Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

1916

The Great Fire

Photographed By Sandra Hughes, August 12, 2012

1. 1916 Marker

Inscription. The city was awakened to the shriek of a steamboat whistle early on the morning of March 15, 1916, to the biggest fire in Cape's history. The blaze began south of Broadway engulfing the Terminal Hotel, the Buckner-Ragsdale Store, the Frisco Railroad Depot, and then leaped north across Broadway to the Riverview Hotel. The railroad brought in additional cars and equipment to assist in the evacuation of goods from other downtown structures.

Erected by Mississippi River Tales / River Heritage Mural Association.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Environment. A significant historical date for this entry is March 15, 1916.

Location. 37° 18.123′ N, 89° 31.091′ W. Marker is in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in Cape Girardeau County. Marker is on Water Street. Located on Missouri Wall of Fame along the Missouri River Front. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cape Girardeau MO 63703, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Entertainers (here, next to this marker); Hollywood (here, next to this marker); 1924 (a few steps from this marker); 1909 (a few steps from this marker); 2003 (a few steps from this marker); Muralist / Broadcasters (a few steps

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from this marker); 1980 (a few steps from this marker); George Washington Carver (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cape Girardeau.

Also see . . . Mississippi River Tales Mural. The Mississippi River Tales is a mural containing 24 panels covering nearly 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2) of the 15-foot (4.6 m)-high downtown floodwall in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. (Submitted on September 2, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

Photographed By Sandra Hughes, August 12, 2012

2. 1916 Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 229 times since then and 14 times this year. Last updated on February 17, 2022, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 2, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.