The Felix Vallé House State Historic Site is a state-owned historic preserve comprising the Felix Vallé House and other early 19th-century buildings in
Ste. Genevieve,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
. It is managed by the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) of the government of the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states an ...
.
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History
The Vallé family traced their history back to a French colonial officer. They also had a long connection with slavery, which was common at that time in history. Felix Vallé held two enslaved man, Isaac and Joseph (aged mid-30s and 22-24 respectively), and his nephew Neree Vallé held Theodore (aged 25). They worked in the lead mines owned by Felix Vallé and formed part of the 1852 Ste. Genevieve Stampede trying to escape to Illinois. They were recaptured after a reward offered by the Vallés.
Additional images
Modern day
The site offers tours of the Felix Vallé House, a Federal-style
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the newly founded United States between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was heavily based on the works of Andrea Palladio with several inn ...
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
structure built in 1818 by Jacob Phillipson, a Jewish merchant from Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, that in 1824 became the commercial outlet and home of Felix Vallé and Odile Pratte-Vallé.[ An authentically stocked mercantile store representing the firm of Menard & Vallé is on display. Other features of the house include original mantels and interior trim, early Empire furnishings, an exterior staircase leading to the second-floor bedrooms, and a garden with original brick and frame outbuildings.][
The Bauvais-Amoureux House (1792), which is open seasonally, and the Dr. Benjamin Shaw House (1819) are also part of the ]historic site
A historic site or heritage site is an official location where pieces of political, military, cultural, or social history have been preserved due to their cultural heritage value. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have been rec ...
.[
]
References
Further reading
*Aron, Stephen, ''American Confluence: The Missouri Frontier from Borderland to Border State'', Indiana University Press, 2009, .
*Deposki, Richard, ''Images of America: Ste. Genevieve'', Chicago, IL: Arcadia Publishing, 2008, .
*Evans, Mark L., ''The Commandant’s Last Ride'', Tucson, AZ: Patrice Press, 1998, .
*Foster, Gerald, ''American Houses: A Field Guide to the Architecture of the Home'', New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2004, .
*Franzwa, Gregory M., ''The Story of Old Ste. Genevieve'', Tucson: Patrice Press, 1998, .
*Missouri Life Magazine, ''Lewis And Clark’s Journey Across Missouri'', Booneville, MO: Missouri Life Magazine, 2003.
*Naeger, Bill, Patti Naeger, and Mark Evans, ''Ste. Genevieve: A Leisurely Stroll through History''. Ste. Genevieve, MO: Merchant Street Publishing, 1998, .
*Peterson, Charles E., ''Colonial St. Louis: Building a Creole Capital'', Tucson, AZ: Patrice Press, 2001, .
*Schroeder, Walter A., ''Opening the Ozarks: A Historical Geography of Missouri’s Ste. Genevieve District'', 1760–1830, Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 2002, .
*Stepenoff, Bonnie, ''From French Community to Missouri Town'', Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 2006, .
*Wehmeyer, Janice C., ''Ste. Genevieve, MO: A Guided Tour Through the Past and Present'', self-published: 1993
External links
Felix Vallé House State Historic Site
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Felix Vallé House State Historic Site Map
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
{{DEFAULTSORT:Felix Valle House State Historic Site
Missouri State Historic Sites
Historic house museums in Missouri
Protected areas established in 1970
Museums in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri
Industry museums in Missouri
Jews and Judaism in Missouri
French-Canadian culture in Missouri
French-American culture in Missouri
Missouri culture
French colonial architecture
1970 establishments in Missouri