JOUR DE FETE OPENS; NEW LEVEE HIGHLIGHTS FESTIVAL

STE. GENEVIEVE -- Groundbreaking for a $48 million flood control project was the highlight of the 31st Annual Jour de Fete festival in historic Ste. Genevieve Saturday.

The city, founded in 1752 and located in the Mississippi River floodplain, contains the most and best preserved historic French Colonial architecture in the United States.

Representatives of the U.S. Army Crops of Engineers and the Ste. Genevieve Joint Levee Commission and numerous elected officials, including Rep. Richard Gephardt and Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, gathered at the site of the new levee east of Main Street.

The new levee will be the first to help protect Ste. Genevieve from flood devastation.

In 1993, only the heroic efforts of local residents and volunteers kept the old historic downtown district from total destruction from flood waters.

"In 1993 we were within 6 inches from all of this being under water," said Bob Rottler, businessman and Ste. Genevieve levee commissioner.

Rottler said he could have lost his business, Salvanus Manufacturing, in 1993 if the makeshift sand levee had broken and allowed 47.67 feet of river water to flow out.

"We worked around the clock," he said.

People came from all over the area to help, but without the new levee Rottler said he didn't know if even cooperation would get them through another flood.

"I don't know if we could get people to work that hard again," he said.

Rottler, who has lived in the area for 67 years, said the historic district has been in danger of complete destruction from flooding for many years. In 1973 the river rose to 43 feet.

"That year, some parts of Main Street were put under 6 feet of water," he said.

Many of the downtown businesses, historic homes and shops have been destroyed over the years by flood waters.

Rottler said he hopes his daughter-in-law's historic district gourmet coffee shop, Colonial Thymes, will not have to face floodwaters thanks to the new levee.

"We are going to beat this," he said.

Jack Trapp, president of the Jour de Fete festival committee, said it is because of the efforts of volunteers in 1993 that the festival continues today.

Trapp said over the years the festival has grown from a few food and craft booths to over 650 booths. He estimates a crowd of more than 40,000 for the two-day event.

"In 1993 we had to cancel the festival," he said. "If it was not for the levee holding that year we would have lost the downtown historic area."

If the north or south ends of the levee had broken, river water would have flooded the historic downtown area.

"We had so much help. People were desperate," he said. "But it worked and we were very happy."

The Moses Austin House, built in 1795, did not have water up to the building until the 1993 flood.

"There was floodwater up to the ceiling of the house that year," Trapp said. "And water came into the house again in 1995."

Trapp said now with the efforts of Ste. Genevieve citizens and public officials the new levee will prevent further loss and damage in the historic district.

Bond, with the help of the late Congressman Bill Emerson, Gephardt and former U.S. Senator Jack Danforth, obtained $8.6 million in federal funding since the 1993 flood. Bond expects approval for an additional $27 million in federal funds to complete the project over the next few years.

The project is set for completion in 2002 based on the approved Federal budget plan and is subject future appropriations.

The project is divided into five major construction contracts which also includes channel widening and the inclusion of small levees along the North and South Gabouri Creeks.

The Jour de Fete festival continues through today.