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National Register of Historic Places: Frenchtown Historic District

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Situated along the Missouri River, the Frenchtown Heritage Museum & Research Center is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of St. Charles and a neighborhood called Frenchtown, which, as its name indicates, was where the local French community lived (they moved there beginning around the 1830s after German and other immigrants arrived). The museum, which is housed in a former fire station built in 1880, features exhibit space, a research room, and a garden where a caboose built in 1926 is on display. Inside, visitors will see an 1850 hand-drawn hook ladder wagon and other firefighting-related material, a model railroad display, photographs, and displays about Frenchtown architecture and historical businesses. The caboose serves as a learning center and is available for rent. The museum opened in 2003.

St. Charles was established in 1769 by French fur traders and became the first capital of Missouri. This walking tour starts at the Frenchtown Heritage Museum & Research Center and includes several museums and historic buildings, including a former school for African American children during the era of segregation. Other highlights of the tour include Odd Fellows Hall, St. Charles County Historical Society, and the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site. The tour concludes at the Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum.

The Franklin School was originally built in 1855 as a Catholic school for the St. Charles Borremeo parish. In 1870, the St. Charles school board purchased the Franklin School building for $3500 from St. Louis University. On October 7, 1902, the St. Charles School District opened Franklin School for the district's African American children, to relieve overcrowding at Lincoln School. It graduated its first student, Clarence Thomas Shelton, in 1922; its first four-year high school class of 10 students in 1933; and its last class on June 2, 1955, at which point Missouri's schools had begun the process of racial integration.

Franklin School

The church was built with handmade bricks and hand-hewn timbers. During the week, it was used as a school for children during the day and adults in the evening. The first service held in the church was such an important event for the African-American community that the first mayor of St. Charles, Dr. Ludwell Powell (who was a slave owner), attended.A few months after the Civil War ended, a group of five Black trustees assumed ownership. Within a few years, however, the building became too small for the growing congregation and a new building was erected in 1872. The original church was sold to the Union Benevolent Society of St. Charles in 1874 which used it until 1943. A few years later, a local couple bought the building and converted it into a home. It was then rented out beginning in 1975 and later restored to its current use as a historic site.

This small historic house of worship, named the African Church by its founders, holds tremendous significance for the local African-American community of St. Charles. The sanctuary was built c.1855 by enslaved persons and was the first church building of the St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, a congregation now located in a larger structure nearby on Washington Street. The original building is an important religious, social, and educational symbol for the African-American community. It is also a well-preserved example of antebellum (pre-Civil War) vernacular architecture. For these reasons, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

African Church (1855)

The Old City Hall building is significant for its association with the city's civic and commercial life. As stated above, the previous building was a thriving hub of economic activity where local farmers and merchants could sell their goods. It was also used as a social gathering place, and the St. Charles Board of Trustees, which governed St. Charles before it was incorporated as a city in 1849, met here. The 1832 building, which was expanded in 1832, stood until 1886 after&nbsp;the City Council rejected several proposals to renovate it. The new building was used until 1973 when a new City Hall building was erected. The&nbsp;St. Charles County Historical Society bought the Old City Hall building in 1982.

Housed in the historic Old City Hall building, the St. Charles County Historical Society was founded in 1956. Its mission is to preserve the history of the county, particularly local genealogical records which are stored in the society's archives. Other materials in the collection include photographs, circuit court records, and business records. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was constructed in 1886 and is the second structure at this location; the first, which was built in 1823 and called the Market and Fish House, was torn down.  

St. Charles County Historical Society

The IOOF left the building by 1904 but other fraternal organizations and banks would occupy the building at least through the 1930s. At some point, the building housed city offices and courtrooms. The building has been privately owned since 1981 and was restored in 1986. It is located next to the Old City Hall building, which is featured in its own Clio entry.

Built in 1878 by the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows (IOOF), St. Charles Odd Fellows Hall is an excellent example of Second Empire architecture. The IOOF, which is a fraternal organization, was established in Missouri in 1835; the St. Charles chapter, or lodge, was founded in 1858. The second floor included a dance hall, theater space, and a lounge, and the third floor was used as meeting space. The first floor and lower level were leased to a bank and a title company. Today, it appears that the building continues to be used for commercial purposes. 

St. Charles Odd Fellows Hall 

The First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site is, as its name indicates, where Missouri's first seat of government was located. Before being transferred to Jefferson City, the state government operated in this brick building from 1821-1826. The building is actually four connected buildings; the second floor was used by the state government (and the St. Charles County Court, County Circuit Court, and the Superior Court). Stores were located on the first by the owners of the buildings, who offered the second floor to be the location of the state government. It is not clear when exactly the buildings were constructed, but certainly prior to 1821. The building is a Missouri State Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can learn about the site's history from staff dressed in period clothing and participate in activities such as basket weaving, butter churning and rope making.

First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site

Stone Row is a series of historic buildings along Main Street that date to the 1800s. The two-story buildings are listed collectively on the National Register of Historic Places and were built with stone or brick. They were not built at the same time, which is reflected in their different appearances. The structure on the northern end (318 Main St.) was built around 1820 by Thomas Lindsey, who was the founder of the city's first Presbyterian church.   Two buildings located in the center of the row were built around 1820 and 1848, respectively. Between 1821-1826, the state and city jails were located at the row. The buildings today are now occupied by various businesses including Boone's Colonial Inn.  

Stone Row

Situated prominently in Frontier Park along the Missouri River, this monument  commemorates the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804-1806), which was tasked with exploring the newly acquired Louisiana Territory—purchased from France in 1803—and finding a route to the Pacific Ocean. The 15-foot-tall statue depicts the famous explorers William Clark, Meriwether Lewis, and Clark's dog, Seaman, who accompanied them on the journey. The monument is located in St. Charles because the town was where Lewis and Clark made their final preparations between May 16-21. This was not where the expedition officially started; that recognition belongs to Camp Dubois, which was near Wood River, Illinois. The statue was created by artist Pat Kennedy and dedicated on May 18, 2003. Just to the south is the Lewis & Clark Boathouse museum.

Lewis and Clark Monument

Local residents Mimi and Darold Jackson opened the museum in 1985.&nbsp;In 1989, St. Charles was certified as an official site of the National Lewis &amp; Clark Historic Trail. As for the keelboat, its construction was overseen&nbsp;by&nbsp;Glen Bishop using drawings and journals housed in the Smithsonian Institution. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the first one but another one was eventually built, along with the&nbsp;two pirogues. All three required thousands of volunteer hours. They have been seen in movies, documentaries, television, and are used in reenactments.&nbsp;

The Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum is a living history museum dedicated to the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1803-1806). It is located here because St. Charles was the where Lewis and Clark made their final preparations for the expedition. The museum features a replica keelboat and two pirogues (small boats), Native American displays, and Missouri River habitats. The keelboat and pirogues are not for just display only; they are regularly used on the river for reenactments. In addition, the museum also offers a variety of classes and programs focusing on history, nature, and the environment. 

St. Charles Missouri Walking Tour

Frenchtown Heritage Museum & Research Center

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