News
Fishing For Business
Main Street Cordell, Inc. has been fishing
for local businesses and/or local entrepreneurs that want to start
or expand a business. The Cordell community can be assured that they
caught a nice business during its expansion mode. Two local business
people, Connie and Dennis Slaughterback, are getting ready to expand
their local home-based business and move to downtown
 Cordell. The Slaughterback's have been manufacturing "The Lead Babies Slabs"
fishing lures since 1999 and their expansion project will add the
manufacture and sale of soft artificial baits and crank baits to
their existing slab line. Connie stated "We want to thank Main
Street Cordell Economic Restructuring Committee for their assistance
in developing a financial package, securing job training assistance,
transporting us to the Department of Commerce and the Oklahoma
Manufacturing Alliance and notifying us of other state incentives."
Cordell Illusion Lures and Lead Babies Slabs will soon have a retail
store on Main Street. The Slaughterback Heating and Air Building
will be remodeled to include fishing lures sales. Manufacturing of
lures will be located in the back of this building. Assisting new
and existing businesses is only a part of the job assignment of Main
Street Cordell, Inc., which has been nationally recognized for their
forward thinking and plan implementation.
Community Youth
Leadership Program News
 In January the Cordell Main Street Program
and the Washita County OSU Extension Center partnered to begin a new
Jr. Main Street Program (CYLP-Community Youth Leadership Program).
The new group of 21 Jr. High students were chosen by essay
competition. These students have monthly meetings to learn
leadership and life skills. The group has studied table manners,
personality characteristics in the workplace and good communication
skills. Guest speakers have included representative Ryan McMullen,
Mayor Alex Damon and former Mayor, Phil Kliewer. The CYLP was given
a tour of Bob Koehn's building to see a good example of a successful
downtown business in a Main Street renovation project. The students
have visited Representative McMullen at the capital building in
Oklahoma City. The group will be asked to volunteer time to the
community and continue to meet the leaders, past and present, in
Cordell.
$5,000,000 Private
Reinvestment
An award was presented to Mayor Alex Damon
at the city council meeting on June 20, 2005, by Jim Watters of the
Oklahoma Main Street Center. The award recognized Cordell for
surpassing $5,000,000 in private reinvestment in the historic
downtown buildings since the inception of the Main Street program in
Cordell in 1993. Main Street communities are recognized for the
first one million dollars of reinvestment and each five million
dollar mark thereafter.
Annual Events
Festival of Lights
The Light Brigade/ Festival of Lights is the
annual, premier Christmas festival for the Cordell Main Street
Program. The festival will be held on the weekend of Thanksgiving.
 The
buildings in the historic downtown are framed with white lights and
the Washita County Courthouse and lawn come alive with festive
lighted figures. This year's festival will include a full day of
festivities. Regional artists will have their creations ready for
you to purchase for Christmas at the first Festival of Lights Art
Show. Retailers will remain open for shopping around the square. You
may take a ride in a horse drawn carriage and have your picture
taken with Santa. When the sun goes down the Parade of Lights will
begin! All entries in the parade are required to be lighted which
makes for a wonderful, colorful parade! This is a great opportunity
to purchase gifts of original, unique artwork while enjoying our
historic downtown. Bring your friends and family and celebrate the
Spirit of Christmas on Cordell Main Street.
Annual Pumpkin Festival
 The
Cordell Chamber of Commerce hosts the third largest one-day event in
the state, the Annual Pumpkin Festival. Every October the community
joins together for a hearty pumpkin breakfast followed by games,
crafts and a parade. This year there will be a free concert
annual Classic Car Show, Largest Pumpkin and pumpkin baking
contests, High School Band Concert and Costume Pet Parade. The
Cordell Pumpkin Festival is rated the #3 one-day festival in the
state of Oklahoma.
Washita County Free Fair
Mid August each year
Chamber of
Commerce Calendar
Cordell Chamber of Commerce
1-888-CORDELL |
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