Valles Mines, Missouri, U S A
Founded in 1749 by Francois Valle years before he became Commandante of the Fort of Sainte Genevieve and
The King of Spain made him Don Francois Valle for saving their Fort San Carlos (now St. Louis).
270 years later as The Valle Mining Company, his 4000+ acre property every year absorbs 21,000 tons of
carbon dioxide and puts out 14,000 tons of oxygen, enough to meet the needs of 63,000 people. [USDA Forest Facts]
Site Map
The Furnace Tender's House - 14103 Valles Mines School Road
Former residents
Pictured, the late Ed and Verna Skiles, who grew up in the valley as children of different families, both picking
blackberries and growing buckwheat, which they sold in town to buy milk during the Depression. Ed ralated how he fell in
love with Verna at an early age but she married his older brother.
Decades later, after his brother's demise, he reunited with
Verna and married her. They lived in the Furnace Tender's Cabin for many years more and lived off the land,
Verna selling pictures of wildflowers she pressed between the pages of phone
books then framing (see exhibits in the Lost History Museum). Ed made many trips to the VA Hospital but ended his days
here in the front yard raking leaves.