Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park

Bringing History to life in Ste. Genevieve

Published on August 4, 2026July 28, 2026 by JNPALeave a comment

Think back to your school days. What learning experiences had the biggest impact on you, maybe even leading you to the rare “aha” moment? Chances are, it was when your teachers took you to a historic site, park, or local neighborhood to gain hands-on, real-world experiences.

Educators have a name for this: place-based learning. And what better source of influential, exciting places than our national parks, also known as “America’s largest classrooms.” When students can visit a colonial era home, explore a local stream, or investigate public art, their classroom curriculum comes to life. They’re able to make connections between their textbooks and the real world.

One national park site that’s making great strides in on-site opportunities for school groups is Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park. Park staff bring the history of Missouri to life through free educational field trips for school groups ranging from Kindergarten through 12^th grade. And new this year: a three-part program for 3^rd graders that aligns with Missouri state curriculum standards.

The park’s centuries-old homes serve as immersive classrooms rooted in the region’s strong French colonial heritage. National Park Service park rangers share stories of the Native American, African, and European people who lived in the community in the 1700s and 1800s. Students can participate in hands-on exploration of various themes including architecture, cultural land and life, migration and colonization, diverse cultures, and the village economy, helping them understand how the early communities developed. As an extra bonus, the park will incorporate French cultural elements into special programs for students studying French culture or language.

The Colonial Quest program for K through 2^nd grade students, as well as 4^th through 6^th graders, introduces them to the rich cultural history of the 18^th century colonial town. Through guided tours of French colonial homes, students can discover how families lived and worked, and will learn about the contributions of French colonists, Indigenous peoples, enslaved people, and free people of color. They also explore how these groups adapted to environmental and social challenges.

The Crossroads of Culture program engages 7^th through 12^th graders in a critical analysis of the town’s colonial past. Students might examine architecture as cultural expression, investigate diverse populations, or evaluate the town’s economic role in regional trade. Depending on the teacher’s requests, rangers might lead discussions on colonial government structures and how power shaped life, law, and community decision making.

Finally, there’s the park’s new 3^rd grade program, entitled Carpentry, Commerce, and Cooking: Building Blocks of a Community, which aligns with Missouri’s 3^rdgrade social studies curriculum. Students analyze how construction techniques, trade, and farming shaped the early Ste. Genevieve community. Hands-on elements during the on-site lessons reinforce how early residents adapted to social and environmental challenges.

This three-part program includes:

A pre-visit classroom activity with a park ranger, feature intriguing historical artifacts.
An interactive on-site exploration of the park’s historic homes
A post-visit lesson led by the teacher

Additional information is available on the park’s website and in the new Educator’s Guide, which JNPA helped produce. It includes details of each on-site program, as well as information on how to sign up.

Oh, To Be a Woman in Early Ste. Geneviève

Published on March 31, 2026April 14, 2026 by JNPALeave a comment

When the United States government purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, it doubled the size of our nation. It also brought a significant cultural, political, and legal shift for the residents who had previously lived under French rule. Few of these changes were more significant than those affecting women.

Women’s rights in the small Missouri town of Ste. Geneviève were quite a bit different before the French Colonial village became part of the United States. French customary law had granted women a considerable amount of economic independence. For one thing, French inheritance laws did not discriminate against a widow, who would receive half of the estate when her husband died. The other half would be split evenly among her heirs – regardless of gender – and if there were no heirs, the wife received everything.

French law also allowed women to buy and sell property and to enter contracts in their own names. They could manage households, farms, and businesses, often having influential control over estates. Women could lend or borrow money, marry or separate, bring a lawsuit or be sued, engage in commerce, and even use their maiden names. A husband could not dispose of his wife’s property without her consent.

It’s difficult to know how many women in colonial Ste. Geneviève played active roles in property transactions and legal matters, since few were educated enough to leave written records of their daily decisions and achievements. Most women were consumed by the labor-intensive work of sustaining a frontier settlement as they managed households and participated in religious life.

However, most of their legal rights ended in 1804 when the Louisiana Purchase was finalized and Ste. Geneviève became an American village, subject to a system based on English common law. Married women were stripped of their independent legal existence, merging their rights with their husbands. They could no longer own property, sign contracts or bring lawsuits. A husband now owned his wife’s personal property, wages, and real estate, and held sole rights to their children.

Women in Ste. Genevieve slowly adapted to these changes, of course. They continued to be active participants in churches, schools, courts, and many businesses. They were also primarily responsible for keeping the town’s French traditions alive, like the annual La Guiannée (New Year’s Eve singing tradition).

Over time, of course, women’s rights throughout America slowly progressed from a limited legal status to constitutional equality in many areas, driven first by the women’s suffrage movement then by legislative gains addressing workplace discrimination, voting rights, reproductive rights, and economic autonomy.

🥶 Baby, It’s Cold Outside! 🥶

Published on January 21, 2025May 1, 2025 by JNPALeave a comment

So far, it’s been a challenging winter for many of us. If you live in the Midwest, you’ve probably had to bundle up in recent weeks as snowstorms and bone-chilling temperatures have settled in. If you still need a few more additions to your winter wardrobe, our partner park stores have just the thing to keep you toasty and warm, and you can order all of them online.

Are you craving a new hoodie or sweatshirt to snuggle into? We’ve got you “covered” (ahem). How about this charcoal-colored hooded sweatshirt made of cozy French terrycloth, featuring the logo of Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park?

Or this handsome hoodie from Missouri National Recreational River, in a light ash gray?

For those who want to make a political statement, there’s our “I Was Expelled” black hooded sweatshirt from Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. It features an image and quote from Minnijean Brown Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine.

Or how about this multi-colored, super soft sweatshirt from Gateway Arch National Park?

Not to worry, we haven’t forgotten your head and your toes! Fans of Voyageurs National Park will love this warm pom-pom beanie, knitted in a colorful design.

Or maybe you’d prefer to sport these fun socks that celebrate Gateway Arch National Park.

Whatever winter apparel you choose, you can feel even warmer when you know your purchases directly support educational programming and exhibits at each of our parks.

Celebrating the Holidays in Colonial Ste. Genevieve

Published on December 10, 2024February 10, 2025 by JNPALeave a comment

How do YOU celebrate the holidays? Your answer may depend upon your religious practices or your family traditions. But if you’d lived in the French colonial village of Ste. Geneviève in the 1700s, chances are you and your neighbors would have commemorated the winter holidays in very similar ways.

The townspeople of 18^th-century Ste. Geneviève were predominantly Catholic, having brought their religious and cultural traditions from France. One of their most festive seasons of the year was December to mid-January. The four weeks prior to Christmas was Advent, a time of reflection, fasting, and merriment. The culmination of Advent was Christmas Eve, when most of the community attended midnight Mass.

After the church service ended, the townsfolk gathered with their extended families for a feast called La Réveillon. This special breakfast would start in the early hours of the morning and proceed well into the next day. La Réveillon featured traditional breakfast foods such as eggs, sausage, and breads along with non-traditional items like puddings, stews, and cakes. Christmas Day festivities would continue throughout the day with more feasting, church services, and in some households, balls or parties.

During this time of year the Frenchwomen of Ste. Geneviève were able to show off their cooking skills, using the new foods they found available in the New World, and incorporating African and Native American influences.

In 1811 Henry M. Brackenridge wrote that “The table was provided in a very different manner from that of the generality of Americans. With the poorest French peasant, cookery is an art well understood. They make great use of vegetables and prepared in a manner to be wholesome and palatable. Instead of roast and fried, they had soups and fricassees, and gumbos…”

The Kings Ball featured finely dressed participants like those seen in this sketch of the “Bal de la Courtille”
from 1820. Library of Congress)

The next holiday celebration, La Guiannée, took place on New Year’s Eve. On the evening of December 31st, a troupe of male singers dressed in costume went door-to-door throughout the community. As they sang, they asked for donations from each household for the upcoming Epiphany feast. The group collected things like lard, poultry, eggs, wheat, and candles to feed the community and decorate for the Epiphany Celebration. (The 250-year-old tradition of La Guiannée is still celebrated in Ste. Geneviève to this day.)

As the years went on and the village changed, the holiday traditions for the French Catholic residents of Ste. Geneviève ebbed and flowed. With the arrival of new residents from American and German backgrounds, new traditions emerged, and old traditions adapted to suit the growing community. The changes have allowed for many of the French Catholic traditions to continue into the present-day community.

If you haven’t yet visited the town, or our park partner Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park, winter can be a great time to stop by. Be sure to check the park’s website for upcoming activities before you go.

Courtesy of Robert Mueller, Ste. Genevieve Tourism

Juneteenth at our Parks

Published on June 11, 2024August 14, 2024 by JNPALeave a comment

Several of our partner parks are planning events to honor Juneteenth, one of the oldest known commemorations related to the abolition of slavery in the United States. The holiday marks the day that enslaved people in Texas learned they had been freed. News of the Emancipation Proclamation had taken two-and-a-half years to reach Texas, arriving June 19, 1865.

Staff at Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park have found a unique way to honor the enslaved residents of the park’s historic houses during the annual Juneteenth commemoration. They place flowers on the porches of the Jean Baptiste Vallé House, Bauvais-Amoureux House, and Green Tree Tavern. Each flower memorializes an individual who was enslaved at that home.

This project is an outgrowth of the park’s ongoing effort to learn more about the early Black residents of Ste. Genevieve. So far, staff and volunteers have confirmed the names of 46 individuals who were enslaved at the three NPS-managed houses. They hope to uncover the larger narratives of these residents and learn about their connections among the free and enslaved people of color in the historic community. The park plans to share the details of these findings through public events like Juneteenth.

Another Juneteenth-related program will take place at the park on Saturday June 22. Lynne Jackson, a descendant of Dred and Harriet Scott, will share the story of her famous ancestors’ long-awaited emancipation in 1857. She will also discuss the Freedom Suit Memorial in St. Louis, a bronze sculpture erected in 2022 commemorating the many lawsuits that enslaved people filed against slaveholders in an effort to gain their freedom.

The lecture begins at 1:30 at the park’s Welcome Center. The event is free, but reservations are recommended; reserve your spot by calling 573-880-7189.

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site will celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday June 15 with a unique program– Rhythms, Rhymes and Cultural Times. This one-woman show by performer Peggy Harris is a collection of narratives depicting the lives of various strong Black women, including an African Royal’s recounting of the slave trade, Harriett Tubman’s journey to freedom, Harriet Scott’s support of her husband Dred, and Luisah Teish’s call to join women of color together to embrace their culture and spirituality.

The free program takes place at the park at 1:00 p.m. For reservations call 314-842-1867 ext. 230.

Get Involved at a National Park!

Published on April 16, 2024July 15, 2024 by JNPALeave a comment

Are you a fan of national parks? Beyond just paying them a visit, do you want to get more involved in their events and activities? Then National Park Week is for you!!

In August of 1991, the very first National Park Week was established to honor the National Park Service’s 75^th anniversary. Since then, it has been celebrated in April alongside Earth Day. This year, National Park Week is April 20-28, and each day is themed around a unique aspect of the national parks.

April 20 – Discovery/ Park Rx Day

To kick off the week and also encourage people to discover a new park, entrance fees at all national parks are waived on April 20!

It is also Park Rx Day, focusing on the connection between the health of people, the health of parks, and the health of our planet.

If you are in Missouri, we highly recommend attempting the NPS Wellness Challenge. All seven of the national park sites in Missouri offer challenges in three categories that visitors can complete: mental, physical, and learning. If you complete a challenge, you can earn a Wellness Challenge Badge!

Visitors take a walk through history as part of the NPS Wellness Challenge at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. Credit: NPS

April 21 – Volunteers

Have you ever wanted to volunteer at a national park but either lived too far away or could not find activities that fit your schedule? Now you can volunteer VIRTUALLY as a citizen archivist! Ahead of the upcoming 250^th anniversary of American Independence, the National Archives and Records Administration is collaborating with the National Park Service to have volunteers transcribe Revolutionary War Pension Records. These records hold incredible, untold stories of the American Revolution, and once transcribed, will be a permanent contribution to our country’s historical record.

Want to get outside to volunteer? Gateway Arch National Park is having its first ever BioBlitz on April 28. Volunteers will use the iNaturalist app to document various types of wildlife found in the park.

April 22 – Earth Day

On Earth Day, you can join an event at a park near you, or you can learn about all the great ways to practice conservation at home. By taking a few small steps, you can do your part to help protect pollinators, birds, bats, oceans, and even our night skies!

April 23 – Innovation

National Park sites are full of innovative ideas, programs, and technology. For Innovation Day, check out a few of our past blog posts about innovation in some of our partner parks:

Archeological exploration at Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park. Credit: NPS

April 24 – Workforce Wednesday

On April 24, the National Park Service is hosting a special virtual event, “Then/Now/Tomorrow: Empowering Our Future Conservation and Climate Stewards.” This is a great opportunity for teens and young adults to learn about volunteer and career opportunities in parks!

April 25 – Youth Engagement

After joining the webinar on Workforce Wednesday, young people between the ages of 15 and 18 can take the next step on their National Park Journey by researching and applying for opportunities with the Youth Conservation Corps! One of our partner parks, Voyageurs National Park, even has an upcoming opportunity May 13 – June 13 for Corps members to repair boardwalks and complete trail maintenance in the park.

*Youth Conservation Corps installing a bridge at Niobrara National Scenic River. Credit: NPS*

April 26 – Community Connections

Did you know that the National Park Service’s work does not stop at a park’s boundary? Every day, parks across the country partner with their surrounding communities to expand their mission of conserving the natural and cultural resources of our country for the “enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” A few notable examples in the JNPA network of sites include:

Challenging History: A St. Louis Collaborative– This network of historic sites, museums, parks, and educational institutions in St. Louis, MO, challenges the traditional historical narratives to build more inclusive, place-based storytelling about St. Louis’ pasts. Members include Gateway Arch National Park, Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, and Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park.
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area– This park is incredibly unique because the National Park Service owns only 67 of the 54,000 acres that the park encompasses. The rest is made up of city, state, and regional parks, a national wildlife refuge, and private businesses and homes. This “partnership park” can only achieve its mission by working closely with the community to achieve their shared goals.
Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative (LMDI)- This outstanding grant program is funded by the National Park Service and co-administered by JNPA. These grants fund small-scale cultural heritage projects at not-for-profit community organizations in the Lower Mississippi Delta Region.

Crosby Farm at Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Credit: NPS

April 27 – Junior Ranger Day

“Explore. Learn. Protect.” This is the motto of the NPS Junior Ranger program, an activity-based program to help kids of all ages learn about parks. On Junior Ranger Day, a variety of special events will be hosted at parks across the country, including Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park, and Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.

Swearing in a Junior Ranger at Voyageurs National Park Credit: NPS

April 28 – Arts in the Parks

When you think of national parks, art may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, all five of the “fine arts” play an important role at national park sites.

Painting – Beginning in the 1800’s, beautiful landscapes of the American West were captured by the painters of the Hudson River School. These paintings helped inspire support for the creation of the national parks. This tradition continues today with the NPS Artist-in-Residence program.
Sculpture – The Ellsworth Rock Gardens at Voyageurs National Park is home to over 200 abstract rock sculptures.
Architecture– Standing at 630 ft, one of the most iconic architectural marvels in the National Park Service is the Gateway Arch.
Music – Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Oxford American, and composers Christopher Parker and Kelley Hurt partnered to create a musical tribute to the Little Rock Nine, a jazz composition entitled “The No Tears Suite.”
Poetry – A new initiative this year is “Poetry in Parks.” U.S. National Poet Laureate Ada Limón selected historic American poems which will be displayed as public works of art on picnic tables in seven national parks. The installations will be unveiled throughout the summer and fall.

*Rock sculptures at Ellsworth Rock Gardens/Voyageurs National Park. Credit: NPS*

No matter what theme speaks to you, no matter how old you are, no matter if you visit in person or virtually, go to a national park next week!

See It Now Or Wait Another 21 Years!

Published on April 2, 2024July 15, 2024 by JNPALeave a comment

One of our solar system’s most awe-inspiring events will be on full display for many lucky Americans next week: a total eclipse of the sun. And visitors to Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park will get a front-row seat!

An excerpt of a NASA map shows the path and timing of the eclipse over Missouri. Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio

Next Monday April 8, people who live in a broad swath of the U.S. will be able to watch as the moon slowly obscures the sun. The lucky ones, including those in southwestern Missouri, will witness up to a four-minute window of “totality” when the sun is completely covered by the moon’s shadow.

A total eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth only once every one-and-a-half years. The next one to pass over Missouri is predicted for 2045. However, only a tiny portion of the state will be in totality then. So now’s the time to catch it!

The little town of Ste. Geneviève is getting ready for a full day of eclipse events next Monday. Various local groups, including staff from Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park, will host a “viewing event” at the county community center (21390 Highway 32 Ste. Genevieve, MO) from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The period of actual totality starts at 1:59 p.m. Event activities include:

Learning about the eclipse from knowledgeable experts, including park rangers.
“Hearing” the eclipse through an innovative LightSound device developed by Harvard astronomers that translates light into sound.
Purchasing specially designed Eclipse 2024 products and eclipse glasses from JNPA.
Enjoying food trucks and trolley rides.
Marveling at the total eclipse with the community of Ste. Genevieve, MO!

In addition, kids can pick up a solar filter and an Eclipse Explorer Junior Ranger book (after completing the book, they’ll receive a special badge). Fourth graders with a printed voucher can also pick up an Every Kid Outdoors pass.

For more details, check out the park’s solar eclipse page. We hope to see you in Ste. Gen!

A composite image of the October 2023 eclipse over Bryce Canyon National Park. Credit: NPS/Peter Densmore

French Lesson

Published on March 5, 2024May 2, 2024 by JNPALeave a comment

French soldiers, explorers, and fur traders established settlements in North America as early as the 1500s. The vast territories of “New France” spanned a large portion of eastern North America, from what is now Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico.

Among the earliest French settlements in the so-called Illinois Country was the village of Ste. Geneviève, founded by French Canadians in 1750. These hardy immigrants were drawn by the rich soils deposited by the nearby Mississippi River and by minerals and other natural resources the region offered. Naturally they brought their Old World culture, religion, laws, architecture, and language with them. But it wasn’t long before they adopted new habits, customs, and even words that fit their new lives in the New World.

In fact, the residents of Ste. Geneviève created what historians call a French Creole cultural zone in the middle Mississippi Valley. The influences of European immigrants, Native Americans, and free and enslaved Blacks combined to create customs that were unique in terms of law, religion, clothing, use of the land, architecture, personal philosophy, and slave law. This regional culture was unlike anything else in what is now the United States, and substantially different from its parent cultures in Canada and France.

The Creoles of Ste. Geneviève (a term used to describe a French, Spanish or African person born in America) lived in tight-knit communities along the river rather than on isolated farmsteads as most Anglos did. Their agricultural system evoked that of northern France, in which the residents grazed and farmed on common lands just outside the village.

Creoles also dressed differently than Anglos and seem to have been influenced by the local indigenous people. An 1811 traveler recalled that “Men wore a blanket coat of coarse cloth or coating, with a cape behind, which could be drawn over the head…They wore a blue handkerchief on their heads; but no hats, or shoes, or stockings; moccasins, or the Indian sandals, were used by both sexes.” And despite their shared Christian religion, Creoles apparently scandalized their Anglo neighbors on Sundays. After church they held auctions, conducted business, danced, and bet on cards and horse racing.

Then there was the Creoles’ language. Though most settlers in Ste. Geneviève were of French ancestry, it didn’t take long for them to adopt new words, phrases, and pronunciations. Naturally, the New World presented new influences on the immigrants. Unfamiliar animals and plants needed names, tools and objects long used by Indigenous peoples needed descriptions, as did new patterns of commerce and trade. In many cases they adopted or adapted words from African or Native American languages to fill these descriptive gaps.

Some of these terms seem quaint to modern ears: bete puante (literally, stinking beast, i.e. skunk; bete rouge (red beast, i.e. chigger); and chat sauvage (wildcat, i.e. raccoon). Other Creole words have been absorbed into the modern English language: bayou (from an Indian word for a body of water cut off from a river); butte (for a hill); and cache (for a place to store or hide goods).

Photo Credit: Robert Mueller, Ste. Genevieve Tourism

For an in-depth immersion in early French colonial life, a trip to Ste. Geneviève, Missouri, is a must. As one of America’s oldest permanent European settlements, the proud little community offers a mixture of fascinating history and modern charm. And don’t miss the guided tours of its unique historic buildings offered by the rangers at Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park.

ça vaut le détour!

*Featured Image Credit: capitol mural of early Ste. Genevieve by Oscar Berninghaus- State Historical Society of Missouri

Let’s Get Crafty!

Published on December 26, 2023February 20, 2024 by JNPALeave a comment

When the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, families can start to get cabin fever. If you and your loved ones are looking for fun activities, we’ve got you covered! Lucky for national park enthusiasts, there are several activities inspired by our favorite parks that can help pass the time during the long winter months.

Crochet a Walleye

Voyageurs National Park has 54 species of fish that can be found in the park’s aquatic habitats! Walleyes are some of the most popular, and you can make a cute, cuddly one for yourself. This activity is great for both older kids and adults. If you are new to crocheting, this is a great pattern to try, since it is on the simpler side. Click here to view the instructions.

Make a Telescope

On May 14, Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery embarked from St. Louis, MO on an expedition to find a route to the Pacific Ocean. This expedition has been commemorated by many public lands sites along the route they journeyed, including Gateway Arch National Park and the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center at Gavin’s Point Dam. While the kids in your life are cooped up indoors, you can make these working telescopes and go on your own pretend expedition. Since the telescopes are actually functional, you can also use them to view the winter landscape and wildlife out your window! Click here to view the instructions.

Bake an Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

One of visitors’ favorite rooms at President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site is the quaint 1940s-era kitchen, which is fitted out to look as it did when President Clinton lived in the home as a child. It is easy to imagine the family enjoying many warm meals in the modest home, including a nice pie like the one on display. If you want to recreate that same cozy feeling, try baking a delicious old-fashioned apple pie. You can serve it warm on a chilly day or make it à la mode with some vanilla ice cream! Click here to view the instructions.

Weave a Diversity Heart

On September 23, 1957, nine African American teenagers entered Little Rock Central High School, defying an angry mob of adults protesting the desegregation of the school. Today, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site commemorates the story of those brave students as well as the broader civil rights movement in the United States. It is vital that we learn about and remember the struggles in our nation’s history.

If you’d like to help a young person learn to respect people with all shades of skin color, we have a fun craft for you – create a diversity heart. This charming activity was created for classroom students but it’s easy to do at home and doesn’t require many materials. Once it’s complete, it can display the many different skin tones we see in the world, including yours! Just follow the step-by-step instructions here.

Create a Stuffed Horse

Fans of Ulysses S. Grant probably know the former U.S. president was a superb horseman who kept a number of horses while he lived at White Haven. How about creating a little horse of your own? Younger kids will probably need help making this unique little craft, but the teamwork will be half the fun!

You’ll find complete instructions on making your stuffed horse here.

Make a Whirligig

Kids have always played with toys, but a few hundred years ago there were no stores or websites that sold toys. So what did a child play with when growing up in French Colonial America, like in Ste. Ge n eviève, Missouri? They created their own toys!

A whirligig was a favorite among 18^th century children. This little spinning toy was easy to make from just a few common materials, such as buttons, worn out coins, or hammered musket balls. It was almost as much fun to make as it was to play with.

Want to make your own paper whirligig? Check out these simple instructions. The more you decorate it, the better it looks!

A National Park named after a Saint?

Published on October 3, 2023December 6, 2023 by JNPA1 Comment

One of our partner park sites – Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park – understandably carries the name of the small Missouri town where it’s located. But have you ever wondered who the “real” Sainte Genevieve was?

Now known as the Patron Saint of Paris, Geneviève lived in 5^th century France, where she was widely admired for her piety, devotion, and charitable works. She had frequent visions of angels and saints, and she was appointed by the bishop of Paris to look after other religious women of the city. Though she was reportedly born to a wealthy family in a Paris suburb, Geneviève followed an austere lifestyle. Not only did she impose strict punishments on herself, she ate only twice a week, surviving on small portions of barley bread and beans.

In 451 when Attila the Hun threatened to attack Paris, Geneviève persuaded the panic-stricken residents of the city not to flee but to pray. When Attila’s army diverted to Orléans instead, many credited her intervention with saving Paris. Years later she prevented famine by penetrating a military blockade and delivering much-needed grain to the city.

After living a remarkable 90 years, Geneviève was laid to rest in a Paris abbey. Her burial site became a place of pilgrimage, as worshippers reported many instances of miracles and cures attributed to her intercession. Even today, her name is invoked during natural disasters such as drought, flooding, and widespread fever.

When the town of Ste. Geneviève was founded along the Mississippi River in the 1750s, the French Catholic immigrants named their settlement after Geneviève in the hopes she would protect them from the trials and hardships they would encounter in their new home.

The staff at Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park also honor her legacy with a statue of the beloved saint on an outside wall of the historic Jean-Baptiste Vallé House. Be sure to look for it next time you visit the park.