Main Street Hanover Celebrates Over a Decade of Service from Board Chair Mindy Crawford

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Hanover, PA — As Main Street Hanover prepares to welcome new leadership to its Board of Directors this fall, the organization is taking a moment to recognize one of its many dedicated volunteers: Mindy Crawford, who has served Main Street Hanover in various volunteer capacities since 2015, including as Board Chairperson.
Crawford’s term as Board Chairperson concludes in September 2026, marking an opportunity for Main Street Hanover to reflect on her nearly 12 years of involvement with the organization and the lasting impact of her service.
Recently, Main Street Hanover Marketing & Administrative Coordinator Alex Brown sat down with Crawford to talk about her experience volunteering with the organization, her connection to downtown revitalization, and what she hopes to see for Main Street Hanover’s future.
For Crawford, working alongside Main Street organizations has been a natural extension of her professional career in historic preservation.
“I’ve worked at both Historic York and Preservation Pennsylvania,” Crawford explained. “It was through this that Downtown Inc. in York came to be. From then on, I kind of automatically became a board member. So, I’ve been working alongside Main Streets for my entire career.”
Crawford first became involved with Main Street Hanover in June 2015, initially joining the organization as a guest speaker before being invited to officially serve as a volunteer and board member.
Her professional interests in history, preservation and community development have naturally overlapped with her volunteer work.
“It’s always a challenge, all my interests overlap,” she said. “History and community. It finds a way of all coming together through all the different things that I do.”
Over the years, Crawford has been involved in many aspects of Main Street Hanover’s work, but one of her favorite memories extends beyond her board service. She was invited to participate in Hanover’s Christmas Committee, something she had specifically hoped to become involved with.
Within Main Street Hanover, however, Crawford points to a particularly important moment: helping hire Executive Director Moriah Tyler.
“Seeing how she’s really taken Main Street and made it into a flourishing organization has been wonderful to see,” Crawford said. “I mean we’ve changed so much in just two years.”
That growth has also changed Crawford’s own relationship with downtown Hanover.
“Last year I did almost all of my Christmas shopping in Downtown, isn’t that crazy?” she said with a laugh.
When asked what makes an effective volunteer, Crawford emphasized that volunteering requires commitment and initiative.
“Once you say yes, you must give it the time,” she said. “You must be ready and willing for everything; you can’t expect to be spoon-fed.”
That philosophy has characterized Crawford’s own service to Main Street Hanover. Her willingness to share her expertise, ask questions, participate in discussions and invest her time has made her an invaluable member of the organization.
And while her term as Board Chairperson is coming to an end, Crawford remains enthusiastic about what lies ahead.
“I’m just genuinely excited about the future of Main Street Hanover,” she said.
A Career Built on Preservation and Community
Crawford’s commitment to historic preservation and community revitalization extends well beyond Main Street Hanover. What began as a part-time job typing National Register nominations in 1982 developed into a decades-long career in historic preservation.
She has served as Executive Director of Preservation Pennsylvania since 2006, following 24 years with Historic York, Inc., including 20 years as its Executive Director. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from York College and a master’s degree in historic preservation from Goucher College.
In addition to her professional work, Crawford teaches nonprofit management in Goucher College’s Master of Historic Preservation program and lectures nationally on 19th-century history. She is also developing a historic and architectural walking tour of her hometown of Hanover.
Crawford serves on the boards of several history and preservation organizations, including the National Preservation Partners Network, Pennsylvania Historical Association, Pennsylvania Chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association, Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Authority, Main Street Hanover and Hanover Economic Development Corporation.
Outside of work and volunteering, Crawford enjoys exploring the Lincoln Highway and other historic roads in search of roadside architecture and the perfect souvenir snow globe. She also participates in Civil War dancing and living history events with her husband, Rodney.
Crawford is also the author of Historic Pennsylvania: A Tour of the State’s Top 100 National Landmarks, a guide highlighting some of Pennsylvania’s most significant and publicly accessible National Historic Landmarks.
Main Street Hanover is grateful for Crawford’s years of leadership, expertise and service and looks forward to continuing to build on the strong foundation created through the dedication of volunteers like her.
“I’m just genuinely excited about the future of Main Street Hanover.” — Mindy Crawford
About Preservation Pennsylvania
Preservation Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth’s only independent, statewide nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting historically and architecturally significant places. Founded in 1982, the organization advances historic preservation through grassroots and legislative advocacy, technical assistance, educational programs, and partnerships with communities, government agencies, and local heritage organizations.
Through its work, Preservation Pennsylvania helps communities protect cultural resources, encourage economic development, strengthen community identity, and improve quality of life. The organization also hosts the annual Statewide Conference on Heritage and Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards and publishes Pennsylvania At Risk, highlighting endangered historic properties. Its preservation advocacy, including efforts to secure historic tax credits, plays an important role in safeguarding Pennsylvania’s architectural and cultural heritage for future generations.

About Main Street Hanover

The mission of Main Street Hanover is to expand the economic capacity of downtown Hanover, thus improving the business environment, enhancing the quality of place, and increasing community synergy.

 

Main Street Hanover is a 501c3 non-profit & proceeds benefit the revitalization of Downtown Hanover.

Main Street Hanover Celebrates Over a Decade of Service from Board Chair Mindy Crawford