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Bastille Day Celebration
On July 14th at 12 pm, the Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion will hold its annual Bastille Day celebration in our beautiful one-acre garden with a special reading of the Rights of Man, the St. Louis based Parisian Jazz Trio Dizzy Atmosphere, a chance to fire a flintlock rifle, and French themed food and drink. For tickets, visit https://www.demenil.org/event-tickets/bastille-day-general-entry-1
Bastille Day celebrations in St. Louis in the 19th century were a time of great excitement and festivity. The French Revolution was a source of tremendous inspiration for many Americans, and Bastille Day was seen as a celebration of liberty and democracy.
The first Bastille Day celebration in St. Louis was held in 1803, just a few years after the Louisiana Purchase. The event was organized by a group of French immigrants and was held at the city's first Catholic church, the Cathedral of St. Louis. The celebration included a parade, speeches, and a fireworks display.
In the years that followed, Bastille Day celebrations in St. Louis became increasingly elaborate. By the mid-19th century, the city was home to a large and vibrant French community, and Bastille Day was one of the biggest holidays of the year. The celebrations typically included a parade, a picnic, and a fireworks display.
Alexander DeMenil, the son of French immigrant Nicolas DeMenil and St. Louis socialite Sophie Chouteau, builders of our beloved Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion, expanded his family’s leadership in the Bastille Day event, playing a prominent role over a period of four decades. In 1896, he organized Sociéte du 14 Juillet, a group from the local French community dedicated to preparing for the annual celebration often held at Lemp’s Park (now Cherokee Park) located a block north of the Chatillon-DeMenil House. Celebrations in St. Louis reached their peak in the late 19th century. In 1889, the city celebrated the centennial of the French Revolution with a massive celebration that included a parade, a concert, and a fireworks display. The event drew over 100,000 people and was widely considered to be one of the most successful Bastille Day celebrations in American history.
In the early twentieth century, both of Alexander DeMenil’s sons, Henry and George, joined their father on planning committees for Bastille Day.
On July 14th, Bill Hart, the Director of the Perry County Historical Society in Missouri and ex-director of the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation, will lead attendees in singing the French National Anthem, La Marseillaise, and give a reading of the Rights of Man, Dizzy Atmosphere, the St. Louis based Parisian Jazz Trio inspired by the Hot Club du France Quintet, will entertain all assembled with their blend of hot and cool French themed music, and Ray Naughton will give visitors a chance to fire a Charleville French Infantry musket. Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available.
Tickets are $12 online (https://www.demenil.org/event-tickets/bastille-day-general-entry-1) or at the door. Members of the DeMenil House Foundation are admitted free of charge.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2502894-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2502894-2
