Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

The path of totality – Solar eclipse April 8, 2024

We had a great visit to Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, to view the total eclipse of 2024. It was truly worth all the hype. The town hosted a big eclipse party for two days with several local bands playing. It is such a festive and walkable city—the quaint streets, lined with blooming dogwoods and giant pecan trees, were filled with hundreds of eclipse visitors like us.

Ste. Genevieve has a remarkable history as the first European settlement in Missouri.  It was established in 1750 by French Canadian settlers who were drawn to the rich farm land near the Mississippi River. The town has been designated as a National Historic Park through the National Park Service. This helps the city maintain its authentic collection of carefully restored eighteenth and early nineteenth century structures, built in traditional French creole style. You can tour many of these homes as living museums.

Scott’s ancestors first moved to the area in the mid 1860s. His family was an integral part of the town, as four generations of grandfathers served as the town’s family doctors. His grandmothers grew up in a home famous for its architecture. It is the Vital St. Gemme Beuvais House, one of only five surviving in the United States using a French creole building style called poteaux en terre or posts-in-the-ground construction. Hand hewn cedar logs were driven vertically, directly into the ground to form the foundation and walls. There are three homes in Ste. Genevieve built with this design. They have all survived the New Madrid earthquakes, several major floods, and two centuries of potential termite damage and rot.

We loved walking the streets and exploring many shops and restaurants. We met Patrick, the owner of the Main Street Inn, a beautiful bed and breakfast that has been fully restored. He is a fountain of information on the history of the town. We also loved visiting ASL Pewter, locally owned and filled with gorgeous pewter works of art. The owner was even making commemorative coins for the eclipse

My favorite part of the weekend was the afternoon of the eclipse. As the sky went dark, a band played “Total Eclipse of the Heart”; and after three minutes of darkness, they played the Beatles “Here Comes the Sun.” It was magical, and the experience of seeing the eclipse reminded us how insignificant we are in this great universe.