Picture courtesy of Jim Kuntz

FRENCH INFLUENCE

French trappers began to explore this area in the 17th century. The entire Missouri and Mississippi Valley were claimed for France by LaSalle in 1682. France ceded the area to Spain in 1762 in the secret Treaty of Fontainebleau, yet the French presence remained. In 1769 the French-Canadian trapper and hunter Louis Blanchette founded the village here and named it 'Les Petites Côtes' (The Little Hills) for the gentle and beautiful bluffs at the site. The village developed into a thriving trading post due to its location along the Missouri River and the abundant wild game and fish available. The French-Canadian settlers were described as people of 'natural genius and vivacity'. France regained formal control of the area from Spain in 1800, and then sold the territory to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

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