The city's Jewish community was not very large in the early 1900s but grew in the coming years. One notable figure of this period was Louis Hecht, whose father, Jacob, and mother immigrated to the U.S. from Poland and Germany, respectively. They lived in St. Louis and Jacob became a successful merchant. One of ten children, Louis followed in his father's footsteps and envisioned opening a dry goods store in Cape Girardeau. The store became successful and Louis earned respect in the city. He and Jewish leaders helped the stabilize the Jewish community, which encouraged it to grow. The community began to worship together in 1919 in the local Elks Club building. Until the synagogue was built, the congregation worshipped in a number of locations in the city, including the Community Building in Fairground Park. Tragically, the Community Building, which housed a 450-year-old Torah, burned down in February 1937. The fire prompted the Jewish community to build the synagogue later that year. Jews from surrounding communities attended services at the synagogue for many years.After WWII, the Jewish population in the city began to decline as people began to move to the suburbs. It is not clear when the congregation officially moved out of the building, but it seems this finally occurred in the 1970s. Since then, it has been largely vacant. Lighthouse Breakthrough International Ministries, the organization that occupied the building before the pottery studio opened, renovated and opened it in 2012.

B'Nai Israel Synagogue was built in 1937 and remains one of the Cape Girardeau's unique landmarks.

Website

Constructed in 1937, this small, beautiful beautiful building was once the center of Jewish life in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding region. Architect Thomas P. Barnett Jr. designed it the Spanish Colonial Revival style, which gives the synagogue an Islamic feel; it is the only building in the city with Islamic elements. The building was home to a non-denominational Christian church called Lighthouse Cape and is now occupied by Riverside Pottery.

B'Nai Israel Synagogue (Riverside Pottery)

This walking tour of Cape Girardeau begins and ends at a museum. The tour starts at Cape River Heritage Museum and includes landmarks such as the floodwall murals and county courthouse as well as antebellum buildings such as Old St. Vincent's Church. The tour also includes the recreated trading post of Louis Lorimier, the founder of Cape Girardeau, and the Glenn House which was constructed in 1833. The tour also includes cultural centers and Southeast Missouri State University's museum of art. Be sure to also explore Fort D, a well-preserved fort built by the Union during the Civil War, which is just a bit south of the point where this walking tour ends. Enjoy this historic river city!   

When it was constructed, the&nbsp;building also served as a courthouse and jail. The fire and police moved out in the 1960s and&nbsp;1970s and efforts began in 1975 to open a museum that would preserve the history of southeast Missouri. The Southeast Missouri Museum opened a year later&nbsp;(not the current building) but due to lack of funding for costly repairs&nbsp;it was forced to close in 1980. Fortunately in 1981, the museum board and the city agreed that the old fire house would become the home of the museum, which was renamed as the&nbsp;Cape River Heritage Museum.&nbsp;

Founded in 1981, the Cape River Heritage Museum is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and is dedicated towards preserving the history of city, the Mississippi River, and southeast Missouri. It is housed in an old fire and police station that was constructed in 1909. It contains thousands of items relating to the city and the area, including fire and police memorabilia, artwork, maps, photographs, vintage clothing. It has exhibits on steamboats, Native American culture, fire and police history, among others. It also offers special events and tours. 

Cape River Heritage Museum

Discovery Play House is a children's museum in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Founded by the non-profit organization Southeast Missouri Children's Museum in 2006, it offers educational and interactive exhibits geared for children 11 and under. These include a grocery store, farm, and a bank. The museum also hosts parties and events. It moved to the current building in 2010.

Discovery Play House

The first hotel in Cape Girardeau, a small single-story structure, was built in 1806 and was located at Themis and Main Streets. The next one, the St. Charles Hotel, was built around 1838 and then the Riverview Hotel was constructed two blocks away in 1857. Both offered luxurious accommodations. Cheaper hotels were built in the 1800s as well. Three hotels were erected in the early 1900s but two burned down in 1916. It is likely that this is why the Marquette Hotel was built.Construction of the Marquette Hotel began in July 1927 and was completed in November the next year. The grand opening celebration was a big event. A few hundred guests were invited but a throng of around 8,000 people came to celebrate and stood outside. Hotel staff were dressed in Spanish costumes. A drum and bugle corps marched down Broadway Street before the 8pm start of the festivities. People were given tours of the building and the first guests stayed that night. The name Marquette was either chosen to honor French priest Jacques Marquette who explored the area, or the Marquette Cement Manufacturing Company, or to honor an early Spanish explorer named Marquette. The rooftop initially had gardens and people were allowed to see it and take in the views of the surrounding area (the hotel was the tallest building in the city at the time).The hotel quickly became a popular social gathering place for the community. Weddings, receptions and other events were held here thanks in part to the skilled chefs employed at the hotel. Local organizations including the Rotary Club and the Lions Club held meetings here until the late 1960s. The first radio station in the city, KFVS, operated from a glass booth on the mezzanine and was the city's only radio station for some time. Prominent figures of the day stayed at the hotel including Eleanor Roosevelt.The hotel was expanded in 1936 to increase the number of rooms by 40. However, the Great Depression affected the hotel's bottom line and the owner was forced to sell it in December of that year for far less than what it cost to build it. By 1951 business improved greatly. The new owner renovated the main floor as well as the coffee shop and restaurant. New heating and cooling systems were added as well. The hotel was sold in 1969 and the new owner moved his family into the building and used the lobby as a piano and organ studio but continued to operate the hotel as well. Just two years later, however, the Board of Health condemned the building, forcing the hotel to close. The family lived in the hotel until the mid-1970s and the piano store operated until the late 1990s. The old hotel was condemned again in 2000 but reopened as the Marquette Tower in 2004 after two years of renovation. In the mid-2010s it became part of a Marquette Tech District and now houses offices and businesses including a coffee shop and a rooftop restaurant.

A fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, the former Marquette Hotel (now called Marquette Tower) was built in 1928 and was integral to Cape Girardeau's social and economic life for many years. It remains an important landmark and is now an office and commercial building as part of the Marquette Tech District. In terms of design, the building features a buff-colored brick exterior and decorative elements throughout including molded terra-cotta fleur de leis, spirals, and floral motifs. There is also a pair of towers with terra-cotta tile roofs, double Romanesque arched openings separated by spiral columns, iron balconets, and decorative diamond-pattern brickwork. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Marquette Tower

Brothers Fred (1874-1965) and George Naeter (1869-1956) founded the Southeast Missourian in 1904 when they bought a failing newspaper called The Daily Republican. The brothers learned about it by chance. They took a sightseeing visit to Cape Girardeau during the St. Louis World's Fair and heard that the struggling paper was for sale. They became owners just a few weeks later and renamed the paper as the Cape Girardeau Republican. One of their two brothers, Harry, who was working as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune at the time, moved to Cape Girardeau to become managing editor. Unfortunately, he later died in 1918 from complications due to surgery.Fred and George were born in Shelbina, Missouri. Their father, a cigar maker, died when they were young and as a result they started to work as printers to support the family. When Fred was 19, he and a partner bought a newspaper and sold it five years later. They tried to start a newspaper in Quincy, Illinois but it failed. At age 17, George worked for the local paper in Shelbina and also ran his own called The Enterprise in Hunnewell, Missouri. By the early 1900s, the brothers were living in St. Louis. Fred worked setting ads for the St. Louis Star and George worked as a linotype operator for the Globe Democrat. While walking along the riverfront during the World's Fair in August 1904, they saw a sign promoting the excursion trip to Cape Girardeau. Apparently they had never heard of the city and decided to visit on a whim. The Cape Girardeau Republican published its first edition on October 3rd. It was first located in the Opera House Building but were kicked out because of excessive noise. In the coming years the paper moved to different locations as the business grew. The brothers constructed a new building in 1908 at 225 Broadway. In 1918, they renamed the paper the Southeast Missourian in honor of Harry. The business moved into the present building when it was erected in 1925. The property on which it stands is believed to be where the first trading post in the city was located. The brothers chose the site to honor this history. They also considered it their duty to erect a building that was attractive and would contribute to the city's commercial development.Fred and George were pioneers in the the printing field. They were the first publishers south of St. Louis to use electric printing equipment and a linotype press in 1906. Two years later they became the first paper in the region to use a Duplex press, which printed and folded 5,000 newspapers an hour.From the outset, Fred, George and Harry were determined to use the newspaper as a way to improve the lives of residents in the city and southeast Missouri. To this end, they supported progressive efforts to further economic growth. One example of this effort was when they established an organization (a predecessor to the Chamber of Commerce) that promoted business and industry. After Harry died, Fred and George announced that the paper would be fully independent and non-partisan. They contributed to the city and surrounding region in many other ways. These included donating funds to conservation and beautification efforts in the city, installing the first electrical streetlight in the city in front of their building to demonstrate its benefits, starting a summer movies series program in rural areas, helping preserve the Old McKendree Chapel (the oldest Methodist church building west of the Mississippi River), and supporting the establishment of Arena Park. Fred and George were involved in various organizations as well, usually as members of committees and advisory boards. Fred was more active politically than George and served on several state boards and commissions (he was also good friends of future president Harry S. Truman). In recognition for these efforts, the Inland Daily Press Association gave them the Community Service Award in 1954.Harry's son, Harry A. Naeter (1917-1994), took over the newspaper when Fred died in 1965. He sold it in 1976 to Thompson Newspapers, which sold it to the current owners in 1986.

Built in 1925, the Southeast Missourian Building is one of Cape Giradeau's most visually striking landmarks and continues to serve as the headquarters of the Southeast Missourian newspaper. Other businesses are housed in the building as well. It is an exceptional example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Notable features include a five-colored terra cotta tile roof, wide eaves supported by blue brackets, a band of Moravian colored tile surrounding the northeast corner of the first floor, an arcade of six arched openings and a doorway topped by a decorative terra cotta cartouche and small window, and a large metal sign on the roof with "Southeast Missourian" in gold letters. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 for its architecture and association with the newspaper.

Southeast Missourian Building

Cape Girardeau has always been known for its murals. But the floodwall, which was built in 1964 by the Army Corps of Engineers, did not have any murals until 1991 when the mural "Welcome to Cape Girardeau" was painted. The idea for murals on the floodwall was initiated by the River Heritage Association, which was established in 1987 to help reconnect the city with the river.&nbsp;

Along the Mississippi River is a 15-foot floodwall that features numerous murals on both sides depicting people and events of Cape Girardeau's history. Most have an accompanying interpretive sign in front providing a short description. Several artists have painted murals including Chicago resident Thomas Melvin painted several of the murals, including the Mississippi River Tales mural which portrays a Carolina parakeet and a hawthorne plant, the state's official flower.  

Floodwall Murals

Over time, the courthouse gradually evolved from dealing solely with common pleas cases (when a private citizen could file a legal grievance over another private citizen) to handling probate, civil, and criminal cases as well. As such, the courthouse serves as a reminder of the evolution of the state's legal system. During the Civil War, the&nbsp;courthouse became a major headquarters for the Union Army. This included the establishment of federal provost marshal's office in 1862, which replaced civil courts, giving him the authority to conduct investigations and enforce federal law. As a result, Confederate soldiers and supporters of the Southern cause were imprisoned here in a jail built behind the building. Provost marshals had a lot of power since they were generally not overseeing by anyone of any legal body. They could even declare martial law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sitting on top of a hill a couple of blocks away from the Mississippi River is the Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas courthouse building, which was first erected in 1854. The Federal-style building features a red brick facade and a cupola; the Classical Revival portico with the four columns was added in 1888. When it was built, it was one of only four common pleas courthouses in the state. Today, it is the only one remaining of the common pleas court system in Missouri. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. There are monuments and memorials on the courthouse grounds, including a Vietnam War Memorial and a statue of a  Union soldier sitting atop a water fountain. A new courthouse is set to open in 2020. It is unclear what will happen to the Court of Common Pleas.

Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas

Louis Lorimier was born in Montreal, Canada. His father&nbsp;Claude-Nicolas de la Rivière de Lorimier, a French colonial officer and commander of Fort de la&nbsp;Présentation, which is located along Hudson River in Ogdensburg, N.Y. In 1769, he moved with his father to a Miami Indian village in Ohio called&nbsp;Pickawillany. A British trading post was established next to the village in 1748. When the American Revolution started in 1776, the British hired Lorimier marshal native support for Britain. He moved to present-day Shawnee County and established a trading post (under the British flag) to gain the support of the Shawnee Indians. Shawnee warriors and Lorimier participated in the attack on an American settlement in Kentucky called Boonesborough in September 1778. He continued to fight for the British for the duration of the war. In 1783, Lorimier married a mixed French-Shawnee woman named Pemanpich; they had six surviving children. They moved to a location along the White River in 1785 in present-day Indiana to trade with the Delaware Indians. Two years later, they moved again, this time to Illinois. Not long after that, they moved once more to what is now St. Genevieve, Missouri, which at that time, was part of Spanish territory. Having learned of Lorimier's skill at establishing trading posts and settlements, and his ability to successfully interact with Indians (he became an interpreter), the Spanish hired him to found settlements along the Mississippi River (to strengthen their control on the river). He encouraged Shawnee and Delaware Indians as well as white settlers to settle in Missouri.&nbsp;<div> </div><div>This is how Cape Girardeau started. By 1804, the settlement had about 1,400 settlers. The Spanish appointed him captain of militia and command of the district of Cape Girardeau. After the United States acquired the lands west of the Mississippi from the French (as a result of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803), Lorimier almost moved to Mexico where he could live under Spanish rule again. But U.S. officials, realizing talents, won over his loyalty by appointing him judge of the court of common pleas and allowed his son to enroll at West Point, despite having a half Indian mother.&nbsp;Lorimier married again after Penmantich died at the age of 50. He had a child with his new wife but it died as a baby. He did have a son with another unknown woman.&nbsp; Lorimier was an interesting man, who wore both European and Indian clothing. He was well respected by Indians, the French and the English for his ability to live in both worlds. He remained in Cape Girardeau until his death in 1812.</div>

The Red House Interpretive Center is the recreated trading post of Louis Lorimier (1748–26 1812), the founder of Cape Girardeau. It commemorates his life and legacy and also the visit of the famous explorers Lewis and Clark, who stopped at the post in November 1803 to pick up supplies for their expedition to the Pacific Ocean. Inside, visitors will find three rooms: Lorimier's trading post, the Lorimier Room which replicates what his home may have looked liked, and the Girardeau Room which features interpretive panels with information about the area's history. Visitors will see authentic period items including tools, animal furs, clothing, and other items on display. There is also a historic garden that has plants and herbs typically grown in the early 1800s.

Red House Interpretive Center 

The story of Old St. Vincent's began in 1825&nbsp;when Vincentian priest John Timon was sent to serve in the&nbsp;Cape Girardeau and Perry Counties. After several years of&nbsp;traveling&nbsp;on horseback&nbsp;around the&nbsp;counties&nbsp;ministering to Catholics, he urged the bishop to establish a congregation.&nbsp;He celebrated the&nbsp;first mass in a warehouse in 1833. Over time the congregation grew which prompted the construction of Old St. Vincents in 1853. A new church was built in 1976 and St. Vincent's was under threat of demolition. However, a group of concerned citizens led efforts to save the church and it was declared a religious cultural center in 1977.

Built in 1853, Old St. Vincent's Church is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It was designed by Irish-born architect Thomas Waryng Walsh in the Greek Revival style and resembles churches built in Ireland and England at the time. The church is a religious cultural center and a small museum is located in the back of the building. Masses are held every Sunday at 10am. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Old St. Vincent's Church

The house was built in 1833 for David A. Glenn, an important figure in city at the time,&nbsp;in the vernacular farmhouse style. It was renovated to the Queen Anne style in 1900. It eventually came to be owned by the Earlbacher family who donated it to the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau, which formed in 1968. The association supervised restoration efforts in the 1970s&nbsp;(it is not clear as to when exactly when the house opened to the public).&nbsp;

The Glenn House is an historic home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Built in 1833, it is now a museum and the home of the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau. The interior has been restored to show what life was like during the Victorian Era (1860-1900). The home is open for tours and the society hosts art shows and other events in and outside the building throughout the year. The home as well as the Carriage House and grounds are available to rent for weddings or other events.

Glenn House

The Crisp Museum is located on the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus. It is dedicated towards increasing the understanding of the fine arts and contemporary and historic cultures, as well as the river history of the state. Its archaeology collection focuses primarily on Native American cultures of southeastern Missouri. It houses the largest collection of ceramic conch shells effigies in North America as well as a collection of stone tools. The fine arts collection contains works from Italian painters to Pablo Picasso. The museum offers talks and lectures, workshops, and other special programs, as well as a mobile learning center. 



Historic Walking tour of Cape Girardeau, Missouri

B'Nai Israel Synagogue (Riverside Pottery)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information