The first lady of Texas Cecilia Abbott continued a decadeslong tradition by welcoming Buda to the Main Street program during a ceremony Tuesday morning in downtown Buda.

Like every wife of a Texas governor dating back to 1981, Abbott frequently travels to commencement ceremonies all over the state for newly designated Texas Main Street cities, as part of the first lady’s Main Street Tour. This time, it was Buda’s turn for a stop.

“It is clear that Buda knows the importance of a historic, yet vibrant downtown,” Abbott said. “All across Texas, from our busy urban centers to our treasured small towns, it is in our downtowns where the past, present and future meet and a sense of community grows.”

In October, Buda was named a 2017 official Texas Main Street City by the Texas Historical Commission, along with Linden, Texas. Buda is the 89th currently designated participant. In January, the city announced the hiring of its first Main Street manager, Maggie Gillespie, who previously worked with the Main Street program in San Marcos.

Main Street cities have access to resources from the THC, including help with design and historic preservation, planning, economic development, organizational management and training. Since the Texas Main Street Program began in 1981, nearly $3.4 billion has been reinvested into historic downtowns statewide.

“Main Street communities represent the best of what our state has to offer,” Abbott said.