The French were not just in Louisiana. They were all along the Mississippi.Â
Louisiana and Quebec are often what comes to mind when one imagines French colonial settlements in North America. However, they were all over the place along the Mississippi River. In fact, modern day Illinois was settled by the French before Louisiana.
Colonial North America in the early 1700s. The French were everywhere.
The French came for the fur trade and missionary work. They first settled near modern day Peoria but had moved on the Mississippi River by 1699. The French mission, turned village, of Cahokia was founded then. Further settled continued southwards. Kaskaskia was founded in 1703 as a mission and trading post. By the 1720s, many of these missions and fur trading posts became agricultural villages as well. The soils of the Mississippi Bottomlands are extremely fertile. Wheat, corn and other food stuffs became important trade goods. French Illinois would feed the French settlements in Lower Louisiana. New Orleans would not have survived if food hadn’t made it down the river.
The largest collection of Colonial French structures survives across the Mississippi from Kaskaskia, in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. Not a whole lot remains on the Illinois side of the river. It didn’t help that most of the French structures were built on a flood plain. A few buildings have been reconstructed or restored, but they are a bit neglected unfortunately.
The French colonial era officially ended in 1763. As a result of the French and Indian War (Seven Years War), France lost most of its territory in North America. The Illinois side of the Mississippi became British territory, and the west became Spanish. While the area was no longer administered by the French, it was still full of ethnically French people on both sides of the river.
Nothing remains of the original settlement of Kaskaskia. It fell into the river in the 1880s. Until then, Kaskaskia was still connected to Illinois. Now it is an island on the Missouri side of the river. A few remains of the French era can still be found nearby the original townsite in Illinois.
The Pierre Menard Home, constructed for a French resident of Kaskaskia around 1815. Even though it was built in 1815, it was built in a similar style as other French colonial homes. Pierre Menard was a wealthy French Canadian businessman and served as a presiding officer of the Illinois Territorial Legislator and as the first lieutenant governor, when Kaskaskia was the territorial capitol. His house was built on a gently sloping bluff that once over looked the town of Kaskaskia and the Kaskaskia River. It now overlooks the Mississippi River (the view is blocked by trees today).
Jana Irving French colonial houses are known for being built raised a few feet off the ground. They are also known for their double pitched hip roofs and covered porches. The dormers are not typical of the style, but they did exist in French architecture.
Jana Irving It probably once had a completely wrap-around porch. Additions were often added onto the large porches.
Jana Irving The stone kitchen has been restored in the back of the house. Kitchens were commonly separate structures.
Jana Irving Look at those glorious hand-hewed beams.
Fort Kaskaskia once overlooked the town of Kaskaskia high above on the bluff. The fort would have had a great view of the Mississippi River. Dating from around 1759, only some earthen remains remain, as it was never fully completed.
Jana Irving Not a whole lot here.
Jana Irving Except for this magical giant tree.
Jana Irving Due to the bad erosion and flooding, the bodies from three of Kaskaskia’s cemeteries were moved safely to the bluff.
Jana Irving I’m still surprised I didn’t get any chigger bites walking through this.
Jana Irving A decent view from near the fort. Nearby, there is a sign that reminds visitors that Lewis and Clark passed through Kaskaskia on their way west. Twelve soldiers were recruited from the area.
Not far to the north is Prairie du Rocher (“The Rock Prairie”), founded in 1722. Not much remains of the French colonial period in town. Flooding did a lot of damage.
Jana Irving One few remaining French colonial style buildings in Illinois, the Creole House. Only a half of the house dates to 1805. The other side dates to the 1850s and the roofing system has been redone.
Jana Irving The City Clerk’s Office building looks more like what the Creole House would have looked like initially. This one is a modern fabrication though.
Just a bit north is Fort du Chartres. The current fort (1750s) is a reconstruction of the third fort in this area. Flooding damaged the first two forts nearby. That didn’t dissuade them from building a stone fort in the flood zone. In 1772, the south wall fell into the river, but by that time, it was the British soldiers’ problem.
Jana Irving An impressive reconstruction.
Jana Irving The reconstruction of gate house happened in the 1930s.
Jana Irving The restored powder magazine. This is the only building to remain and may be the oldest building in Illinois.
Jana Irving A couple reconstructed fort buildings. There are many buildings that are not reconstructed, now noted by their foundations. The wall was also not reconstructed in the back of the fort.
Jana Irving The buildings now host a few reconstructed rooms. This one is a chapel.
Jana Irving An officer’s quarters, perhaps?
Heading norward towards St. Louis. Across the river in what is now East Carondelet. The Martin-Boismenue House is in rough shape. This small house was added onto over the centuries, making it a large farmhouse. You would never have guessed it was French colonial. The original house was built around 1790, in the village of Pierre du Pont.
Jana Irving Looks like it needs a new roof.
Jana Irving Some houses had open ceiling rafters for ventilation.
Cahokia was the first permanent village here started in 1690s as a mission to the local Native American tribes. Many of the French speaking residents moved across the river and founded St. Louis after the French and Indian War. The British won the territory east of the Mississippi River. The French were having none of that protestant business and left. Only a couple French colonial buildings still survive in Cahokia.
Jana Irving One being the residence turned courthouse. Unfortunately, the building was taken apart so it could be exhibited in the 1904 World’s Fair in Chicago. By the time the building was returned, not a whole lot of the original c. 1740 structure remained. Today, we see a reconstruction. It also should be white.
Jana Irving I had to go digging into my photo archives for the interior. In 2015, I drove by and found the site open, which is rare event for Illinois State Parks.
Jana Irving Cahokia is also known for its vertical log church, Holy Family. It was originally built in 1799. At some point, wooden siding was added to it, but that was all removed, and it was restored. It also should be white. The plaque in front says it is the oldest church west of the Allegheny Mountains. I swear everyone forgets that Santa Fe even exists. They have one dated to 1710.
Jana Irving Next door is the Jarrot Mansion, the oldest brick house in Illinois. Nicolas Jarrot, a French revolution refugee, built the home for his wife, in 1810.
This is really all that remains from when the French culturally dominated along this area of the Mississippi River. Buildings have been lost or torn down, or simply just rotted away. Many of the homes were built on the flood plain and have since been lost. They still celebrate their French heritage in Prairie du Rocher. French themed events have also become popular in the area. Don’t try to find French food though, that’s impossible.
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