| Louis Blanchette | | | | Carlos de Hault de Lassus appointed him |
| | | | commandant of the Femme Osage District, which |
| Louis Blanchette was a Frenchman who | | | | he served until the United States government |
| travelled to the Americas, it is said, for | | | | assumed control in 1804. The name of the |
| adventure. According to Hopewell's Legends of | | | | town, San Carlos, was anglicized to become |
| the Missouri and Mississippi: | | | | St. Charles. |
| | | | |
| In the year 1765, a Frenchman, called | | | | Lewis and Clark |
| Blanchette Chasseur, animated by that love of | | | | |
| adventure which characterizes all who have | | | | William Clark arrived in St. Charles on May |
| lived a roving and restless life, ascended | | | | 16, 1804. With him were 40 men and three |
| the Missouri, with a few followers, for the | | | | boats; there they made final preparations, as |
| purpose of forming a settlement in the then | | | | they waited for Meriwether Lewis to arrive |
| remote wilderness. | | | | from St. Louis. They attended dances, |
| | | | dinners, and a church service during this |
| According to Hopewell's rather romantic | | | | time, and the excited town was very |
| account, Blanchette met another Frenchman | | | | hospitable to the explorers. |
| (Bernard Guillet) at the site of St. Charles | | | | |
| in 1765. Blanchette, determined to settle at | | | | Lewis arrived via St. Charles Rock Road on |
| the site, asked if Guillet, who had become | | | | May 20, and the expedition launched the next |
| the chief of a Dakota tribe, had chosen a | | | | day in a keelboat at 3:30 pm. St. Charles was |
| name for it. | | | | the last established American town they would |
| | | | visit for more than two and a half years. |
| "I called the place 'Les Petites Cotes' " | | | | |
| replied Bernard, "from the sides of the hills | | | | State Capital |
| that you see." | | | | |
| | | | When Missouri was granted statehood in 1821, |
| "By that name shall it be called," said | | | | a decision was made to build a "City of |
| Blanchette Chasseur, "for it is the echo of | | | | Jefferson" to serve as the state capital, in |
| nature — beautiful from its | | | | the center of the state, overlooking the |
| simplicity." | | | | Missouri River. Since this land was |
| | | | undeveloped at the time, a temporary capital |
| Blanchette settled there in 1769 under the | | | | was needed. St. Charles beat eight other |
| authority of the Spanish governor of Upper | | | | cities in a competition to house the |
| Louisiana, and served as its civil and | | | | temporary capitol, offering free meeting |
| military leader until his death in 1793. | | | | space for the legislature in rooms located |
| During this time perhaps only a couple dozen | | | | above a hardware store. This building still |
| buildings were built. Although the settlement | | | | stands today and may be toured. The Missouri |
| was under Spanish jurisdiction, the settlers | | | | government continued to meet there until |
| themselves remained primarily French | | | | Jefferson City was ready in 1826. |
| nationals. | | | | |
| | | | German Immigration |
| San Carlos | | | | |
| | | | Gottfried Duden was a German who visited in |
| The first church, built in 1791, was | | | | the area in 1824. Travelling under the |
| dedicated to San Carlos Borromeo, and the | | | | guidance of Daniel M. Boone, he wrote |
| town became known as San Carlos del Misuri: | | | | extensive accounts of life in St. Charles |
| "St. Charles of the Missouri". This church | | | | County during his year there. These he |
| was destroyed by a tornado in 1916. | | | | published upon his return to Germany in 1829, |
| | | | and his favorable impressions of the area led |
| Daniel Boone | | | | to the immigration of a number of Germans in |
| | | | 1833. The first permanent German settler in |
| The first American-born Europeans to settle | | | | the region was probably Louis Eversman, who |
| in the region were Daniel Boone and his | | | | arrived with Duden but decided to stay. |
| family. The Spanish Lieutenant-Governor | | | | |