New Bourbon, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
New Bourbon, Missouri
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Abandoned village
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Location of Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Ste. Genevieve |
| Township | Ste. Genevieve |
| Elevation | 436 ft (133 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
63670
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| Area code(s) | 573 |
| FIPS code | 29-51705 |
| GNIS feature ID | 741096 |
New Bourbon (called Nouvelle Bourbon in French) is an abandoned village in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, United States. It's about two and a half miles south of Ste. Genevieve. This village no longer exists today, but it has an interesting history from when it was a French settlement.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The village was first called Nouvelle Bourbon. This name honored Charles IV, who was the King of Spain from 1788 to 1819. He belonged to the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon. The name also remembered Louis XVI, the King of France from the Bourbon family who was executed.
A Glimpse into History
How New Bourbon Started
The village of Nouvelle Bourbon was founded in 1793. This happened because Baron Carondelet, the Governor of Upper Louisiana, ordered it. The goal was to create a special place for French families who supported the king. These families had moved to Gallipolis in Ohio but were not happy there.
The governor wanted the new settlement to be "under the special protection of the august sovereign who governs Spain." This meant it would be loyal to King Charles IV of Spain.
Early Leaders and Names
Pierre de Hault de Lassus de Luzière was the first leader of New Bourbon. He arrived in August 1793. He came from a wealthy family in Hainault, a region in Flanders.
The village was first known as "Village des Petites Cotes." This French name means "village of little hills." It got this name because the land gently sloped away from the river. Later, people started using the English name, New Bourbon.
A Home for French Nobility
New Bourbon also became a home for French noble families. These families had left France after the French Revolution. One famous resident was Jean Rene Guiho, a lord from Nantes, Brittany. He was invited to live in the village and was given a large piece of land.
Important District Center
The colony of Upper Louisiana was on the west side of the Mississippi River. It was split into two main areas: the Ste. Genevieve District and the New Bourbon District. Each district had its own leader. New Bourbon village was the main center for the New Bourbon District.
In 1793, François Vallé built a mill on a creek. This creek is now called Dodge’s Creek. Today, very little remains of this community. Yet, it was once very important in the French colony of Upper Louisiana.
Village Layout and Design
New Bourbon was a carefully planned village. It had three main parts. The center of the settlement was the village itself. This area had square lots called terrain or emplacement. Each lot usually had a house, a small garden, and a place for farm animals. There might also be a barn for grain and a shed for corn. These lots were often surrounded by a fence.
At the very heart of the village was a Catholic church. There was also an open public space called a place for people to gather.
Surrounding Areas
The village was surrounded by a shared area called a commons (or parc). This land was used for many things. People could graze their cattle there. They could also gather wood for fuel and fences, and pick berries and fruit.
Beyond the commons were the common fields, called champs. These fields were divided into long, narrow strips. They were used to grow crops like wheat, corn, and oats. After the harvest, cattle and horses would graze in these fields. Their manure helped to fertilize the soil.
The outermost areas were the royal domains. These were also like a commons, available for general use by the villagers.
How Many People Lived There?
In the year 1800, New Bourbon had about 270 people. But the population started to get smaller soon after that. By 1804, there were only 210 residents. In 1807, the number dropped to about 100. Between 1815 and 1830, only around 40 people lived in the village.
Where Was New Bourbon Located?
New Bourbon was located about 2.5 miles south of Ste. Genevieve. It sat on the bluffs, which are high cliffs, overlooking the Le Grand Champ bottomlands. These lowlands are along the Mississippi River. The village was part of Ste. Genevieve Township.
