1. Old Lorimier Cemetery

Established in 1808 by Louis Lorimier, Old Lorimier Cemetery is the final resting place to over 6,500 burials.  Its’ graves mark the lives of all types of people from the earliest settlers of Cape Girardeau to Civil War fallen soldiers. If you aren’t easily spooked this place will help you grasp just how much rich history Cape Girardeau possesses!  

2. Red House Interpretive Center

This cute little house is located just off Main Street in historic downtown Cape Girardeau. The Red House Interpretive Center holds history about Louis Lorimier as well as famous travelers Lewis and Clark! The structure also reflects what day-to-day life was like for early settlers of Cape Girardeau, as well as displaying items that may have been traded and sold in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

3. Fort D

Designed by German-American engineers from St. Louis and built by soldiers of the 20^th Illinois Infantry, Bissell’s Engineers of the West, and local militia in the summer of 1861, Fort D was home to John Wesley Powell’s regiment. Powell later grew to fame as the explorer of the Grand Canyon!

4. Old St. Vincent’s Catholic Church

The grounds where Old St. Vincent currently stands has been a place of worship since 1833, when Father Timon first celebrated Mass in a temporary church, a warehouse of Don Louis Lorimier. The first cornerstone of Old St. Vincent was laid by Bishop Joseph Rosati in 1838. The Renaissance architecture is beautiful and one of few in America today!

5. Cape River Heritage Museum

If you want a one-stop-shop for Cape Girardeau local history this is the place to go! With a group of staff and volunteers dedicated to the community and preservation of Cape’s history, you are bound to find some interesting information.  Keep an eye out for a gigantic battleship on the Mississippi!

6. The Glenn House

Step back in time to the 1880’s by going on a tour of The Glenn House! Built in 1883 for Cape Girardeau influential figure David A. Glenn, the house is a perfect representation of what life was like in the Victorian Era.

7. Crisp Museum

Full of local history and artifacts, while also regularly fed newer art pieces, the Crisp Museum is the best of both worlds! Located on the Southeast River Campus, this museum is the hub for all things involving art and history.

For more information on how to visit these unique places and to see even more historic places you can visit locally, check out the Cape Girardeau Historic Sites website.