Missouri Landmarks

The Louis Bolduc House

The Louis Bolduc House, also known as Maison Bolduc, is located in Ste. Geneviève, Missouri.  It was built in 1740 by Peter Bolduc, a Canadian lead miner, merchant and planter.

The house is the first instance of an authentic and complete restoration of a French colonial house of the Mississippi Valley.  It is also a rare example of poteaux-sur-solle construction:   The house is built with “posts on a sill”.   The heavy oak timbers are set about six inches apart and infilled with plaster made from mud, Spanish moss, and animal hair.

It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970.  It is also a part of the Ste. Genevieve Historic District, which is also a National Historic Landmark.

Attic Truss of the Bolduc House

The Louis Bolduc House was originally built near the river on the Le Grand Champ field.  After the great flood of 1783, the house, along with the rest of the village, was moved to its present location, which is on higher ground to escape flooding from the Mississippi River.  It was taken apart and reassembled in 1784.

The house features a distinctive stockade fence, galleries and hip roof.  The steep roof, supported by heavy tresses held together by mortises and tenons, spreads out on all four sides to cover the gallery.  The photograph at right shows the Norman Truss in the Bolduc House.  The truss is made from hewn oak.

This was the home of Louis Bolduc (1734-1815), a prosperous lead miner, merchant, and planter, as well as a leading figure of the French village of Ste. Genevieve, from about 1785 until his death.

The structure is an excellent and little-altered example of a French Colonial house of poteaux-sur-sole (posts on sill, with stone foundation) construction with bouzillage (clay and grass) wall filling.

Restored Interior of the Bolduc House

The house is operated as a historic house museum by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Missouri.

Address:
123 South Main Street
Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670

Telephone: (573) 883-3105

Open:
Monday  through Saturday, April 1 to Nov 1:
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Easter Sunday.
Directions:
From St. Louis, follow I-55 south for 60 miles to Ste. Genevieve Exit.  From Main Street in the center of the village, there are well-marked directions to the house.