Conveniently settled up on a Mississippi River bank, Cape Girardeau was named after Frenchman Jean Baptiste Girardor. The site of his trading post was established at Cape Rock, Missouri, in the 1730s. By 1803, when Louis and Clark set out for their overland journey, Cape Girardeau boasted a population of over 1000. Over time, riverboats and railways shaped the village into a prospering city.
   Today, the city is dotted with historic buildings, a couple of regional museums, two historic railroads and a holdover from the Civil War era, Fort D. Also built along the Mississippi riverfront is a lifesaving floodwall. Not too long ago the city amped up its artistic talents and turned their floodwall into a 1100 foot-long canvas. This unique collection of 24 wall mural paintings depict historic events and a cluster of luminary figures, ranging from a Missouri Senator, President Harry Truman, to sportscaster Joe Buck. Pictured here is a Cape Girardeau river view where the state of Missouri connects with the eastern state of Illinois. The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, a cable stayed bridge completed in 2003, was the second built in this location to cross the famous river.

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