Tag: Historical in United States

Mecker Research Library – Where Robert and Odile Mecker’s Vision Created the Central Repository for French American Colonial History Most research libraries are institutional creations—university collections, government archives, museum repositories established through official channels with dedicated budgets and professional staffs. The Mecker Research Library emerged from something more personal: the passionate commitment of Robert and Odile Mecker, a retired St. Louis couple who bought and restored an 1820 house in Sainte Geneviève, became life members of the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, and recognized that scattered historical materials concerning the town’s French colonial heritage needed a central location where researchers could access books, papers, and documents—some rare—pertaining to the history of French and Spanish colonization in the Louisiana Territory. Robert Mecker, a CPA who spent 45 years with Price Waterhouse as an audit manager, served as president of the Foundation and helped bring national recognition to both the town and to Memorial Cemetery, Missouri’s oldest burial ground. As a result of his efforts, the Mecker Research Library was established in 2004 and housed in the Foundation’s historic 1813 Kiel-Schwent House at 198 South 2nd Street, where it has functioned ever since as the essential starting point for anyone researching Read more…

Rural Heritage Day, the fourth Saturday in October, is a celebration of history, reverie, and reminiscence dedicated to the hard-working founders of Ste. Geneviève. Come see how it used to be done: whether it’s farming, cooking, spinning, lace-making, leatherworking, soap-making, wood carving, gardening, apple pressing or good old-fashioned games. Read more…

Sainte Genevieve Art Center & Museum – Where Historic Legacy Meets Living Creativity Nestled comfortably in the shadow of the historic Sainte Geneviève Catholic Church at 310 Merchant Street, the Sainte Genevieve Art Center & Museum occupies a place of quiet significance in both the physical and cultural landscape of Missouri’s oldest town. This isn’t just another small-town art gallery—it’s a vital institution that illuminates Ste. Genevieve’s surprisingly important role in American art heritage while serving as an active, thriving hub for contemporary creativity. A Building with Its Own Story The Art Center is housed in a stately Norman-Revival stone building that itself tells a story of community pride and celebration. Built in 1934 in preparation for the city’s bicentennial celebration, the structure reflects the civic confidence and architectural ambition of Depression-era America. The choice of Norman-Revival style—with its solid stone construction, arched openings, and medieval European echoes—was particularly fitting for a town celebrating its French colonial heritage. That this beautiful building now serves as home to the Art Center creates a perfect synergy: historic architecture preserving and presenting both historic and contemporary art. The stone walls that once marked a bicentennial milestone now safeguard the legacy of artists who Read more…

Sassafras Creek Originals – Where Early American Life Directory Craftsmen Create Heirloom Quality in an 1850 General Store At 311 St. Marys Road in the heart of Sainte Geneviève’s historic district, Sassafras Creek Originals occupies the circa 1850 Brooks House—a two-story brick building transformed into colonial-era general store where owner Kandye Mahurin (selected for Early American Life Magazine’s Directory of Traditional American Craftsmen eight consecutive years) and fellow Directory-juried artisans showcase hand-crafted Colonial/Primitive Early American folk art that meets museum-curator standards for authenticity, scholarship, and period-appropriate materials and techniques. This isn’t a shop selling colonial-style imports from overseas factories—Sassafras Creek’s rigorous quality standard requires that at least 75% of merchandise is American-made, with vendors carefully selected from the prestigious Early American Life Directory, ensuring every game board, bandbox, redware plate, woven coverlet, piece of tinware, and folk art creation represents genuine traditional craftsmanship using period materials, tools, and techniques that curators at Colonial Williamsburg, living history museums, and motion picture producers rely on for authentic period pieces. Step inside rooms arranged like an old-time general store and discover heirloom-quality handcrafts preserving American artisan traditions rapidly disappearing in the digital age. The Early American Life Directory: Museum-Quality Standard Sassafras Creek Originals’ Read more…

Ste. Genevieve – Modoc Ferry – A River Crossing with Deep Roots For well over two centuries, a ferry crossing has connected the Missouri and Illinois shores of the Mississippi River near Ste. Genevieve, making it one of the oldest continuously operating transportation routes in the American Midwest. Today’s Ste. Genevieve – Modoc Ferry carries on a tradition that stretches back to the very earliest days of European settlement in the region—a living link to the frontier era when the Mississippi was both highway and boundary. A Petition Written in French: 1798 The story of this ferry crossing begins in 1798, when residents of Ste. Genevieve formally petitioned for the establishment of a ferry service across the mighty Mississippi. The petition itself was written in French—the language of commerce, government, and daily life in this thriving French colonial river town. At that time, Ste. Genevieve was already a well-established community, one of the most important settlements in Upper Louisiana, and the need for reliable river transportation was essential for trade, communication, and connection with settlements on the Illinois side. The Mississippi River was the superhighway of its day, but it was also a formidable barrier. Establishing a ferry wasn’t just Read more…