Side 1:
Founded as an Indian trading post, 1793, by French Canadian Louis Lorimier. Probably named for Girardot, a trader at Cape Rock.
In 1795 Lorimier became commandant of Cape Girardeau District, most American of the 5 Spanish districts, later one of Missouri's first 5 counties. Germans from the states also settled here. Shawnee and Delaware Indians were given Spanish land grants nearby to act as a buffer against the Osages.
At time of American occupation, 1804, the district was third in population of the 5 districts, yet had no white village. Lorimier laid out town of Cape Girardeau, 1806, to be the seat of government. Delay in honoring his Spanish land grant halted growth.
The county seat was then moved 10 miles to Jackson, 1814. Established there were a U. S. Land Office, 1818; a newspaper, Missouri Herald, 1819; an academy, 1820; and State's first long distance telephone line, 1877. Near Jackson were organized a German Reformed church, 1803; Bethel Baptist and McKendree Methodist churches, 1806. McKendree Methodist Chapel, 1819, is oldest Protestant building in Missouri.
Side 2:
Cape Girardeau grew rapidly after the Lorimier land grant was confirmed, 1836. Here were established St. Vincent's College, 1843; Washington Female Seminary, 1849; and Southeast Missouri State College, 1873. The college has a notable museum.
Union forces occupied the town, 1861-1863, and built defense forts, A, B, C, D. In 1863 the Federals under McNeil repulsed a Confederate attack under command of Marmaduke. Among well marked historic sites in town is Fort D.
In Lorimier Cemetery are graves of the town founder Louis Lorimier; U. S. Senator Alexander Buckner; and notable builder of railroads and Missouri historian Louis Houck.
The town benefits from a large cement plant; Federal River Improvement program; and Little River Drainage project. The bridge across the Mississippi was dedicated, 1928.
Lovely Ten Mile Garden connects county seat Jackson with Cape Girardeau. El Camino Real or King's Highway, 1789, served Cape Girardeau in early days.
1950s text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people. The Society's journal printed these inscriptions as continuous text, not in the form they are cast on the markers.
The State Historical Society of Missouri created these markers with the State Highway Commission and tells their fuller story in its book Marking Missouri History. Current marker program ↗