Origin of St. Charles - St. Charles, Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 38° 46.909 W 090° 28.961
15S E 718662 N 4295574
Historical marker on the grounds of the St. Charles County Courthouse commemorating the origin of the name "St. Charles". The marker is on the base of the statue of San Carlos Borromero.
Waymark Code: WM1QG6
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 06/24/2007
Views: 83
Text of marker
Origin of St. Charles
The community of St. Charles is the oldest settlement in northern Missouri
and the third oldest settlement in the state. The city and the county of
St. Charles take their name from St. Charles Borromeo, who served as Archbishop
of Milan, Italy during the 16th century. On November 7, 1791, the people
of the original village, Les Petites Cotes (The Little Hills), dedicated their
new church. The name San Carlos Borromeo was given to the church in
recognition of the patron saint of the reigning Spanish King, Charles IV.
On the same day, the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Louisiana officially changed
the name of the village to San Carlos del Misury. The name was anglicized
to St. Charles after the Louisiana Purchase. The county was organized on
October 1, 1812, and also given the name of St. Charles.
Surrounding the statue and marker are several plaques giving the explanations
of the contributions different ethnic groups had on the history of St. Charles.