Pierre Menard Home
Pierre Menard (17661844), a successful French-Canadian businessman and fur trader, was presiding officer of the Illinois Territorial Legislature and from 1818 to 1822 served as the first lieutenant governor. His restored two-story ca. 1810 home is an example of French-Creole-style architecture, built into gently sloping land at the bottom of a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The ground level contains a small museum and an audiovisual room. The second, or principal, floor represents living spaces used by the Menard family. Behind the home, accessed by a covered walkway, is a stone kitchen with a restored brick baking oven.
The site offers exhibits, tours, a short film, and occasional recreational and educational events.