Editing St. Helen, Michigan (section)

==History==
In the 1870s, [[lumber baron]] [[Henry Stephens (lumberman)|Henry Stephens]] established a large lumber operation at St. Helen, considered at the time to be among the largest and best equipped in the state. The mills were estimated to have produced more than {{convert|1|e9board feet|m3}} of lumber within a period of fourteen years. Most of the logs were moved by river, but lumber was also moved by rail.

The St. Helen Development Company was organized to sell land and promote development of the area, and over seven years sold {{convert|80,000|acre|km2}} of land and helped to build more than {{convert|30|mi|km}} of roads and over {{convert|80|mi|km}} of fencing.

St. Helen was named after the lake. It is believed that French [[voyageurs]] named it after Saint [[Helena of Constantinople]], mother of [[Emperor Constantine]].

The [[Detroit, Bay City and Alpena Railroad]] (later the [[Michigan Central]], then the [[Detroit and Mackinac Railway]] and presently the [[Lake State Railway Company]]) built a line through the area with a station at St. Helen.  [[M-76 (Michigan highway)|M-76]] passes through St. Helen and portions are still signed as "Old 76".