Cape Girardeau, Missouri

"Cape Girardeau" redirects here. For the Cape Girardeau meteorite of 1846, see Meteorite falls.

For ships named Cape Girardeau, see SS Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau, Missouri
City
Downtown Cape Girardeau
Nickname(s):  Cape, The City of Roses, River City
Location of Cape Girardeau
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Counties	Cape Girardeau, Scott
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
• Mayor	Harry Rediger (R)
Area
• City	24.3 sq mi (63.0 km2)
• Land	24.3 sq mi (62.9 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	351 ft (107 m)
Population  (2009)
• City	37,657
• Density	1,456.5/sq mi (562.4/km2)
• Metro	134,051
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	63701, 63702, 63703, 63705
Area code	573
FIPS code	29-11242Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	0731549Template:GR
Website	http://www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/

Waterfront of Cape Girardeau along the Mississippi River during the Great Flood of 1993

Cape Girardeau (Template:PronEng, French: Cap-Girardeau [kap ʒiʁaʁdo] ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately 115 miles (185 km) southeast of St. Louis. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri State University and the largest city in southeastern Missouri. Although it is the largest city in Cape Girardeau County, the county seat is Jackson.Template:GR

The Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area embraces Alexander County, Illinois, Bollinger County, Missouri and Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.

History

The city is named after Jean Baptiste de Girardot, who established a temporary trading post in the area around 1733; he was a French soldier stationed at Kaskaskia, Illinois, 1704-1720. The 'Cape' in the city name was a rock promontory overlooking the Mississippi River, later destroyed by railroad construction. As early as 1765, a bend in the Mississippi River about 60 miles (97 km) south of the French village of Ste. Genevieve had been referred to as Cape Girardot or Girardeau. The settlement there dates from 1793 when the Spanish government, which had secured Louisiana in 1762, granted Louis Lorimier, a French-Canadian, the right to establish a trading post, which gave him extensive trading privileges and a large tract of land surrounding his post. Lorimier was made commandant of the district and prospered from the returns on his land sales and trade with indigenous peoples such as the Ozark Bluff Dwellers and the Mississippian. The town of Cape Girardeau was incorporated in 1808, prior to Missouri statehood, and was reincorporated as a city in 1843. The advent of the steamboat in 1835 led it to become the biggest port on the Mississippi River between Saint Louis and Memphis. It was established on January 4, 1793.

The Civil War Battle of Cape Girardeau took place April 26, 1863. The Union and Confederate armies collided in a fierce, four-hour artillery barrage on this day in which 23 Union and 30 Confederate soldiers were killed. Today, Cape Girardeau is home to numerous Civil War sites and memorials such as:

• Fort D
• Old Lorimier Cemetery
• Common Pleas Courthouse
• Confederate War Memorial
• Minton House

Reflecting the area's rich appreciation of history, numerous murals create a beautiful backdrop to some of the city's most charming areas. The largest, and most dramatic of these, is the Mississippi River Tales Mural, located on the city's downtown floodwall. Covering nearly 18,000 square feet (1,700 m²), this mural spans the length of the downtown shopping district and features 24 panels that tell the tales of Cape Girardeau and the mighty Mississippi River. Behind the floodwall lies the Riverfront Park of Cape Girardeau Missouri, where riverboats dock and visitors can view the lazy Mississippi River.

The city is also known to some as "The City of Roses" because of a nine-mile (14 km) stretch of highway that was once lined with dozens of rose bushes. Although there used to be many prominent rose gardens around the community, few of these gardens exist today. The Old Federal Courthouse located at Broadway and Fountain Streets, built in the late 1940s, was the subject of a U.S. Supreme Court case, United States v. Carmack, 329 U.S. 230 (1946), in which the Court upheld the federal government's authority under the Condemnation Act of 1888 to seize land owned by a state or locality. In December 2003, a new four-lane cable-stay bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau was opened. Its official name is "The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.", honoring former U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson (R-Mo.) who led the fight in Congress to appropriate federal funding for the bridge's construction. The two towers of the bridge reach a height of approximately 91 meters. The "Old Bridge" was completed in September 1928 to replace a ferry and was only 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. It was demolished after the completion of the Bill Emerson Bridge.

There are 39 historic sites in Cape Girardeau that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Of these, eight are historic districts, such as Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District was listed in 2000, which include multiple contributing properties.

Bill Emerson Bridge

The City of Cape Girardeau was recognized in January 2008 by First Lady Laura Bush as a Preserve America Community.

Geography

Cape Girardeau is located at 37°18′33″N 89°32′47″W (37.309042, -89.546498)Template:GR. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.4 sq mi (16,875 acres or 68.4 km²). The "cape" that the city is named after no longer exists. A rock which remains from the previously existing cape can be seen on a promontory which overlooks the Mississippi River in Cape Rock Park. Cape Girardeau will be in the totality path of the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 35,349 people, 14,380 households, and 8,297 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,456.5 people per square mile (562.4/km²). There were 15,827 housing units at an average density of 652.1/sq mi (251.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.32% White, 9.30% Black or African American, 1.13% Asian, 0.39% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.

There were 14,380 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 18.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,502, and the median income for a family was $47,592. Males had a median income of $31,575 versus $21,392 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,877. About 8.5% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Four of the largest employers in Cape Girardeau are Southeast Missouri Hospital, Saint Francis Medical Center, Procter and Gamble, and Southeast Missouri State University.

Health and education

The city is served by two major medical centers, Saint Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital, as well as subsidiary and independent medical offices and laboratories in an area known as Doctors Park. There are three major school systems in the city: Cape Girardeau Public Schools (including Cape Central High School), the Roman Catholic Church-run private schools (including Notre Dame Regional High School), and Southeast Missouri State University. The city features several fitness centers and a walking/biking trail as well as indoor and outdoor public sporting complexes. Cape Girardeau is the hub of Southeast Missouri in health and education.

Transportation

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport serves the city. Cape Girardeau is also served by Interstate 55 and an Interstate business loop, known locally as "Kingshighway." Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority provides public transportation of the city with buses and taxis. Southeast Missouri State University operates several shuttle routes for on-campus transportation [1] as well as an off-campus transportation system (WINGS)[2] which transports students to various areas around the town.

The Bill Emerson Bridge from a distance

In popular culture

• James McMurtry's Song for a Deck Hand's Daughter is set in Cape Girardeau.
• The book Killshot by Elmore Leonard is partly set in Cape Girardeau.
• In January 2006, some scenes were shot on location for the movie adaptation starring Diane Lane, Thomas Jane, and Mickey Rourke. However, many of these scenes were cut from the final film.

Notable people

• Dale Dye, actor
• Chic Hecht, US Senator from Nevada
• Andrew Conway Ivy, (1893–1978), president of the American Physiological Society (1939–41)
• The Limbaugh family, including:
  • Rush Limbaugh, talk radio host
  • David Limbaugh, political commentator and author, brother of Rush.
• Mark Littell, baseball player (St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals)
• Billy Swan, singer who had a #1 hit song named I Can Help in 1974.
• Jess Stacy, legendary Jazz pianist was raised in Cape Girardeau and started his musical career in the town.
• Terry Teachout, writer
• Linda Godwin, NASA Astronaut, was born in Cape Girardeau, but her hometown is nearby Jackson, Missouri.
• General William Sebastian Stone was born in Cape Girardeau
• General James Terry Conway went to college in Cape Girardeau
• Terry Jones, pastor from Gainsville, FL who threatened to burn the Koran.
• William F. Barnes, UCLA Coach and Alamo Scouts
• Lindsay J Kelley, TV personality

Notable figures gallery

• 
  Dale Dye
  (born 1944)
  Actor and retired U.S. Marine
• 
  Chic Hecht
  (1928 – 2006)
  Former U.S. Senator from Nevada
• 
  Rush Limbaugh
  (born 1951)
  Radio talk show host and political commentator
• 
  Mark Littell
  (born 1953)
  Former professional baseball pitcher
• 
  Linda M. Godwin
  (born 1952)
  Scientist and former NASA astronaut
• 
  Jess Stacy
  (1904 – 1995)
  Jazz pianist
• 
  William F. Barnes
  (1917 – 2009)
  Former head football coach for UCLA
• 
  James T. Conway
  (born 1947)
  Former Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps
• 
  William S. Stone
  (1910 - 1968)
  Former Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy

External links

• City's official website
• Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Historic Sanborn Maps of Cape Girardeau from University of Missouri Digital Library