Missouri Wall of Fame
The beloved Missouri Wall of Fame is actually a flood wall. It’s located in downtown Cape Girardeau. What makes the wall so popular among locals and tourists is the mural featuring famous people native to Missouri or who became successful while living in the state. The diverse personalities depicted include Yogi Berra, Calamity Jane, Dale Carnegie, Kate Chopin, T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes, and Tom Sawyer (you don’t have to be real to get on the wall!).
Glenn House
This historic home was built in 1883. Its Late Victorian, brick-painted architecture summons the romance and intrigue of Southern Gothic style. The Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau restored Glenn House, opening it up to the public for tours and special events. Visitors learn about life in the 19th century, including its period architecture, furniture, fashions, and traditions.
Fort D
Fort D, the only surviving Civil War fort in the city, was built by Union troops under the leadership of Lieutenant John W. Powell. It sits along the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau, greeting visitors with the remains of its power house, palisade wall, rifle pits, and cannons. Although Fort D was never used in actual combat, it still serves as a reminder of the rich history of Cape Girardeau and its involvement in the Civil War.
Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge
This cable-stayed bridge is a focal point of Cape Girardeau and the state of Missouri. Crossing the Mississippi River, the bridge connects Cape Girardeau, MO with East Cape Girardeau, IL. The bridge’s namesake, Bill Emerson, was a Missouri Congressman from 1981 to 1996. The bridge is featured in the film Gone Girl.
Old St. Vincent’s Church
This Catholic Church is located in Cape Girardeau’s Courthouse-Seminary Neighborhood District, a national historic district. Its second iteration was completed in 1853 and designed by architect Thomas Waryng Walsh, in the English Perpendicular Gothic Revival style. The original church fell victim to a tornado in 1850 and reconstructed in the same spot. In 1982 it made the National Register of Historic Places.
