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St. Charles history

Louis Blanchetteuntil the United States government
Louis Blanchette was a Frenchman whoassumed control in 1804. The name of the
travelled to the Americas, it is said,town, San Carlos, was anglicized to
for adventure. According to Hopewell'sbecome St. Charles.
Legends of the Missouri and Mississippi:Lewis and Clark
In the year 1765, a Frenchman, calledWilliam Clark arrived in St. Charles on
Blanchette Chasseur, animated by thatMay 16, 1804. With him were 40 men and
love of adventure which characterizesthree boats; there they made final
all who have lived a roving and restlesspreparations, as they waited for
life, ascended the Missouri, with a fewMeriwether Lewis to arrive from St.
followers, for the purpose of forming aLouis. They attended dances, dinners,
settlement in the then remoteand a church service during this time,
wilderness.and the excited town was very hospitable
According to Hopewell's rather romanticto the explorers.
account, Blanchette met anotherLewis arrived via St. Charles Rock Road
Frenchman (Bernard Guillet) at the siteon May 20, and the expedition launched
of St. Charles in 1765. Blanchette,the next day in a keelboat at 3:30 pm.
determined to settle at the site, askedSt. Charles was the last established
if Guillet, who had become the chief ofAmerican town they would visit for more
a Dakota tribe, had chosen a name forthan two and a half years.
it.State Capital
"I called the place 'Les Petites Cotes'When Missouri was granted statehood in
" replied Bernard, "from the sides of1821, a decision was made to build a
the hills that you see.""City of Jefferson" to serve as the
"By that name shall it be called," saidstate capital, in the center of the
Blanchette Chasseur, "for it is the echostate, overlooking the Missouri River.
of nature — beautiful from itsSince this land was undeveloped at the
simplicity."time, a temporary capital was needed.
Blanchette settled there in 1769 underSt. Charles beat eight other cities in a
the authority of the Spanish governor ofcompetition to house the temporary
Upper Louisiana, and served as its civilcapitol, offering free meeting space for
and military leader until his death inthe legislature in rooms located above a
1793. During this time perhaps only ahardware store. This building still
couple dozen buildings were built.stands today and may be toured. The
Although the settlement was underMissouri government continued to meet
Spanish jurisdiction, the settlersthere until Jefferson City was ready in
themselves remained primarily French1826.
nationals.German Immigration
San CarlosGottfried Duden was a German who visited
The first church, built in 1791, wasin the area in 1824. Travelling under
dedicated to San Carlos Borromeo, andthe guidance of Daniel M. Boone, he
the town became known as San Carlos delwrote extensive accounts of life in St.
Misuri: "St. Charles of the Missouri".Charles County during his year there.
This church was destroyed by a tornadoThese he published upon his return to
in 1916.Germany in 1829, and his favorable
Daniel Booneimpressions of the area led to the
The first American-born Europeans toimmigration of a number of Germans in
settle in the region were Daniel Boone1833. The first permanent German settler
and his family. The Spanishin the region was probably Louis
Lieutenant-Governor Carlos de Hault deEversman, who arrived with Duden but
Lassus appointed him commandant of thedecided to stay.
Femme Osage District, which he served



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