With few exceptions, all the buildings received facelifts and new paint jobs during the Main Street Program. This locally-funded project began in 1985, spearheaded by Patsy Zesch and Barbara Pluenneke, and brought a renewed sense of community pride to Mason. Local bankers set up a low-interest loan program for people who wanted to borrow the money, but most building owners paid cash for the work on their buildings. As one of the local bankers put it, "People in Mason like to paddle their own canoe."

That spirit of independence, tempered with a willingness to cooperate for the good of the community, goes far to explain the success of many community improvement projects Mason residents have engaged in over the years. Two examples are the local tennis complex, which attracts tournament entries from all the U.S., and the golf course at Ft. Mason Park. Both projects were totally funded by local contributions.