Cape Girardeau ( , french: Cap-Girardeau ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,540. The city is one of two principal cities of the Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Alexander County, Illinois, Bollinger County, Missouri and Cape Girardeau County, Missouri and has a population of 97,517. The city is the economic center of Southeast Missouri and also the home of

Southeast Missouri State University Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) is a public university in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In addition to the main campus, the university has four regional campuses offering full degree programs and a secondary campus housing the Holland Col ...

. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis.

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 between 1704 and 1720 in the French colony of '' La Louisiane''. The " Cape" in the city name referred to a rock promontory overlooking the Mississippi River; it was later destroyed by railroad construction. As early as 1765, a bend in the Mississippi River, about south of the French village of Ste. Genevieve, had been referred to as Cape Girardot or Girardeau (both pronounced the same in French). The settlement of Girardeau is said to date from 1793 when the Spanish government, which had acquired Louisiana in 1764 following the French defeat in the Seven Years' War, granted Louis Lorimier, a French-Canadian, the right to establish a trading post. This gave him 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 people. Also in 1793, Baron Carondelet granted land near Cape Girardeau to the Black Bob Band of the Hathawekela Shawnee, who had migrated from across the Mississippi River. The Band became known as the Cape Girardeau Shawnee. They successfully resisted removal to Indian Territory with the rest of the Shawnee tribe until 1833. In 1799, American settlers founded the first English school west of the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau at a landmark called Mount Tabor, named by the settlers for the Biblical Mount Tabor. The town of Cape Girardeau was incorporated in 1808, prior to Missouri statehood. It was reincorporated as a city in 1843. The advent of the

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...

in 1835 and related river trade stimulated the development of Cape Girardeau as the biggest port on the Mississippi River between

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

and Memphis, Tennessee. During the Civil War, the city was the site of the

Battle of Cape Girardeau The Battle of Cape Girardeau was a military demonstration of the American Civil War, occurring on April 26, 1863 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The conflict was part of the pursuit of US Brigadier General John McNeil through Southeast Missouri by ...

on April 26, 1863. The Union and Confederate armies engaged in a minor four-hour skirmish, each sustaining casualties generally believed to be in the low double-digits. For years travelers had to use ferries to cross the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau. In September 1928 a bridge was completed between Missouri and Illinois. Built to accommodate cars, it was wide under standards of the time. The Old Federal Courthouse, located at Broadway and Fountain Streets and built in the late 1940s, was the subject of a U.S. Supreme Court case when it was being developed. In '' United States v. Carmack'', 329 U.S. 230 (1946), the Court upheld the federal government's authority under the

Condemnation Act An Act to authorize the condemnation of lands for sites for public buildings, and other purposes (25 Stat. 357), commonly known as the Condemnation Act or the Act of August 1, 1888, is a federal statute adopted by the 50th United States Congress an ...

of 1888 to seize land owned by a state or locality. In April 1941, 6 years before the alleged Roswell crash, Reverend William Huffman was allegedly called to the site of a crash of a disk-shaped plane without wings whose pilots were small gray creatures 3'6" to 4' tall with spindly legs. Two were reportedly dead at the site, and one is said to have expired in his arms. The Reverend allegedly said last rites over the creature and it was given a Christian burial in the cemetery. In December 2003, the "Old Bridge" was succeeded by a new four-lane cable-stayed bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau. Its official name i
"The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge."
honoring former U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson (R-Mo.) The two towers of the bridge reach a height of approximately . The "Old Bridge" was demolished after the Emerson Bridge opened. The City of Cape Girardeau was recognized in January 2008 by First Lady

Laura Bush Laura Lane Welch Bush (''née'' Welch; born November 4, 1946) is an American teacher, librarian, memoirist and author who was First Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Bush previously served as First Lady of Texas from 1995 to 2000. ...

as a Preserve America Community for its work in surveying and protecting historic buildings. The city is known to some as "The City of Roses" because of a 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 have been maintained. The city is also known as "Cape Girardeau: Where the River Turns a Thousand Tales," due to the history of the town and the Mississippi River.

Historic landmarks

Numerous murals commemorate the city's history. The largest is the

Mississippi River Tales Mural The Mississippi River Tales is a mural containing 24 panels covering nearly of the -high downtown floodwall in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It illustrates the history of the area beginning with the Native Americans who inhabited the area between 90 ...

, located on the city's downtown floodwall. Covering nearly , it spans the length of the downtown shopping district and features 24 panels. Behind the floodwall lies the

Riverfront Park of Cape Girardeau Missouri {{unreferenced, date=June 2019 The Cape Girardeau Missouri River Front Park in Cape Girardeau, Missouri is located in front of the levee wall that protects the town from high water of the Mississippi River. The park has a stepped concrete seating ...

, where riverboats dock and visitors can view the Mississippi River. 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, which was listed in 2000 and includes multiple contributing properties. The growth of the town can be documented through

Sanborn maps Sanborn maps are detailed maps of U.S. cities and towns in the 19th and 20th centuries. Originally published by The Sanborn Map Company (Sanborn), the maps were created to allow fire insurance companies to assess their total liability in urbaniz ...

, over 80 of which are available online. Other landmarks include the Fort D Historic Site and the Confederate War Memorial. Among the city's older cemeteries are Apple Creek Cemetery, Salem Cemetery, and Old Lorimier Cemetery.

Geography

Cape Girardeau is located at (37.309042, −89.546498). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. 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.

Climate

Cape Girardeau has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

( Köppen ''Cfa'') with four distinct seasons and is located in

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

6b. Winter typically brings a mix of rain, sleet, and snow, with occasional heavy snowfall and icing. The city has a January daily average of and averages 12.8 days annually with temperatures staying at or below freezing; the first and last freezes of the season on average fall on October 23 and April 7, respectively. Summer is typically hazy, hot, and humid with a July daily average of , and there is an average of 47 days a year with high temperatures at or above . The average annual precipitation is , with the rainiest season being spring. Extremes in temperature range from , which last occurred on June 29, 2012, down to on January 11, 1977.

Demographics

The Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL metropolitan area is part of the Cape Girardeau-Sikeston-Jackson, MO-IL CSA and as of 2019 had a population of 135,045.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 37,941 people, 15,205 households, and 8,466 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 16,760 housing units at an average density of . As of July 2021, it is estimated that the racial makeup of the city was 80.6% White (78.2% Non-Hispanic White), 12.7% Black or African American, 0.00% Native American, 3.0%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 3.1% of the population. There were 15,205 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 38.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.3% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.89. In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.3% under the age of 18, 20.2% between the ages of 18 and 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age in the city was 32.1 years. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census

As of the census 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/km). There were 15,827 housing units at an average density of 652.1 per square mile (251.8/km). The racial makeup of the city was 87.32% White, 9.30% Black or African American, 1.13%

, 0.39% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or

of any race were 1.10% of the population. There were 14,380 households, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 43.8% were

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 ages 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% 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 and over.

Economy

According to the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, there are more than 100 employers in Cape Girardeau who employ at least 100 workers. The top employers in the city are:

Health

St. Francis HealthCare System serves the Cape Girardeau area. This system contains six different centers. St. Francis offers immediate care in Cape Girardeau and Perryville. Landmark Hospital is a 30-bed facility that treats patients with catastrophic or chronic medical conditions. St. Francis also has joint partnership with the Physician Alliance Surgery Center, which performs ear, nose, throat, and general surgery. The Black River Medical Center offers three beds and an emergency room. The main medical center is a 308-bed facility in Cape Girardeau that serves over 650,000 people. Patients come from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, and Arkansas. Some of the services offered at the main campus are the Neurosciences Institute, Orthopedic Institute, Family BirthPlace, Heart Hospital, Emergency and Trauma Center, Cancer Institute, and Fitness Plus. Southeast Health is a health care system with its main facility,

Southeast Missouri Hospital Southeast Hospital is a private, non-profit hospital, not-for-profit hospital located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Southeast Missouri Hospital first opened in 1928 and has grown into a regional medical complex serving over 600,000 people in 22 co ...

, located in Cape Girardeau. This healthcare system serves patients from southeast Missouri, western Kentucky, southern Illinois, and northern Arkansas. Southeast Health also has a cancer center, heart center, fitness center, breast care and diagnostic center, campus health clinic, diabetes center, pharmacy, and hospice. Additional hospice services, including respite for caregivers and grief & bereavement services can be found at Crown Hospice, which serves the Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff areas.

Government

Municipal

Cape Girardeau is a home rule city that utilizes the council-manager form of government. The Cape Girardeau City Council is the elected governing body. The city council consists of the mayor and six city council members. The mayor is directly elected at-large (citywide) for a four-year term and the city council members are elected from six wards for staggered four-year terms. Cape Girardeau elected its first female mayor, Stacy Kinder, in the 2022 Mayoral race. * List of Cape Girardeau Mayors

State and federal

In the Missouri General Assembly, Cape Girardeau is in the 27th Senate District and is currently represented by Republican Holly Rehder. Most of the city is included in the 147th Legislative District; small northern portions of the city are in the 146th Legislative District, represented by Republican Barry Hovis. In the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, Cape Girardeau is in Missouri's 8th Congressional District and is currently represented by Republican

Jason T. Smith Jason Thomas Smith (born June 16, 1980) is an American businessman and politician who has been the U.S. representative for Missouri's 8th congressional district since 2013. The district comprises 30 counties, covering just under 20,000 square mi ...

Salem Salem may refer to: Places Canada Ontario * Bruce County ** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie ** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce * Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...

Dent County Dent County is a county in Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,421. The largest city and county seat is Salem. The county was officially organized on February 10, 1851, and is named after state representative Lewis Dent, a pi ...

Presidential

During the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, Democrats in the city gave a majority of their votes to former Vice President Joe Biden. He received 1,635 votes (54.88%) out of the total 2,979 votes cast in the city.

Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...

, who had won the city four years earlier in 2016, placed second with 1,241 votes (41.66%). Although she had suspended her campaign before the date of the Missouri primary,

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts garnered 35 votes (2.14%) to finish third ahead of

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii with 24 votes (0.81%). Former Mayor

Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...

of New York City followed in fifth with 17 votes (0.57%). Although he did not face a serious primary challenge in 2020, incumbent President

Donald J. Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

clinched 1,818 votes (97.53%) out of the total 1,864 votes cast in the city during the 2020 Republican presidential primaries. Among the 46 defections, 26 (1.40%) voted uncommitted while 10 voters (0.54%) choose former Governor of Massachusetts and 2016 Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee Bill Weld and six voters (0.32%) opted for former U.S. Representative Joe Walsh of Illinois. In the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, GOP voters in the city of Cape Girardeau backed U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas with 2,802 votes (47.29 percent) over real estate entrepreneur Donald J. Trump who finished second with 2,159 votes (36.44 percent). Former Governor John R. Kasich of Ohio finished third with 568 votes (9.59 percent) ahead of U.S. Senator

Marco Rubio Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the senior United States senator from Florida, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Speaker of the Florida Hous ...

of Florida with 267 votes (4.51 percent). In the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries, Democratic voters in the city supported U.S. Senator

of Vermont with 1,334 votes (52.64 percent) over former Secretary of State and U.S. Senator

Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States senat ...

of New York with 1,179 votes (46.53 percent). Likewise, Clinton carried the city eight years earlier in the 2008 Democratic primaries with 2,057 votes (51.43 percent) over former U.S. Senator Barack Obama of neighboring Illinois who received 1,812 votes (45.30 percent) in the city. Former U.S. Senator John Edwards of North Carolina placed third with 102 votes (2.55 percent). In the 2008 Republican presidential primaries, GOP voters in the city of Cape Girardeau supported former Governor of Massachusetts and current U.S. Senator

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

of Utah with 1,922 votes (38.48 percent) over former U.S. Senator

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

of Arizona with 1,592 votes (31.87 percent). Former Governor

Mike Huckabee Michael Dale Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is an American politician, Baptist minister, and political commentator who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate for the Republican Party presidential nomina ...

of neighboring Arkansas placed in a not-so-distant third with 1,192 votes (23.86 percent) ahead of former U.S. Representative and

libertarian Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's e ...

Ron Paul Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, physician and retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1985, as well ...

of Texas with 193 votes (3.86 percent).

Education

There are over 20 different schools in Cape Girardeau. These range from pre-kindergarten to higher education. Public and private and parochial school systems are present within the city.

Public schools

The majority of Cape Girardeau (in Cape Girardeau County) is in Cape Girardeau Public Schools. :*Alma Schrader Elementary – 1360 Randol Ave :*Blanchard Elementary – 1829 N Sprigg St :*Clippard Elementary – 2880 Hopper Road :*Franklin Elementary – 1550 Themis St :*Jefferson Elementary – 520 S Minnesota Ave :*Central Middle School – 1900 Thilenius St :*Central Junior High School – 205 Caruthers St :* Central Senior High School – 1000 S Silver Springs Road :*Career and Technology Center – 1080 S Silver Springs Road :*Alternative Education Center – 330 N Spring St A portion in Cape Girardeau County is in the Jackson R-II School District. Most of Cape Girardeau in Scott County is in the Scott City R-I School District, while a very small section is in Kelso C-7 School District.

Private schools

*Notre Dame Regional High School – 265 Notre Dame Dr *Trinity Lutheran School – 55 N Pacific St *Eagle Ridge Christian School – 4210 State Highway K *Prodigy Leadership Academy – 232 Sierra Ridge Road *St Mark Lutheran Preschool – 1900 Cape La Croix Road *St. Mary's Cathedral School – 210 S Sprigg St *St. Vincent De Paul Grade School – 1912 Ritter St *Lynwood Christian Academy – 2935 Lynwood Hills Dr

Colleges

*Cape Girardeau Partnership for Higher Education – 1080 S Silver Springs Road *Metro Business College – 1732 N Kingshighway St *

– 1 University Plaza *Southeast Hospital College of Nursing & Health Sciences – 2001 William St *Eclipse School-Cosmetology – 52 S Plaza Way *Trend Setters-Cosmetology Inc – 835 S Kingshighway

Public library

The city has one

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...

: the Municipal Library District of the City of Cape Girardeau.

Transportation

The City of Cape Girardeau has established a Transportation Trust Fund that implements a .5% local sales tax. All of that money is used on transportation improvement projects. General projects are also included to keep the city's streets in good condition. On June 15, 2000 the Cape Girardeau County Commission passed Resolution 00-06 which formed the Cape Girardeau County Transportation Commission. The CGCTA now offers transportation to the citizens of Cape Girardeau County, which ultimately benefits the citizens of the city of Cape Girardeau. The services that the CGCTA offer are essentially buses and taxis. In 2011, Cape Girardeau launched the Ride the City campaign. This dedicated 16 miles of bicycle lanes in city streets. There are lanes that are used only by bicycles and lanes where motor vehicles and bicycles can share space.

Public transit

Buses are offered to the citizens by the Cape Transit Authority and have several stops throughout the city. A general admission is $2, senior citizens are $1, and children ages 6 and under are free. Special pick-ups can be made to those who are disabled and live within three-fourths of mile from a designated stop. The Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority handles the city's bus and taxi service. Greyhound buses are also available for long-distance transit. Cape Girardeau is home to local rideshare service, carGO technologies that provides rides from anywhere in Cape Girardeau to surrounding cities such as, Jackson and Scott city.

Air

The City of Cape Girardeau owns the

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Cape Girardeau Regional Airport is a city owned public use airport in Scott County, Missouri, United States. It is located five nautical miles (6 mi, 9 km) southwest of the central business district of Cape Girardeau, a city in ...

. This is a full-service airport that offers flights to and from O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois.

In popular culture

James McMurtry James McMurtry (born March 18, 1962, in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American rock and folk rock/americana singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor (''Daisy Miller'', ''Lonesome Dove'', and narrator of ''Ghost Town: 24 Hours i ...

's "Song for a Deck Hand's Daughter" is set in Cape Girardeau. *The novel '' Killshot'' by

Elmore Leonard Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns, but he went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thri ...

is set in this city. The novel was adapted as a 2009 film based on Leonard's novel; numerous scenes were shot on location in Cape Girardeau. *Scenes for the film '' Gone Girl'' (2014), which is set in the fictional North Carthage, Missouri, were shot in Cape Girardeau. *The 13th episode of the TV series ''

Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

,'' "Route 666", which is said to take place in Cape Girardeau. *The traditional folk song, "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me", most notably arranged by Dave Van Ronk, features a singer who has traveled the world, specifically mentioning visiting Cape Girardeau. The song was featured in the 2013 film ''

Inside Llewyn Davis ''Inside Llewyn Davis'' () is a 2013 period black comedy musical drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in 1961, the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac in his breakthr ...

'', being performed by Oscar Isaac twice in the movie. *In the novel ''Train Man'' (1999) by

P.T. Deutermann Peter T. "P.T." Deutermann (born December 27, 1941) is an American writer of mystery, police procedural and thriller novels. Deutermann served in the United States Navy for 26 years, earning 19 medals and decorations and retiring with the rank o ...

, the Thebes bridge south of Cape Girardeau spanning the Mississippi River to Illinois is a key plot point in the race by FBI investigators to find persons unknown who are sequentially demolishing all railroad bridges that cross the River, causing mayhem and massive delays for all rail transportation in the contiguous United States. *The Glenn House, a historical building in downtown Cape Girardeau that is said to be haunted, was featured on Season 2 Episode 8 of A&E's "Ghost Hunters." *The city features prominently in Peter Meredith's novel series The Undead World. *The novel '' Darkness: A Slave's Story'' by Jeff Nebeker-Johnson is set in this city.

Notable people

File:Bill Barnes - Southern Campus 1960.jpg,

William F. Barnes William F. Barnes (October 20, 1917 – April 23, 2009) was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1958 to 1964. Barnes guided his teams to a record, including two s ...

(1917–2009)
Former head football coach for UCLA File:Dale Dye.jpg,

Dale Dye Dale Adam Dye Jr. (born October 8, 1944) is an American actor, technical advisor, radio personality and writer. A decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, Dye is the founder and head of Warriors, Inc., a technical advisory company specializ ...

(born 1944)
Actor and retired U.S. Marine File:Linda Godwin.jpg,

Linda M. Godwin Linda Maxine Godwin Ph.D. (born July 2, 1952) is an American scientist and retired NASA astronaut. Godwin joined NASA in 1980 and became an astronaut in July 1986. She retired in 2010. During her career, Godwin completed four space flights and ...

(born 1952)
Scientist and former NASA astronaut File:Chic Hecht.JPG,

Chic Hecht Mayer Jacob Hecht (November 30, 1928 – May 15, 2006) was an American Republican politician and diplomat who served as a United States Senator from Nevada from 1983 to 1989, and as U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas from 1989 to 1993. Early life ...

(1928–2006)
U.S. Senator from Nevada File:Rod-Jetton.jpg,

Rod Jetton Rod Jetton (born September 9, 1967) is an American politician, author, and businessman. He was a Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives who represented Missouri's 156th District from 2001 to 2009 and was Speaker of the Missour ...

Former state of Missouri Speaker of the House File:Missouri Lt Governor Peter Kinder at St Louis Science Center, Aug 28, 2007.jpg,

Peter Kinder Peter Dickson Kinder (born May 12, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 46th Lieutenant Governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2017. He was appointed as a co-chairman of the Delta Regional Authority in August 2017, serving in ...

Former Lieutenant Governor File:Rush Limbaugh by Gage Skidmore.jpg, Rush Limbaugh
(1951–2021)
Radio personality and political commentator File:Mark Littell343.jpg, Mark Littell
(born 1953)
Former professional baseball pitcher File:Jess Stacy.jpg, Jess Stacy
(1904–1995)
Jazz pianist File:William Sebastian Stone.jpg, William S. Stone
(1910–1968)
Former Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy *

Jacob M. Appel Jacob M. Appel (born February 21, 1973) is an American author, poet, bioethicist, physician, lawyer and social critic.Nagamatsu, Sequoia "A Few Words with the Ubiquitous Jacob M. Appel" ''Prince Mincer'' Journal http://primemincer.com/ confirmed ...

, novelist, lived in Cape Girardeau (1982–1984), set several books in Cape Girardeau *

Leon Brinkopf Leon Clarence Brinkopf (October 20, 1926 – July 2, 1998) was a right-handed shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs in 1952. Brinkopf was originally signed by the St. Louis Browns in 1944 but found himself released a year later. ...

(1926–1998), shortstop in Major League Baseball for the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

in 1952 born and died in Cape Girardeau * Karilyn Brown (born c. 1947), born in Cape Girardeau; Republican member of the

Arkansas House of Representatives The Arkansas State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the ...

for Pulaski County since 2015 *

Joseph Cable Joseph Cable (April 17, 1801 – May 1, 1880) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Ohio for two terms from 1849 to 1853. He was the great-grandfather of Congressma ...

, a Medal of Honor recipient during the American Indian Wars * Shirley Crites (1934–1990),

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

player *

A.J. Ellis Andrew James Ellis (born April 9, 1981), is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently a Special Assistant to the General Manager in the front office of the San Diego Padres. Ellis played in Major League Baseball (MLB) fo ...

, former Major League Baseball catcher, born in Cape Girardeau * John Thomson Faris (1871–1949), clergyman, born in Cape Girardeau * Mary M. Hagan-Harrell, served in the Missouri House of Representatives, born in Cape Girardeau *

Andrew Conway Ivy Andrew Conway Ivy (February 25, 1893 – February 7, 1978) was an American physician. He was appointed by the American Medical Association as its representative at the 1946 Nuremberg Medical Trial for Nazi doctors, but later fell into disrepute for ...

, (1893–1978), president of the American Physiological Society (1939–1941) * Terry Jones (born 1951), fundamentalist pastor of

Dove World Outreach Center Dove World Outreach Center is a 50-member (as of 2010) non-denominational charismatic Christian church led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia. After spending more than 25 years in Gainesville, Florida, the church sold its 20 acres (8 ha) ...

, 46th Lieutenant Governor of Missouri (2005–2017) *

Richard Kinder Richard Kinder (born October 19, 1944) is an American businessman. He is the co-founder and executive chairman of Kinder Morgan Inc., an energy and pipeline corporation. Early life Richard Kinder was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in 1944. ...

, businessman and co-founder and executive chairman of

Kinder Morgan Kinder Morgan, Inc. is one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America. The company specializes in owning and controlling oil and gas pipelines and terminals. Kinder Morgan owns an interest in or operates approximately of ...

, Inc. * The

Limbaugh family The Limbaugh family is a prominent political family from Missouri. Its members have served as attorneys, politicians, judges, and political commentators in Missouri and the United States. The most well-known member is former conservative talk radi ...

, including political commentators, brothers David and Rush Limbaugh *

Stephanie O'Sullivan Stephanie O'Sullivan (born October 3, 1959) is a former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI) who was appointed to that position on February 18, 2011. She worked to assist the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in managin ...

, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, born in Cape Girardeau *

Susan Beth Scott Susan Beth Scott (born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri), is an American Paralympic swimmer. She competed at World Championships in 2006 in South Africa, before moving to the Olympic Training Center to swim for Jimi Flowers. Her first Games participa ...

(born 1992), 2008 and 2012 U.S. Paralympic Medalist Swimmer *

John Locke Scripps John Locke Scripps (27 February 1818 – 21 September 1866) was an attorney, journalist, and author. He wrote the first published biography of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He was the Cousin#First cousins once removed, first cousin once removed of E.W ...

(1818–1866), journalist and biographerJames Edmund Scripps, ''A Genealogical History of the Scripps Family and Its Various Alliances,'' R.L. Polk Printing Company, 1903 *

Tony Spinner Tony Spinner (born June 9, 1963) is an American rock and blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaborations with Toto and Paul Gilbert. Spinner, who toured with Toto from 1999 until their temporary hiatus in 2008, was personally s ...

, guitarist and singer *

Billy Swan William Lance Swan (born May 12, 1942) is an American country singer-songwriter, best known for his 1974 single, "I Can Help". Biography Swan was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States. As a child, he learned drums, piano and guitar ...

, singer who had a #1 hit song named "

I Can Help "I Can Help" is a song written and performed by Billy Swan. Released in July 1974, the song was a big crossover smash, reaching No. 1 on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts late that fall. Although Swan had other charti ...

" in 1974. * Terry Teachout, writer * Robert Henry Whitelaw (1854–1937), U.S. Congressman *

James Naile James Aubrey Naile (born February 8, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022. Amateur career Naile graduated from Charleston High School i ...

(born 1993), Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.

References

External links

City of Cape Girardeau

Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection – Cape Girardeau
at the University of Missouri {{Authority control Cities in Missouri Cities in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Cities in Scott County, Missouri Missouri populated places on the Mississippi River French colonial settlements of Upper Louisiana