Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

Sainte Genevieve (usually abbreviated as Ste. Genevieve or sometimes Ste. Gen) is the oldest permanent settlement in the state of Missouri, as well as the county seat and largest city of Ste. Genevieve County. It had a population of 4,410 at the 2010 census.

The city was founded in the mid-18th century by French colonists from modern-day Illinois, who named it for Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, France. Much of the colonial-era community has been preserved, and the city is today part of the National Register of Historic Places.

History[edit]

Prior to European settlement, the Ste. Genevieve area was occupied by members of the Mississippian culture, then later was understood as belonging to the Osage nation; however, no permanent native settlements appear to have existed there after about AD 1500.

This portion of the Mississippi Valley was first explored by a French expedition under Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673; subsequently, a series of trading posts and Catholic missions were established in the early 18th century along the east bank of the Mississippi in the so-called "Illinois Country," including Kaskaskia, Prairie du Rocher, and Fort de Chartres. This region became heavily settled with French-Canadian colonists, to the point that some began pushing west of the Mississippi in search of virgin land to farm. These pioneers founded the village of Ste. Genevieve on the narrow alluvial plain just southwest of the river, a couple miles from its current site. When exactly they did this is a matter of some debate, as few of the early records remain. The traditional date of settlement has been given as 1735, but some historians have argued it could not have happened much earlier than 1750.^[1] Conversely, others point to legal documents and archaeological evidence indicating a settlement no later than 1732.^[2] Whatever the exact date, Ste. Genevieve is definitely older than any other European settlement in what became the state of Missouri.

The new village grew rapidly, especially after the conclusion of the French and Indian War in 1763, when the territory east of the Mississippi passed to Great Britain and many French settlers moved west to avoid British rule. A number of them became prominent in the fur trade with the natives, as well as in the lead-mining operations in the St. Francois Mountains to the west. These included Louis Bolduc, Francois and Jean Baptiste Valle, John Pratte, and others. On account of their activities, Ste. Genevieve soon became a large and prosperous community. During the late 18th century it was a more significant trading center than the new settlement of St. Louis farther north, with a population approaching 1,000.^[3] There were several setbacks toward the end of the century: severe floods in 1784 and 1785 inundated the village, destroying much property and resulting in its relocation to higher ground to the northwest, about two miles from the river. Additionally, during the 1780s and '90s there were tense relations with the Osage, who periodically raided the area, resulting in some deaths, until the colonial government established more peaceful ties. Neither of these events seriously disrupted the economic activity of the town, which continued into the early 19th century.

At the time of the Louisiana Purchase, when the territory passed to American control, the population of Ste. Genevieve was reckoned by some at upwards of two thousand. Though some American settlers had begun to arrive, it was culturally very much a French community, with local customs and styles of clothing and architecture very similar to those of their ancestors, both in France and in Canada. Most visitors remarked upon its considerable wealth and business activity, as well as the inhabitants' hospitality and simple living. In the following years, St. Louis gradually overtook Ste. Genevieve as a center of trade, but it remained important as a shipping point for the products of the lead mines, and later for the deposits of iron ore discovered in the same region. The city's relative decline only began with the completion of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad in 1858, which reoriented the mining business toward St. Louis. Afterward, Ste. Genevieve settled into a quiet country town, with Americans and Germans becoming the more dominant ethnicities.

Ste. Genevieve has always sought to preserve aspects of its past. Many of the colonial buildings in town have been very well-preserved or restored, even those from the 18th century, and a number of the old French customs are still celebrated. A very public and festive celebration of the city's 150th anniversary was held in 1885, led by descendants of some of the original settlers, and in 1959, most of the central district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, tourism associated with Missouri's past forms an important part of Ste. Genevieve's continued livelihood.

Geography[edit]

Ste. Genevieve is located in northeastern Ste. Genevieve County near the Mississippi River, though most of the city lies a short distance inland from the river. Bloomsdale lies about ten miles to the northwest, and St. Mary is about nine miles to the southeast; the city of St. Louis is approximately 46 miles north-northwest of Ste. Genevieve. Its exact coordinates are 37°58’37”N 90°02’55”W.

The original site of the community was entirely upon the "Bois Brule" floodplain directly adjoining the Mississippi, and the early settlers used this land for many years as a common field; after the severe river floods of 1784-85, however, the town was moved further back, and most of it now sits on elevated ground overlooking the river and the bottomland. It has a total area of 4.11 square miles, and an average elevation of 560 feet.^[4]

The major highways in the city are U.S. Route 61, which runs from northwest to southeast and connects Ste. Genevieve to Bloomsdale and St. Mary, and Missouri State Highway 32, which has its eastern terminus in the city and connects it to Farmington and other cities to the west. Directly to the north, a ferry to the Illinois side of the river operates daily except during high water.

Demographics[edit]

At the 2010 census, Ste. Genevieve had a total of 4,410 inhabitants, grouped into 1,824 households, with a population density of 1,075.6 people per square mile. This figure marked a slight decrease from the 2000 census, when Ste. Genevieve had a population of 4,476. 95.78% of the inhabitants were White, 1.59% were African-American, 0.39% were Native American, 0.63% were Asian, 0.02% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.18% were from some other race, and 1.41% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.18% of the population.

The median age in Ste. Genevieve was 43.0 years, with 21.8% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 8.2% between 18 and 24 years old, 22.2% between 25 and 44, 27.3% between 45 and 64, and 20.5% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 48.4% male, 51.6% female.^[5]

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Ste. Genevieve had a median household income of $45,039, and a median family income of $54,000. The unemployment rate was 3.8%. The per capita income was $27,288. About 25.8% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 45.4% of people under the age of 18 and 16.6% of people 65 years old or older.^[6]

Education[edit]

A school system has existed in Ste. Genevieve since 1808, when a local academy was established that later developed into a public school. Today, the city and most of the county are served by the Ste. Genevieve County R-II School District, which has a total enrollment of over 1,800 students in four schools, three of which (a K-5 elementary, a 6-8 middle school, and a 9-12 high school) are in Ste. Genevieve itself.^[7] Its mascot is the Dragons, and the school colors are green, white, and gold.

In addition, there are several Catholic schools operating in and around the city. The most prominent is Valle Catholic Schools (K-12), named for the prominent Valle family of settlers, which has an enrollment of about 400. Its mascot is the Warriors, and the school colors are blue and white.^[8] There are also two separate elementary schools, Sacred Heart and St. Joseph (both kindergarten through 5th grade).

Government[edit]

Ste. Genevieve has a mayor-council form of government, with a mayor and a board of aldermen, two of which are elected from each of the city's four wards. The current mayor is Paul Hassler, elected in 2019.^[9]

Community Life[edit]

Ste. Genevieve is unique on account of its past as a French colonial village, and as the oldest settled community in Missouri. Many of the customs practiced by the original settlers are still carried on today. These include La Guiannée, held on New Year's Eve, in which singers dressed in colonial attire travel throughout the town, performing a French medieval tune of the same name and receiving gifts and drinks along the way.^[10] Another is "King's Ball," held on or around Epiphany, which somewhat resembles the Mardi Gras festivities.

Each August, the city holds a "Jour de Fete" celebration in its Historic District, featuring reenactments and arts and crafts demonstrations from its early days, along with musical performances and other entertainment.^[11]

Sister City[edit]

Ste. Genevieve has an official "sister city" relationship with the city of Bohlsbach in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Many of the residents are descended from German immigrants who left the Bohlsbach area between 1830 and 1860.

Points of Interest[edit]

• Louis Bolduc house, lived in by 18th-century merchant and fur trader and restored to 1790s appearance
• Green Tree Tavern, vertical log building constructed c.1790 in poteau sur sole (post-on-sill) fashion
• Felix Vallé State Historic Site (1818), home of important early 19th-century merchant
• Bequette-Ribault House (1808), vertical log structure built in poteaux-en-terre (posts-in-earth) fashion
• Chaumette Vineyards & Winery, rated one of the Midwest's highest-quality wineries
• Hawn State Park, 5,000-acre park in southwestern Ste. Genevieve County

References[edit]