Ste. Genevieve - A Leisurely Stroll Through History

by Bill and Patti Naeger and Mark L. Evans

Five decades before France sold the Louisiana Territory to the young United States republic, Ste. Genevieve had already established its presence as an important Mississippi River town in the heart of the vast territory. The architectural legacy which the French left in the form of their unique vertical log structures has long established Ste. Genevieve, Missouri's significance as an important historical site. It would be nearly a century before a large influx of German immigrants would alter the face and personality of the quaint French village.

The outgrowth of the blending of these cultures is a community rich in traditions and alive with a vibrancy and resilience that even constant threats by a fickle Mississippi River cannot seem to squelch.

Presented in over 500 photographs and an engaging text, "Ste. Genevieve: A Leisurely Stroll Through History" is a cross-section of the many facets that make up this most interesting, photogenic and charming town.

History... pages 2-55

Begin your stroll here, through some of the highlights of Ste. Genevieve's past 250 years. Get to know Papa Vallè as he and his family made the transition from French to Spanish rule, then back to French before finally becoming Americans with the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. Meet some of the town's famed 19th century characters such as John James Audubon and the renowned Senator Lewis Linn. Join Mayor Harry Petrequin and President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Ste. Genevieve's 1935 Bicentennial celebration. Finally, share the challenges that this historic mid-western town must face as it strives to blend it's two centuries of history into the modern age of the new millenium.

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Architecture pages 56 - 131

Trace the architectural styles that give Ste. Genevieve its unique face. The rich legacy that the French left behind in their vertical log structures makes Ste. Genevieve uniquely significant in North American architecture. A number of structures remain standing which are representative of the Anglo-American period of the early 1800's. The German influx of the mid-1800's left its mark in a great many brick German vernacular and commercial structures which remain in daily use today. Not only museum houses, but structures in which people of Ste. Genevieve live and work today, the town's architecture-one of its greatest assets-remains preserved and vibrant through two centuries.

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Mississippi floods... pages 132 - 159

From it's earliest history, the face of Ste. Genevieve has been influenced by the ever-present beck and call of the Mississippi River. Perhaps the most dramatic example of this was the gradual exodus in the late 1780's from the old town site in the river bottomland to the present location. Today the town continues to wrestle with the whims of the River. Join the town in its flood battle of 1993. The promise and completion of a federal levee has given this flood-weary community a new sense of hope and security.

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Ste. Genevieve Live... pages 160 - 219

What every "outsider" should know to integrate into this tradition-rich community. From its food, to its music, to its lingo-discover the joie de vivre that the French passed onto the Germans and which remains alive today. Finally, end your stroll with a walk through the seasons.

to top | Section 1 - History | Section 2 - Architecture | Section 3 - Floods | Contact Info