French Village in St. Francois County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Petit Canada (French Village)

Photographed by Thomas Smith, July 22, 2023

1. Petit Canada (French Village) Marker

Inscription. Petit Canada (French Village) was visited by explorers and missionaries in the early 1700's. Later mid-century miners leaving the King's Highway at Bloomsdale established a permanent camp here on their way to Old Mines. The first settlers were French Canadians involved in fur trapping and mining. By 1797 there were 20 furnaces around French Village smelting ore. Although Mass had been offered by passing missionaries earlier, in 1828 St. Anne's was established as the first permanent parish in St. Francois County. The priest rode from Ste. Genevieve to say Mass in a log church for 18 families. Twenty years later Father John Anselm became the first resident pastor. At this time St. Anne was one of only 48 parishes in the entire state and served 525 members. The present church was built in 1871-1874 and rebuilt after a fire in 1919. At various times St. Anne ministered to Catholics at Bloomsdale, Zell, Lawrenceton, Farmington and Bonne Terre. As mining moved into the richer producing "Lead Belt" during the last half of the 1800's French Village became primarily a farming area. The role of St. Anne Parish reversed and it became

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a mission of Bonne Terre, then Bloomsdale and Lawrenceton. From 1964 to the present it is again a mission of Bonne Terre. Today this beautiful country, as always, is an attraction to visitors and challenge to numerous new settlers.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Immigration • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1797.

Location. 37° 58.358′ N, 90° 23.4′ W. Marker is in French Village, Missouri, in St. Francois County. It is at the intersection of Brickey Road and State Highway Y, on the left when traveling east on Brickey Road. The marker is found at St. Anne Catholic Church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5391 Highway Y, French Village MO 63036, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Missouri. It is also in the American Ozarks,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the

Photographed by Thomas Smith, July 22, 2023

2. Petit Canada (French Village) Marker

Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Dedicated to all our Veterans (here, next to this marker); Slave Cabin (approx. 7.1 miles away); Artesian Spring / Valles Mines (approx. 7.1 miles away); In Memory of Aime Amant Vaille (approx. 7.1 miles away); These Gave All (approx. 9 miles away); Bonne Terre (approx. 9.4 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 10.9 miles away); The "Old Elvins" Veterans Park Memorial (approx. 12.2 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on November 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 24, 2023, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 596 times since then and 117 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 24, 2023, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.