Ste. Genevieve Historic District

Ste. Genevieve Historic District is a neighborhood with around 824 buildings in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, of which 646 contribute to its historical importance. The buildings display various styles and periods that visitors can observe while walking through the streets.

French colonists founded the settlement in the 1750s as part of French Louisiana. After severe flooding, the community relocated to its current location in the 1780s, where it continued to develop.

The district displays French colonial architecture with characteristic building methods like vertical log construction that remain woven into daily life here. Walking through the streets, you see these traditions in preserved homes that still reflect the craftsmanship and building habits of that era.

The district is best explored on foot by slowly walking through the streets at your own pace. The National Park Service visitor center provides orientation information and helps you understand what you are seeing.

This location holds one of North America's largest collections of French colonial buildings. Several houses still date from the late 18th century and display construction methods that vanished elsewhere long ago.