(CS1.5) Keeping up with the Cabins: The Effects of Differing Stewardship on Three French Colonial Vertical Log Homes in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

Situated on the west bank of the Mississippi River, Ste. Genevieve is the oldest permanent European settlement in Missouri. Ste. Genevieve was established in 1735 by French-Canadian settlers and the land now called Missouri was added to the United States as a part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Early settlers utilized traditional French vernacular timber construction methods known as poteaux-en-terre (posts in the ground) and poteaux-sur-sole (posts on a sill) during the early development of this rural settlement. These methods emphasized the use of large vertical logs for structural framing members. After the Louisiana Purchase, these French building traditions began to fade. Over time, the majority of the French-era buildings were demolished, making these structures a rare vernacular typology.

This presentation will compare and contrast three remaining poteaux-sur-sole homes located in Ste. Genevieve: the Jean Baptiste Valle House, the Janis-Ziegler House, and the Delassus-Kern House. All three homes were built in the late 1790s, but today are in a spectrum of different conditions. The Jean Baptiste Valle House has long been associated with a family of great prominence within the community. As a result, this home received dedicated maintenance from both owners and community groups. The Janis-Ziegler House served as a family home, inn, and social center. Although its historic fabric was altered by various owners, damage due to severe flooding prompted one owner to restore original partitions and key architectural features. In contrast, the Delassus-Kern House was once a grand home, believed to be the residence of a prominent French nobleman. Despite its technological significance, the home was mothballed in the 1990s, and decades of deferred maintenance have resulted in the home’s current semi-ruinous state.

Each home has been subject to changing maintenance philosophies, flooding of the Mississippi River, and material deterioration over time. This presentation will focus on the evaluation of these three structures following their integration into the new Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park. This presentation will highlight the development of tailored treatment recommendations for each historic structure. Despite their common age, materiality and construction type, the preservation philosophies of previous owners and the extent of community engagement have affected the potential use of traditional repair materials and techniques, as well as the scale of intervention required.