Sainte Genevieve

Formed October 1, 1812 (4^th county)

Sainte Genevieve County (18,479), Sainte Genevieve (5,001)

The red brick, flat roof Federalist Revival facility was erected in 1887 and enlarged in 1915.  The courthouse is on 3^rd and Market streets.  United States Highway 61 by passes the town 11 blocks southwest of the courthouse.  Jerome B. Legg is the architect.  There was an 1823 version of the courthouse earlier also in Sainte Genevieve, the only county seat.  The county was created on October 1, 1812 as an original county (4^th county.)  The county and county seat are named for the patroness saint of Paris, France. 

Sainte Genevieve County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Sainte Genevieve, Madison, Saint Francois, and Washington counties and One County Court Judge serves Sainte Genevieve County.  The county is located in eastern Missouri on the Mississippi River border with Illinois.  Saint Louis, Missouri is northwest and Springfield, Missouri is southwest of the county.  The county center is 12.8 miles Southwest of Sainte Genevieve nearer Weingarten.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Illinois and Perry, Saint Francois, and Jefferson counties. 

The area of the county is 502 square miles.  It is 82 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 58 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 36.8 persons per square mile making it 49 out of 115 in the state.  Ste. Genevieve County has 32.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 55 passes northwest to southeast in the county from Jefferson County to Perry County.  United States Highway 61 parallels Interstate Highway 55 from Jefferson to Perry counties.  The county resembles a tea pot tipping southeast.  The City of Ste. Genevieve is located on the eastern border of the county.  Ste. Genevieve is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 27.1% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced SAENT GEN-E-VEEV.