Missouri has always known Ste. Genevieve is a very special place. There are a lot of reasons to celebrate our oldest town: its history, its food, its wineries and its signature events. But this extraordinary city is also among the most prestigious places in America as one of Missouri’s seven national parks.
The French Colonial history of the area has always been one of its most rich and colorful attributes, so much so that the U.S. government commemorated its story with the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park in 2020.
The park highlights the French Colonial history of the area and preserve its early French architecture. Some of the buildings involved are believed to have been built in the early 1790s and have weathered several damaging floods. Only five poteaux-en-terre (post in ground) French houses still exist in North America, and having three of them in one location is the leading reason for this national park. Ste. Genevieve is home to the Beauvais-Amoureax House, the Bequette-Ribault House and the Vital St. Gemme Beauvais House.
Other historic buildings in downtown Ste. Genevieve include the 1793 Louis Bolduc House on Main Street, which has been the city’s pre-eminent tour home for decades.
In addition to the latest “magnifique” Missouri landmark recognized with the distinction, there are ample opportunities to explore the National Park Service’s offerings throughout Missouri:
- Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis: The iconic “Gateway to the West” is a fixture in the St. Louis skyline and a marvel up close, too. The park features an extensive collection of artifacts in its museum and even offers tram rides to the top.
- George Washington Carver National Monument, Diamond: Tour the birthplace of an innovator who made history in many ways. Carver not only discovered hundreds of uses for peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes and pecans, he was also the first Black American to have a national monument dedicated in his honor, and the first non-president to receive the honor, too.
- Harry S Truman National Historic Site, Independence
and Grandview: The first and only Missourian to become president of the United States has two national sites established in his honor: Truman’s adulthood home in Independence and the family farm in Grandview are both national historic sites open for tours. - Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Van Buren/Eminence/Salem/Winona: There are more than 80,000 acres to explore and enjoy across Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the first congressionally dedicated national park based around a wild river system. The Current and Jacks Fork rivers are perfect spots for swimming, fishing and canoeing, and the surrounding park makes for pristine camping, cave exploration or relaxation.
- Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, St. Louis: Legendary Civil War general and U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant met his wife, Julie Dent, at the historic White Haven house that came to be the family’s home for a handful of years. Tours are now offered of the site and outbuildings, and there’s a park museum with six permanent exhibits to learn more about the site’s history.
- Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Republic: The pivotal Battle of Wilson’s Creek was the Civil War’s second major skirmish, five hours of intense fighting that left more than 2,500 soldiers on both sides of the conflict dead, wounded or missing in action. The site now features a visitor center, a museum with changing exhibits and an educational film covering the battle.
There is truly never a better time to explore these wonders than right now. Celebrate Missouri’s contributions to Teddy Roosevelt’s crowning achievement, the national park system, and then share your explorations with us on Instagram using the hashtag #MissouriAdventure.