[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 77 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S6985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BOND:
  S. 1105. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study 
the suitability and feasibility of designating the French Colonial 
Heritage Area in the State of Missouri as a unit of the National Park 
System, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
recognizing the historical significance of downtown Sainte Genevieve, 
MO. Sainte Genevieve was the first European settlement west of the 
Mississippi River, and still contains many structures and artifacts 
that have survived from its rich early history. Establishing this area 
as a unit of the National Park System will provide an unparalleled 
opportunity for Americans to be educated about our Nation's colonial 
past.
  Sainte Genevieve was founded by French settlers in 1735. These early 
pioneers traveled south from French Canada, and built the rare French 
Colonial style structures that remain in place to this day. Today, the 
city contains an invaluable wealth of Native American and French 
Colonial sites, artifacts, and architecture. Perhaps most impressively, 
downtown Sainte Genevieve contains three of only five poteaux-en-Terre, 
post in the ground, vertical log French homes remaining in North 
America, dating from approximately 1800.
  In addition to the historic downtown district, the area adjacent to 
Sainte Genevieve is rich in historic sites. The ``Grand Champ'' common 
field of the French colonists still retains its original field land 
pattern. The area's saline salt springs were an important industry 
source for Native American and European settlers. And nearby ceremonial 
mounds are evidence of a prehistoric Native American village.
  This area is a truly valuable asset to the State of Missouri, and I 
feel that it is only fair to share it with the entire Nation by 
establishing the French Colonial Heritage Area as a unit of the 
National Park System. My legislation would take the first step toward 
such an establishment by directing the National Park Service to conduct 
a study of the historic features of Sainte Genevieve. After a thorough 
study, I am confident that the National Park Service will determine 
that Sainte Genevieve is the best tool with which to tell the important 
and fascinating story of the French in the New World.
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