Who We Are

Baker City Downtown is a local, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve and enhance the vitality and character of our community through the beautification, promotion, and development of downtown Baker City.

Our organization is recognized at the Designated level state-wide by Oregon Main Street which utilize the 4-Point Main Street Approach nationally by Main Street America. Through partnerships, engagement with the community, and three dedicated committees, we bring goals to life that follow this approach and support the economic future of our city and county.

    1. Third Thursday - Every month from March-December, we sip, stroll, shop, and support our downtown businesses and local charities with a refillable wine glass and map in our hands! All the proceeds go towards supporting community organizations like BCD, CASA of Eastern Oregon, Soroptimists of Baker County, and so many more.

    2. Taste of Baker - The first Saturday of October, we gather on downtown streets to try sample-sized food and drinks from local county-wide makers.

    3. Festival of Trees - BCD formally took stewardship of the event with the blessing of the Saint Alphonsus Foundation (the former event host) in 2023. We reimagined and restored the event back to its multi-day structure. The proceeds now support BCD’s Community Grant fund, which benefitted 16 different local projects and organizations throughout Baker County in 2025.

    4. Cookie Crawl - The first Saturday of December, we fill our boxes with cookies from downtown businesses and afterward, enjoy the annual Twilight Jubilee (holiday parade and tree lighting) organized by the Baker County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

    5. The window displays for 1A basketball tournaments, the East vs. West Shrine-Bowl player window displays, and Baker Bulldog Graduate Windows.

    6. Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant (OMSRG), Diamonds in the Rough facade grant, and Preserving Oregon awards. Learn more here.

  • We have secured nearly two million dollars in grant funding for historic preservation, building façade restoration, and community development projects. Examples of our work include:

    • Rebuilding the collapsed Crabill Building (1916 Main St.)

    • Repairing the failed structural supports and second story skylights in the Haskell Building (1908 Main St.)

    • Revitalizing the Orpheum Theater project (1821 Main St.) through structural improvements.

    • Restoring the original windows and doors on the Mason’s Building (2193 Main St.)

    • Renovating the final space in the Pythian Castle (2001 Washington Ave) and adding an ADA lift to provide access to the ballroom on the second floor.

    • Reimagining Central Park to include a Splash Pad water feature in partnership with the Baker City Lions Club.

    • Replacing the failed original plumbing in the Mason’s Building (2193 Main St.) to protect the building from further water damage.

    • Restoring the first two bays’ facades of the Pantatorium building (1923-1933 Court Ave) to match the rest of the building.

    • Reviving the Court Plaza revitalization project to bring the project to fruition.

    In 2025, we won a $400,000 Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant for the Baker Loan & Trust building (2043 Main) to install an elevator serving all three floors and reimagining the upper floor into long-term residences. This project is currently ongoing, bringing accessibility and vitality to one of the core blocks in our downtown!

    • An annual community clean-up

    • Main Street flower Baskets

    • Fall corn stalks

    • Downtown murals

    • Refreshed and maintained banners

    • Court Plaza development

  • Download a list of our 2025 Committee opportunities, Volunteer opportunities, and Sponsorship opportunities here. Reach out to bakercitydowntown@gmail.com for more information.

Baker City Downtown believes Downtowns are for Everyone. At the core of our approach to revitalization is a commitment to creating places of shared prosperity, equal access to opportunity, and inclusive engagement. Following the example of Main Street America, Baker City Downtown is continually striving to exemplify and champion this vision through our actions and programs.

Transparency

Baker City Downtown is committed to transparency. We understand that trust is built through credibility, accountability, and integrity. We regularly review our core organizational documents and ensure we are up-to-date on all taxes and filings. Further, we have made them available to the public for review.

  • Bylaws govern how our organization operates internally. Our most up-to-date bylaws were reviewed and adopted on April 22, 2024. They may be downloaded here.

  • Policies and procedures detail all the activities of our organization under the guidance of the bylaws. Our most up-to-date policies and procedures were reviewed and adopted on April 22, 2024. They may be downloaded here.

  • Annual reports provide an overview of the previous year’s program activities, financial position, and lists of board members and supporters. Our most up-to-date annual report may be downloaded here.

  • IRS Form 990 informational tax returns provide an overview of our organization’s tax exempt status. Our most up-to-date IRS From 990 may be downloaded here.