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

REPLACED

CHECK OTHERS NEARBY

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. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 37° 18.267′ N, 89° 31.068′ W. Marker was in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in Cape Girardeau County. It was on North Water Street. Located on Missouri Wall of Fame along the Missouri River Front. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 36 N Water St, Cape Girardeau MO 63701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in Southeast Missouri.

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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: A different marker also named 1916 (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named 1909 (here, next to this marker); 1918 (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named 1880 (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named 1924 (within shouting distance of this marker); Filburn & Sloan Commission House (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named 1925 (within shouting distance of this marker); The Mississippi River (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 here, next to this marker but has been replaced

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, August 12, 2012

2. 1916 Marker

with another marker now near it); 1918 - 1919 (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1880 (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1924 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1925 (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. This marker has been replaced with the linked marker.

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.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 536 times since then and 16 times this year. Last updated on November 22, 2024, by Edward Troxel of Creal Springs, Illinois. 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.