Jack Richard Luer & Jesse W. Francis

Authors Jesse Francis (left) and Jack Luer (right) with Charles Peterson at the Amoureaux House in Ste. Genevieve MO.

 

Jack Luer (1935-2016) was a historic preservation architect with dozens of restorations and renovations to his credit in Missouri and Illinois. His interest in French colonial architecture began around 1958, just before he graduated from the Washington University School of Architecture. Jack has become well known for his work on harmonious infill housing in historic neighborhoods such as Lafayette Park, Soulard, Carondelet and LaSalle Park, and throughout his career was frequently been hired for special restoration projects by the States of Missouri and Illinois. He was a past Member of the Board of Directors for the Center for French Colonial Studies, and past Chairman of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis. He also sat on the Missouri Council for Historic Preservation and is a Member of the Trust for the Charles Peterson Institute for the Preservation of French Heritage. He was a registered architect in

Missouri, Illinois and Florida and holds an NCARB certification.

Jesse Francis has been restoring and cataloging French structures in the Midwest since 1982. His work began on the Bequet/Ribault house with Jack Luer while he was a historic preservation student at Southeast Missouri State University. Jesse soon became a frequently sought-after historic
construction expert and teacher as well as a hands-on restoration and
reconstruction master craftsman. Jesse is also the Cultural Site Manager for Faust Park Historic Village in St. Louis County, Missouri, where he oversees the rescue, relocation and preservation of historic structures.