As we hunt for people Saving Americana, again and again we have run across folks keeping old restaurants alive. That’s not easy when the economy takes a beating and it really challenged people during Covid. But all over America, you will find old places surviving — and showcasing the history of communities meeting places. And the really old places  — a hundred years old or more — are certainly something to celebrate. So we created “The Century Club.”

In Southeastern Missouri, we found one that could be a member of the double century club if we had one. The Old Brick House has been around since the late 17 hundreds — in the Mississippi River town of Ste. Genevieve. In fact they say it was the first brick building west of the Mississippi. Although it has not always been a restaurant for all those years, it’s always been the center of town. And Ste. Genevieve is now a National Park, showcasing the region in the days before the Louisiana Purchase when this was part of France. Now it’s a quaint and historic river town south of St. Louis that is a perfect getaway for history buffs and hungry travelers.