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Florissant is a city of about 52,000 people in north St. Louis County, Missouri, a few miles from the meeting of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. French settlers founded it in the late 1700s as St. Ferdinand de Florissant, and it is one of the oldest towns west of the Mississippi. Its name means flowering, a nod to the fertile valley the French farmed.
The heart of the city's past is Old Town Florissant, a grid of brick and frame houses along Rue St. Francois and nearby streets. The Old St. Ferdinand Shrine, completed in 1821, is the oldest Catholic church building between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains and is linked to St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. Small historic homes such as Casa Alvarez from the Spanish colonial era and the Taille de Noyer House recall the frontier town.
Today Florissant is a mainly residential city with large parks, the James J. Eagan Center and the Valley of Flowers Festival each May. Sioux Passage Park on the Missouri River bluffs and downtown St. Louis, about 20 minutes south, are easy add-ons.
A brick church completed in 1821, the oldest Catholic church building between the Mississippi and the Rockies, with an adjoining convent where St. Rose Philippine Duchesne taught. Volunteers lead tours of the church, convent rooms and museum. Open on a limited schedule, so check before visiting.
A modest frame house built around 1790 for Eugenio Alvarez, a Spanish military official, when the area was under Spanish rule. It is one of the oldest surviving homes in the region and a good example of colonial building. It is owned by the historical society; check for open house days.
A historic house that began as a log trading cabin in the 1790s and grew into a larger home, now standing on the grounds of McCluer High School and kept as a museum by the Florissant Valley Historical Society. Its name means walnut grove. Tours are offered on set days, mostly in warmer months.
The historic core of Florissant around Rue St. Francois and St. Denis Street, with French street names, 19th-century brick homes, small shops and restaurants. Many buildings are in local historic districts. Walk it in an hour, stopping at the shrine and the old homes, and look for markers explaining their past.
A large St. Louis County park on bluffs above the Missouri River on the north edge of Florissant, with wooded hiking trails, ball fields, picnic shelters and river overlooks. It is quiet on weekdays and good for birding. Trails can be muddy after rain, so wear sturdy shoes.
A city park near Old Town Florissant with shady lawns, picnic shelters, a playground and walking paths for an easy stroll. It is a convenient place for a break while touring the historic district. The park is free and also hosts some community events during the year.
A spring festival held in Florissant each May since the 1960s, with a parade, carnival rides, live music, craft booths and food stands. It celebrates the city's flowering-valley name. It is a big local event, so expect crowds and limited parking near the park.
A nature area run by the Ferguson-Florissant School District, with short trails through woods, prairie and along a creek, plus a visitor center with animals and exhibits. It is used for school programs but the trails are often open to the public. Check hours and bring bug spray in summer.
Florissant's civic center, with a theater for concerts and community productions, an indoor pool, fitness areas and event halls. It sits beside the Florissant Civic Center Park. Check the city's calendar for shows and family events, which are often low-cost or free.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Chuck Morris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Paul Sableman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Paul Sableman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Chuck Morris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: LittleT889, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: RoiSTL, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Chuck Morris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Chuck Morris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Mike Kalasnik from Charlotte, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tmharter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Tmharter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Tmharter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Chuck Morris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Chuck Morris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Chuck Morris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Historic American Buildings Survey, creator Mullanphy, John, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
