The Creole House, in the old French colonial town of Prairie du Rocher, Illinois. The house dates from about 1800. According to the Great River Road travel website:
Located approximately 50 miles south of St. Louis is the town of Prairie du Rocher which translates to "prairie by the rock." The fourth European settlement in Illinois, this village was founded in 1722 shortly after the establishment of Fort de Chartres on a tract granted by the Royal Indian Company to Pierre Dugue Boisbriant, the commandant and builder of the fort. Situated on the fertile farmland beneath the Mississippi River bluffs now called the American Bottoms, Prairie du Rocher provided grain and other foodstuffs to New Orleans and other lower Louisiana Territory communities. A common field was granted in 1730 and the town’s first church was built in 1734.
Is there still a church in Prairie du Rocher?
ReplyDeleteSaint Joseph's is located in Prarie du Rocher. I took some photos of the exterior, and will put them up later. The parish dates from 1721, although the church (a fine looking brick Gothic Revival structure) appears to be late 19th century construction.
ReplyDeleteThanks coming down to the French Colonial Corridor of Southwestern Illinois! Did you make a trip to Fort de Chartres? The fort is beautiful in the snow, with the snow on the stone walls. Pierre Menard Home? You should come back in June for the Summer Rendezvous at Fort de Chartres (usually the first weekend in June). Also during the Rendezvous weekend, on Saturday, there is a candlelight house tour at the Pierre Menard Home, with desserts, made in the old summer kitchen. The desserts are to be from Lieutenant Governor Pierre Menard's era, 1766-1844.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks for posting St. Patrick's in Tipton. I am the one that mentioned it a while back--under Ss. Peter and Paul in Waterloo--
Your comment is where I got the idea for taking this tour.
ReplyDeleteI didn't actually get much photography done this time, for it was raining hard and was cold, windy, and miserable. My camera also fogged up quite a bit due to the cold and humidity, making it difficult to take photos. I've been to the fort and it is quite interesting, so I'll have to go back.