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

REPLACED

CHECK OTHERS NEARBY

1880

The Coming of The Railroad

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, August 12, 2012

1. 1880 Marker

Inscription. After earlier attempts to build a railroad to Cape Girardeau failed, local attorney Louis Houck made an arrangement with creditors to bring a railroad into the city by midnight of January 1,1881. If he could do so, he would acquire clear title to the properties of the failed railroad. Running short of rails and time, Houck divided men into two crews - one building from the west, the other from the east. His men borrowed rails and ties form the abandoned rail line to the north and were able to build sufficient tracks to connect with the crew coming from Delta. Slowly the engine move forward. Te last rail was put in place one hour before midnight, and the engine arrived in a sleeping Cape Girardeau at 2 a.m. on New Year's Day. Cape Girardeau had a railroad!

Panel Sponsor:
Kent Zickfield
Zickfield's Jewelry and the Zickfield family, a part of the Downtown Cape Girardeau business district and supporter of community activities since 1939, sponsored this panel in memory of William August Zickfield.

Erected by Mississippi River Tales, River Heritage Mural Association.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in

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this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is January 1, 1881.

Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 37° 18.279′ N, 89° 31.063′ W. Marker was in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in Cape Girardeau County. It was at the intersection of North Water Street and Themis Street, on the left when traveling south on North Water Street. Marker is located along the Mississippi River Tales Mural covering the downtown floodwall. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 19 N Water St, Cape Girardeau MO 63701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in Southeast Missouri. It was also in the American Ozarks,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location:

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, August 12, 2012

2. 1880 Marker

A different marker also named 1880 (here, next to this marker); The Mississippi River (a few steps from this marker); Filburn & Sloan Commission House (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named 1909 (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named 1916 (a few steps from this marker); Justice for the Common Man (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named 1875 (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named 1870 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cape Girardeau.

Other markers no longer nearby. 1909 (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1916 (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1875 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1870 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. New Replacement Marker At This Location

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also titled "1880".

Also see . . . Mississippi River Tales Mural. Wikipedia (Submitted on August 31, 2017.)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 346 times since then and 16 times this year. Last updated on November 22, 2024, by Edward Troxel of Creal Springs, Illinois. Photos: 1. submitted on August 31, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 2. submitted on September 2, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.