On the recordFebruary 5, 2018
I am pleased to be here today to speak on behalf of this bill, the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park Establishment Act, and on the behalf of the community of Ste. Genevieve. Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, is home to one of the largest collections of French colonial architecture in the United States and is one of the oldest colonial settlements west of the Mississippi River dating back to the early 1700s. For years, the community of Ste. Genevieve has celebrated its history and unique culture through numerous festivals and annual events. Over time, the Federal Government has begun to catch on. One of the town's historic homes is a National Historic Landmark, several other homes are on the National Register of Historic Places, and a large area of the town itself is designated as a National Historic Landmark district, one of the oldest in the country. In May of 2016, the National Park Service concluded and released a Final Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment for Ste. Genevieve. This study was the result of legislation passed over 10 years previously, which tasked the Park Service with determining whether or not the resources at Ste. Genevieve met the criteria for inclusion in the National Park System. Happily, the Park Service study concluded what the people of Ste. Genevieve already knew: that Ste. Genevieve's large and unique collection of vertical log houses rises to national significance.…
