Interstate 55 is the main highway connecting St. Louis to Chicago and Memphis. The road loosely follows the western edge of the Mississippi River valley, on a plateau known as Crowley’s Ridge. Following I-55, visitors venture into Bootheel Country, a part of Missouri that more closely resembles the Deep South. Along the way, visitors experience the French settlement of Ste. Genevieve; mighty Cape Girardeau, which played a pivotal role in securing the Mississippi during the Civil War; Sikeston, home to Missouri’s cotton industry; and New Madrid, site of the biggest earthquake in American history.
The Jacques Guibourd Historic House was constructed in 1806 in the poteaux-sur-sole style with vertical, hand-hewn log walls and double pitched roof. This important National Register site is the only historic house in Ste. Genevieve where the visitor can view and study 'up close', the Norman truss architecture employed at the time.
The house displays a more refined rendition of the typical French Colonial residence in the era of Lewis and Clark and is finished with elegant French antiques. The museum is owned and operated by the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, Inc. as a memorial to its donor, Jules Felix Vallé.
The Jacques Guibourd House gives discounts to members of organizations who participate in the Time Travelers Program. Admission includes a costumed docent-guided tour. Open daily April through the 1st weekend in December.