jursich said.

Genoa offers unique shops that Jursich thinks many would enjoy. There are many gift stores in the town, including a candy shop.

JoAnn Watson, president of the Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Society and a resident of Genoa since 1964, runs the town museum. The museum houses local artifacts from long-term families and merchants.

“We’ve worked hard to keep the small-town charm and atmosphere,” Watson said. “People from big cities might think this is a boring town, but this is what we like, there’s less traffic.”

The museum is open from 2 to 4 p.m. on the second Sunday each month. During the summer, it’s open from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

For more information, call Watson at 784-5498 or visit www.genoa-il.com/mainstre/maincont.html.