Jean Baptiste Vallé House - Ste. Genevieve, Missouri - Pre-Victorian Historic Homes on Waymarking.com

Jean Baptiste Vallé House c1785

Jean Baptiste Vallé  built this maison de poteaux sur solle (upright logs resting on a stone sill) shortly after the town was moved to this site from its original location on the river bank.  Member of the leading family of the Colonial period, he was the last Spanish Commandant and the first American Governor of the Ste. Genevieve territory.  He was preceded in governing posts under the French and Spanish regimes by his father, François, and this elder brother François II.

The house was originally a typical story-and-a-half Ste. Genevieve Creole structure with Norman truss and hip roof, similar to the neighboring Bolduc House.  Sometime during the mid-19th century, it was radically "modernized" to approximate a two-story Victorian style house on a French Colonial framework.  The original upright log walls and stone basement were preserved as were the huge 46-feet-long exposed oak ceiling beams which run the full length of the building.

The traditional rose garden and grape arbor on the north side of the property were probably laid out at the time the house was built.  An ancient hickory tree traditionally called the Council Tree, once stood at the northern edge of the flower garden.  It has fallen a victim to lightning, storms and age so that now only a tall vine-covered stump remains.

The house has been continuously occupied and owned by only two families in its two centuries' history.  It remained in the possession of the Vallé  descendants until its purchase in 1865 by Leon Vion, a native of France.  It has belonged to his Papin descendants since then and is now the residence of Vion Papin Schram." ~ text of marker at site

Earliest Recorded Date of Construction: 01/01/1785 Architectural Period/Style: French Colonial Type of Building e.g. Country House, Stately Home, Manor: Village House Interesting Historical Facts or Connections: Home of the last Spanish Commandant and the first American Governor of the Ste. Genevieve territory. Listed Building Status (if applicable): Contributing building to National Landmark Historic District Main Material of Construction: Maison de Poteaux Sur Solle (upright logs resting on a stone sill) Private/Public Access: Private Related Website: [Web Link] Rating: Additional Dates of Construction: Not listed Architect (if known): Not listed Landscape Designer (if known): Not listed Admission Fee (if applicable): Not Listed Opening Hours (if applicable): Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/20/2020 Markerman62 visited it 09/13/2015 kJfishman visited it

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