Cathedral of St. Helena roof restoration continues this summer

Scaffolding will keep the Cathedral of St. Helena in view this summer as Durable Restoration Company returns for another phase of roof work on one of Helena’s most recognizable landmarks. The new effort follows restoration work completed between 2023 and 2025 that cost about $4.5 million, and officials expect the latest round of roof renovation to run through the summer and finish in the fall.

The work matters well beyond the parish. The cathedral towers over downtown Helena, and any exterior construction is hard to miss for residents, visitors and people working nearby in Lewis and Clark County. The bells also went quiet during the earlier phase, a reminder that the building’s preservation affects the daily life and soundscape of the city, not just the church itself.

The current project is part of a longer preservation campaign aimed at keeping the historic structure sound after windstorm damage displaced clay tiles on the southern steeple and exposed problems in the wooden structure beneath. Durable Restoration spent two years working on the spires with period-accurate building materials and techniques, and the work has been guided by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation and National Park Service Preservation Briefs.

Built between 1908 and 1914, the Cathedral of St. Helena has been a defining feature of the city for more than a century. The spires rise about 230 feet, making even routine upkeep a major construction project. The cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, underscoring its place not only in Catholic life but in Helena’s architectural history.

The restoration has also carried financial weight. Earlier fundraising tied the cathedral project to a $30 million Catholic campaign launched by the Helena Diocese Foundation, showing how much institutional support has been required to keep the landmark in good condition. That investment reflects a broader reality for historic buildings of this scale: preservation is not a one-time repair, but an ongoing obligation if Helena wants the cathedral to remain structurally sound and visually dominant for the next generation.