Cultivating connection through community.
St. Helens Main Street works across the full length of our district — from the wide boulevards and mid-century storefronts of uptown Houlton, down through the historic riverfront blocks of Old Town, and everywhere in between. This is Your Downtown. Not just one street, not just one era, but the entire corridor that has anchored St. Helens commerce, culture, and community identity for generations.
Our work starts with a simple question: What do you need, and how can we help? From there we connect business owners with national, statewide, and local resources — grants, technical assistance, peer networks, and hands-on support — to help them not just survive but grow.
“St. Helens has been worth staying for since 1850. We’re just finally saying it out loud.”
Why the whole corridor matters…
Photo Credit: Rick & Kris Stuber
Uptown Houlton and the riverfront district have different histories and different rhythms — but they share the same stakes. A vacancy on Columbia Boulevard matters just as much as one on First Street. A new business finding its footing in Houlton is a win for the same community that celebrates a packed patio down by the water.
When we say "Your Downtown," we mean all of it. The car culture and the cruising history. The working waterfront. The buildings that have held this community's story for over a century. A thriving Main Street corridor — the whole thing — means more local jobs, a stronger tax base, and a community that believes in itself. That's what we're here to protect and grow.