Sainte Marie is a small village (population 250) in Southeastern Illinois that has maintained its vibrancy and quaintness despite decades of seeing its offspring leave town for better jobs and more opportunities in more urban environments. Over 175 years old, the village has maintained strong ties to the Catholic Church whose massive bulk still dominates the center of town.
From its founding in 1837 by French emigrants who sought to establish a new social order that would provide them the freedom to worship as they pleased and also thrive in the richness of the Midwestern prairie, Sainte Marie has met challenges with ingenuity and resourcefulness. Today is no different. Those French and German ancestors would be proud to see that Ste. Marie still is fighting the norm, still working to attract businesses and new residents to a town that by all rights should be in steep decline, like many rural towns across America.
VILLAGE GOVERNMENT
Jack Thompson, President
Annette Kirts, Clerk
Julie Warfel, Treasurer
Matt Borgic, Trustee
Jane Geltz, Trustee
Christina Goss, Trustee
Bruce Ochs, Trustee
Jane Ochs, Trustee
Roger Wheat, Trustee
SAINTE MARIE FOUNDATION