Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
B'Nai Israel Synagogue
Bainbridge Ferry
Bainridge Ferry Rd.
Bennett-Tobler-Pace-Oliver House
Big Hill Farmstead Historic District
Broadway and North Fountain Street Historic District
Broadway Commercial Historic District
Broadway Theatre
Broadway-Middle Commercial Historic District
Broadway-Middle Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Burfordville Covered Bridge
Burfordville Mill
Byrd, Abraham, House
Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District
Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase II)
Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas
Central High School
Chapman, Dr. Jean, House
Clark, George Boardman, House
Courthouse-Seminary Neighborhood Historic District
Erlbacher Buildings
Esquire Theater
Fort D
Frizel-Welling House
Glenn House
Haarig Commercial Historic District
Hanover Lutheran Church
Harrison, William Henry and Lilla Luce, House
Himmelberger and Harrison Building
House at 323 Themis Street
Huhn-Harrison House
Jackson Uptown Commercial Historic District
Jefferson School
Kage School
Klostermann Block
Lilly, Edward S. and Mary Annatoile Albert, House
Main-Spanish Commercial Historic District
Marquette Hotel
McKendree Chapel
Mckendree Chapel (Boundary Increase)
Miller-Seabaugh House and Dr. Seabaugh Office Building
Old Appleton Bridge
Old Lorimier Cemetery
Oliver-Leming House
Ponder, Abraham Russell, House
Pott, Frederick W. and Mary Karau, House
Reynolds, James, House
Shivelbine, August and Amalia, House
South Middle Street Historic District
Southeast Missourian Building
St. James A.M.E. Church
St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church
St. Vincent's College Building
Thilenius, Col, George C., House
Vasterling, Julius, Building
Warehouse Row Historic District
Wichterich, Robert Felix and Elma Taylor, House
Wilson, J. Maple and Grace Senne, House
Wood Building
1673
1735
1793
1803
1804
1821
1838
1861
1863
1870
1875
1880
1909
1916
1918-1919
1924
1925
1927
1958
1964
1980
2003
Bollinger Mill/Burfordville Covered Bridge
Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau and the Railroad
Cape Girardeau Freedom Rock Veterans Memorial
Cape Girardeau River Crossings
Cape La Croix Creek
Captains of Industry
Champion Beech Tree
Don Louis Lorimier / El Camino Real
Dwarfing the Titanic
Entertainers
Father Jacques Marquette
First College Building / Erste Lehranstalt
George Drouillard
George Washington Carver
Hollywood
Literary Giants / Missouri Mule
Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company
Mark Twain / Missouri Generals / George Caleb Bingham
Missouri Mule / The Wild West
Muralist / Broadcasters
Nature's River
Old Lorimier Cemetery
Old St. Vincent's Church
Pook's Turtles
River Commerce
St Vincent's Seminary and Southeast Missouri State University
Telephone Service
The Artists
The Civil War / The Boys of Summer / Sports Dazzlers
The Lewis and Clark Expedition Across Missouri
The Mississippi River
The Red House
The Red House Interpretive Center
Title Panel
Visionary Women / Entrepreneurs
"Historical Marker"
"Red Rover, Red Rover"
In the late 17th century, French explorers such as Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet ventured through the region, followed by French settlers who established a trading post in the area in the early 18th century. The town of Cape Girardeau was officially founded in 1793, named after Ensign Jean Baptiste de Girardot, a French officer who helped establish the trading post.
During the 19th century, Cape Girardeau County played a significant role in the early development of the state of Missouri. The area became an important transportation hub, with the Mississippi River serving as a vital trade route for steamboats carrying goods and passengers. The river also facilitated the growth of agriculture, as local farmers could easily transport their crops to markets in nearby St. Louis.
The county was heavily influenced by the Civil War, with both Union and Confederate forces occupying the region at various times. Cape Girardeau played a strategic military role due to its location, and saw skirmishes and battles throughout the war. Many buildings were damaged or destroyed during this period, but the area began to recover and rebuild after the war ended.
Today, Cape Girardeau County is a thriving community known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, historic sites, and natural beauty. The county continues to evolve and grow, while also preserving its rich history and heritage.
Brief timeline of the history of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri:
- 1793: Cape Girardeau County is established as one of the five original counties of the newly formed Missouri Territory.
- 1806: The first permanent settlement is established near what is now the city of Cape Girardeau.
- 1812: The first courthouse in the county is constructed.
- 1850: The first railroad reaches Cape Girardeau County, spurring economic growth in the region.
- 1861-1865: Cape Girardeau County sees significant activity during the American Civil War, with both Union and Confederate forces occupying the area at different times.
- 1873: The city of Cape Girardeau is officially incorporated.
- 1903: Southeast Missouri State University is established in Cape Girardeau County.
- 1928: The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, connecting Cape Girardeau to Illinois, opens.
- 1973: The Trail of Tears State Park is established to preserve the memory of the forced removal of Native Americans in the 19th century.
- 2005: The catastrophic Flood of 2005 affects Cape Girardeau County and much of the surrounding region.
This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.