Read more
Today's citizens of St. Charles will recognize the names of many early settlers and residents, such as Louis Blanchette, who founded the settlement that would later become St. Charles; St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, who helped found the first school of the Society of the Sacred Heart in America; and Lewis and Clark, who began their expedition here to explore the Louisiana Purchase territory. Later came photographer Rudolph Goebel, who chronicled St. Charles's history for more than 50 years; Jane Crider, advocate for adults with disabilities and cofounder of Boone Center Inc.; and Archie Scott, known as "Mr. Main Street" for his years of dedication to the preservation of the historic district. Included in Legendary Locals of St. Charles are businesspeople, local personalities, authors, and entertainers, and while some of them may not yet be legendary, all of them are notable for their contributions to the St. Charles community and beyond.
About the author
Don Graveman is a former board member of the St. Charles County Historical Society, with whose support the coauthors gathered many of these photographs. Don and his wife, Dianna, an editor and former educator, are coauthors of four previous books, including Images of America: St. Charles: Les Petites Côtes. Grace Nichols was the first female mayor of St. Charles, from 1987 to 1995, and the authors are grateful for her participation in this project.
