Pierre Menard House: While in Prarier Du Rocher

Pierre Menard House, home of early Illinois Lt. Governor

Pierre Menard (1766-1844), was a successful French Canadian businessman and fur trader who was presiding officer of the Illinois Territorial Legislature and from 1818 to 1822. The Pierre Menard House, a site managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Society has be refunded and is now open. When you are in the area of Fort De Chartres and Prairie Du Rocher, you can now take a side trip into more of the early history of Southern Illinois.

Pierre Menard (7 October 1766 – 13 June 1844) was a fur trader and U.S. political figure. Menard was a member of the Indiana territorial legislature, 1803–1809, and president of the Illinois territorial council 1812–1818. Illinois Territory was a frontier region of the United States, formerly part of the Illinois Country, a portion of New France administered originally from Quebec and later transferred to Louisiana. Upon the admission of Illinois as a state in 1818, the population of the new state was divided between French-speaking and English-speaking citizens. To balance the ticket, Menard became the state's first lieutenant governor, serving from 1818 to 1822 with the first governor, Shadrach Bond. The first Illinois General Assembly decided in 1820 to move the state capital from Kaskaskia, Menard's home town, to Vandalia. Menard left office in 1822 and returned to private life. He died in 1844 and was buried at Fort Kaskaskia, near his house. Menard County, Illinois is named for the Lieutenant Governor. His house, near Chester, Illinois, is preserved as the Pierre Menard Home State Historic Site.