Mission Hill Main Streets

A Brief History

In 1977 the National Trust for Historic Preservation, worried by threats to  historic commercial architecture on Main Streets in towns across the country, launched a pilot program - the Main Street Project - to develop a  revitalization strategy that would stimulate economic development in traditional commercial districts.

Building on the success of this pilot program, the National Trust created the National Main Street Center in 1980 to help communities throughout the nation conserve their historic commercial buildings. In 1985, the program was adapted to the needs of urban neighborhoods.  Today, the Main Streets program is at work in hundreds of cities and towns of all sizes (approximately 1,600 nationally!), helping communities find new economic options for their historic and traditional commercial buildings.

The City of Boston joined Main Streets as one of the first urban projects, and now sponsors 19 Main Streets districts. One of them is Mission Hill.

Designated a Main Street program in 1997, the Mission Hill incorporates Tremont Street from Roxbury Crossing to Brigham Circle and Huntington Avenue from Longwood Avenue to South Huntington Avenue. It includes the blocks of Parker Street on either side of Tremont Street as well as Terrace Street.

Mission Hill Main Streets (MHMS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a board of directors composed of local residents, business owners, and representatives form community groups, agencies and employers.

Mission Hill Main Streets is a local, grassroots effort of businesses, organizations, institutions, and residents. Our diversity is our strength. We strive to promote, preserve, and revitalize the Mission Hill neighborhood. We work together to retain and expand area businesses, improve business facades and the streetscape, and promote the business district. Our goal is to ensure that Mission Hill will continue to be an enjoyable community in which to live, work, visit, dine, and shop.

MHMS follows the Four Point Approcah developed by the National Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic Preservation: Promotions, Design, Economic Restructuring, and Organization. Each point is the focus of a working committee, chaired by a member of the Board of Directors. Committee members need not be board members; all are welcome!