“… situated on a hillside, and makes a handsome appearance“
Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi
September 30 – October 7, 2020
From Mount Pleasant, Iowa we headed south, passing through Hannibal, around St. Louis, and finally into Cape Girardeau located on the Mississippi River in southeast Missouri. Last year we were supposed to attend an RV rally here but were forced to cancel so we were curious to learn more about the area.
Brief History
Born on the Mississippi River more than 200 years ago, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, has evolved from a tiny trading post to a frontier settlement governed by a French-Canadian commandant to a thriving, culturally-rich community of 39,000 residents on the world’s only inland cape.
Although part of the actual cape was destroyed in the 1800s to make way for the railroads, this memorial “Cape Rock” sits atop the bluff of Girardot’s trading post.
It was about 1733 that an adventuresome French soldier, Jean D. Girardot, established a trading post in a remote region populated by more than 20 Native American tribes. Girardot chose a promontory rock overlooking the Mississippi River as the site for his trading post. Trappers and river travelers soon discovered this welcome bit of civilization carved out of the vast forest that one day would become Missouri. They called the place “Cape Girardot.”
Girardot, a frontiersman and trader at heart, eventually moved on. The man credited with founding Cape Girardeau, French-Canadian Louis Lorimier, came to the area from Ohio in 1793, commissioned by the Spanish Governor General to establish a military post from which to trade and interact with the Native Americans.With the arrival of the steamboat in 1835, Cape Girardeau became a river boom town. It was the busiest port between St. Louis and Memphis. Until the Civil War, the Riverfront bustled with activity as a commercial center and as an inviting port of debarkation for steamboat passengers.
During the Civil War, Cape Girardeau was occupied by Union forces who built four forts to protect the city and river. For a brief period in 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant set up headquarters in Cape Girardeau before moving his headquarters to Cairo, Illinois. A minor skirmish was fought just west of town in 1863, but fortunately Cape Girardeau was spared the devastation that claimed other cities.
The post-Civil War years brought continued growth: the establishment of public education in 1867, the introduction of rail service, and advances in agriculture and industry. In 1873, a teaching university was founded in Cape Girardeau that is now Southeast Missouri State University. The university now provides higher education for more than 8,000 students in all disciplines.
City of Cape Girardeau
Campground
Our campground here was the Landing Point RV Park. This is where the rally had been so we knew they could handle big rigs. Although an older campground, the concrete sites were spacious and quiet. There were plenty of open grassy areas for family or group gatherings and they had recently added a dog park.
Investigating Cape Girardeau
We started our investigation with a drive through the historic downtown area of Cape Girardeau. Protecting the downtown is the flood wall whose construction was started in 1956 and finished in 1964.
The flood wall project is 8,240 feet, including 2,175 feet of levee and 6,065 feet of floodwall; it includes two pumping stations, five closure structures and a rock berm, according to the United States Army Corps of Engineers website. The wall stands 17 to 20 feet tall, and it would take a flood stage of about 56 feet to overtop the structure.
semissourian.com
Before 
2017
Today a 500 foot span of the flood wall is covered with a 45 panel mural depicting 46 or 47 famous people who were either born in Missouri or achieved fame while living there. This span is known as the Missouri Wall of Fame.
After our tour of the downtown area, we stopped for dinner at Katy O’Ferrell’s Irish Pub and Restaurant. It had been a while since we’d had any Irish food. Anyone for Boxty, Shepard’s Pie, or Bangers and Mash?
Trail of Tears State Park
With an eye to the weather since the temperature was supposed to drop later in our stay (we even had frost one morning), we chose a beautiful day to visit the Trail of Tears State Park in nearby Jackson.
The tragic history that gives Trail of Tears State Park its name provides a sharp contrast to the peaceful, serene setting and the abundance of recreational opportunities enjoyed by visitors today. The 3,415-acre park is a memorial to the Cherokee Indians that lost their lives in a forced relocation, as well as a place for visitors to participate in a variety of outdoor adventures.
The park is located on the site where nine of 13 groups of Cherokee Indians crossed the Mississippi River in harsh winter conditions in 1838-39. Thousands lost their lives on the trail, including dozens on or near the park’s grounds. Legend says that Nancy Bushyhead Hildebrand died and was buried within the park’s boundaries. The Bushyhead Memorial is a tribute to all the Cherokee who died on the trail. The park’s visitor center features exhibits that interpret the forced relocation, as well as the park’s many natural features.
Missouri State Parks
We stopped at the Visitor Center to get more information about the park and view the exhibits. From the Visitor Center, we drove along Moccasin Springs Road stopping at the Bushyhead Memorial and on to the campground and boat ramp. Retracing part of our route, we turned off on Hill Road which rounded Lake Boutin and then took Overlook Road to the scenic overlook. The observation deck at the overlook gave us some great views of a very low Mississippi River. As we drove through the park we debated about hiking one of the trails but I kind of nixed that idea, so we headed back to the RV.
Fort D and the Red House
Another day we decided to explore a couple of the historical sites in Cape Girardeau proper. We first set out to visit Fort D.
Constructed in the summer of 1861 by Union troops under the leadership of John Wesley Powell, Fort D is the only remaining one of four Civil War forts that protected the City of Cape Girardeau from Confederate attack. The earthwork walls remain intact, and historical signage throughout the fort’s grounds bring its storied past to life. The site also contains a limestone building that was constructed in 1937 as a federal WPA project. This land fort is the site of many re-enactments and serves as a popular site for a day visit for tourists and locals who wish to experience breathtaking history tucked into the beautiful background of the Missouri outdoors.
City of Cape Girardeau
Unfortunately all we were able to see was the earthen banking leading up to the fort as we drove around it looking for a suitable parking place. Failing that, we moved on to the Red House.
The Red House Interpretive Center is located just off Main Street in historic downtown Cape Girardeau. The Center commemorates the life of community founder and French-Canadian, Louis Lorimier, as well as the visit of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in November, 1803. The Red House Interpretive Center houses an early 1800s exhibit that reflects the lives of the early settlers of the old Cape Girardeau district. In addition, a rendering of Lorimier’s Trading Post displays authentic items that would have been sold at the turn of the 19th century. The Red House Interpretive Center is also the location of the Melvin Gateley Vision 2000 Garden.
City of Cape Girardeau
Before returning to the RV we stopped at Mary Janes Bourbon + Smokehouse. We thought that their small plates (tapas-like?) would be perfect for a late lunch. After perusing the menu we selected Lil’ Cluckers, Pueblo Fries, and Brisket Quesadillas. As it turned out, their small plates weren’t small at all. We had enough yummy food for at least 2 more people. Take home box please!!
Farmers Market
Saturday morning was the Cape Riverfront Market, Cape Girardeau’s only farmers market in the historic downtown area. We’re always up for a farmers market so off we went. The market was a bit smaller than we anticipated but then again it was October. We did find some fresh produce and bakery items plus breakfast – maple french toast with egg, cheese, bacon or sausage. Hopefully you are not sensing a foodie trend here.
Time to Press On
As you can see, we discovered that there was more to Cape Girardeau than one might think. Should you decide to visit, be sure to check out the visitcape.com website to help you plan.
