History
For decades Downtown Dixon served as a commercial center for the community of Dixon and the surrounding agricultural areas. Shortly after the turn of the century, a number of substantial buildings were raised that housed primarily financial services, retail businesses, restaurants, entertainment and other fraternal uses such as the Masons. The railroad being located adjacent to the downtown provided transportation to larger markets in the east and west. Downtown thrived. As Dixon grew up, so did many of the surrounding areas. Competition from other communities, malls and regional strip centers hurt the viability of Downtown Dixon. As with many downtown areas across the country, Dixon hit hard times. The decline of Downtown Dixon has not gone unnoticed. In 1995, the City of Dixon commissioned a study by the RMM Group with the outcome resulting in a Downtown Revitalization Plan. In this plan RMM states,