Sainte Genevieve, Missouri

The City of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri is located in Sainte Genevieve County, about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Downtown St. Louis via Interstate 55. Important roads for the community are State Highway 32, US Highway 61, Ste. Genevieve Drive, Center Drive, Market Street, 3rd Street, Main Street, Merchant Street and others.

Sainte Genevieve History

The City of Sainte Genevieve was officially incorporated in 1805 but was founded much earlier. French settlers came to the area from the French controlled Illinois Country sometime between 1722 and the 1740's. The year that Sainte Genevieve is generally believed to have been established is 1735. What drew the French to the area was the rich farm land along both sides of the Mississippi River. On the east bank was the French settlements of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Prairie du Rocher and the French fortification, Fort de Chartres. The original location for Sainte Genevieve was in that rich farm land right along the Mississippi River, but it was also in the flood plain of the Mississippi. Inevitably, the town was completely flooded in the Great Flood of 1785 and had to moved to its present location, about two miles north and about a half mile inland from its original location.

Sainte Genevieve Historic Landmarks

Much of Sainte Genevieve is in a National Landmark Historic District and on the National Register of Historic Places. Three of the five French Creole homes with the poteaux-en-terre (vertical "posts-in-the-ground") style of architecture that still can be found in the entire United States are located in Sainte Genevieve. Those homes are the Bequette-Ribault House, built 1808; the Bauvais-Amoureux House, built 1792; and the Vital Ste. Gemme Beauvais House, built 1786. Many other buildings and homes are historic as well, including the Louis Bolduc House, built in 1770 and the Felix Valle House Historic Site, built in 1818.

Sainte Genevieve Annual Events and Festivals

Several annual events and festivals are held throughout the year in Sainte Genevieve. Some of those events are the French Festival that features music, dancing, French cuisine, wine tasting and historical re-enactments and is held in June; the Jour de Fete, the area's largest craft fair with food and entertainment that is held in August and the 250 year old French New Year's Eve tradition of "La Guiannee" where revelers go from place to place in the city dressed in costume and singing for favors on December 31st.

Sainte Genevieve, Missouri Address and Phone Numbers

Sainte Genevieve Missouri City Hall
165 S. 4th Street
Sainte Genevieve, MO 63670
573-883-5400

Sainte Genevieve Missouri Related Links:

City of Sainte Genevieve Missouri Website, Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve Website, Visit Sainte Genevieve Website

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