Ste. Genevieve was recognized as having "the most significant collection of French colonial architecture in the U.S," according to the preservation group. The town of 4,400 people was settled by the French in the early 1700s, making it one of Missouri's oldest settlements and the only French colonial village left in the U.S. Ste. Genevieve is located on the Mississippi River, 64 miles south of St. Louis.



Ownership of the territory was alternately French, Spanish and American, but the French traditions and architecture persisted no matter who was in charge.