All Things to Do in Sainte Genevieve

The Linden House Every Saturday from late March through early November, the Linden House opens its doors to something increasingly rare: the chance to step into French Creole colonial life not as passive observer behind velvet ropes, but as active participant in a breathing, tactile past. This isn’t history performed at you but rather history invited into your hands, your curiosity, your willingness to touch what earlier generations touched and understand through your own senses how people actually lived, worked, and entertained themselves in early 19th-century Ste. Genevieve. Architecture That Remembers Adaptation The Linden House itself embodies layered time. Built in stages from 1811/1812 through the 1930s, the structure reveals how families adapted their homes across generations—responding to changing needs, shifting prosperity, evolving architectural fashions. The earliest portions date to just after the Louisiana Purchase, when French Creole families navigated the delicate transition from Spanish and French rule to American governance. Later additions show the 19th century’s progressive transformations, eventually extending into the 20th. Within a single structure, different eras coexist: not frozen at one moment but rather representing the continuity of domestic life across time, families making do, expanding, reimagining their spaces as circumstances demanded. Three Spaces, Three Windows Read more…

Ste. Genevieve County Fair – Where Summer Gets Loud, Fast, and Delicious Every year on the second full weekend in July, the Ste. Genevieve County Fairgrounds transform into the epicenter of summer excitement, where engines roar, metal crunches, crowds cheer, and the irresistible aroma of fair food fills the air. This isn’t some sanitized, corporate-sponsored festival—this is a real county fair with dirt, diesel fumes, demolition, and the kind of unpretentious fun that reminds you why summer in rural America is something special. High-Octane Thrills: The Main Events Truck Pull: Power Meets Pavement Prepare for an adrenaline-pumping spectacle as gigantic trucks—modified monsters with engines—line up to test their raw power against an increasingly heavy sled. The truck pull is primal competition at its finest: driver skill, engine modifications, tire grip, and sheer mechanical force all combine as these behemoths drag massive weight down the track, their engines screaming in protest. For those unfamiliar with truck pulls, prepare to be amazed by the modifications these competitors make to their vehicles—massive tires, engine swaps, custom exhausts, and engineering tweaks that transform ordinary trucks into fire-breathing dragons of torque and horsepower. These aren’t showroom trucks; they’re purpose-built competitors representing hundreds of hours of Read more…

Fourth Friday Art Walk – Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve Once a month, as twilight settles over the oldest town in Missouri, something magical happens. The historic streets come alive with art, conversation, and community as locals and visitors alike gather for the Fourth Friday Art Walk—a beloved tradition that transforms downtown Ste. Genevieve into an open-air gallery celebration. An Evening of Art and Discovery From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month (February through November), the art galleries, shops, and businesses of Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve open their doors wide, inviting you to enjoy a leisurely evening stroll through one of America’s most charming historic districts. It’s more than just an art walk—it’s a chance to slow down, connect with creativity, and experience the vibrant cultural life that thrives in this centuries-old river town. A Showcase of Regional Talent The galleries participating in the Art Walk feature works from talented local and regional artists working in a diverse array of mediums. You might encounter stunning paintings that capture the beauty of the Mississippi River Valley, intricate sculptures, handcrafted jewelry, fine photography, pottery, textiles, and mixed media pieces that push creative boundaries. Each Art Walk offers Read more…

The Anvil Saloon & Restaurant At 46 South Third Street on Ste. Genevieve’s historic downtown square, The Anvil doesn’t chase trends or Michelin stars—it does something far more enduring. For nearly 170 years, this building has delivered honest, home-cooked comfort food in atmosphere so authentically old-time that you half expect steamboat captains and frontier merchants to walk through the door. The centerpiece isn’t just the food, though those world-famous onion rings are genuinely legendary. It’s the bar itself: a massive, ornate back bar that arrived via steamboat in the 1850s, reportedly salvaged from a vessel that sank or ran aground in the Mississippi River, then hauled by oxcart to this building where it’s anchored conversations, celebrations, and community gatherings for nearly 170 years. The combination of uncompromised comfort food, authentic historical character, and genuine small-town hospitality creates dining experience that keeps locals returning weekly and tourists traveling from Europe, Asia, and across America specifically to experience what The Anvil delivers. Building History: From Hardware Store to Beloved Institution The building began as a hardware store (1850-1855), hence the “Anvil” name referencing the blacksmith’s tool. In 1855, the Vaeth family purchased it and transformed it into a gentlemen’s saloon, installing that Read more…

ART COLONY Post Marked! A wall in the local post office was the canvas for a special mural commissioned by the federal government. As post offices were being built around the country in the early 1900s, 10% of the budget was directed towards art. Around the same time, Ste. Geneviève established its own Art Colony similar to the one in Providence, Rhode Island. Members included: Jessie Beard Rickly, Thomas Hart Benton, Aimee Schweig, Miriam McKinnie, Martyl Schweig Langsdorf, Sister Cassiana Marie, Joseph Meert, Bernard E. Peters, E. Oscar Thalinger, and Matthew E. Ziegler Today, Ste. Geneviève has an Art Guild. There are also art galleries, art walks, opportunities to participate in Plein Air, “in the open air” painting, and a variety of art-related activities throughout the year. Read more…