As Missouri’s oldest permanent European settlement, the village of Ste. Geneviève was
settled by French Canadians around 1735 on the west bank of the Mississippi River
about two miles south of its present location. The village was one of several important
French communities forming a region known as the Illinois Country, part of the vast
territory held by France in North America at the time.
In 1763, after the French and Indian War ended, France ceded all of its holdings west of
the Mississippi River to Spain. Despite the transfer and new Spanish government in the
region, Ste. Geneviève retained its distinctive French character and language.
Much of Historic Ste. Geneviève’s charm and ambiance are due to the remarkable
preservation of the original colonial settlement. Its narrow streets and fenced gardens
surround some of the most significant 18th-century architecture in the nation.
Ste.Genevieve National Historical Park
STE. GENEVIEVE, MISSOURI