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

Artists Panel

Photographed by Edward Troxel, November 16, 2024

1. Artists Panel Marker

Inscription.
The Mississippi River Tales Mural is the largest and most dramatic of Cape Girardeau's murals. The 1,100-FOOT-LONG mural contains 24 PANELS, measuring 15 feet high and covering nearly 18,000 SQUARE FEET of the downtown floodwall.

For EIGHT MONTHS - from April to November 2004 - Chicago artist THOMAS MELVIN and his lead portrait artist CAMERON PFIFFNER directed the painting after Melvin had completed a great deal of research on the community. Additional members of the crew are listed under the paintbrush.

Portrayed here are CLIFF SWALLOWS. These birds often build nests made of mud under bridges - just as they had under the Old Mississippi River Bridge. Following the demolition of this bridge, cliff swallows returned, making new homes under the Emerson Memorial Bridge.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical month for this entry is November 2004.

Location. 37° 18.206′ N, 89° 31.077′ W. Marker is in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in Cape Girardeau County. It is at the intersection of North Water Street and Independence Street, on the left when traveling south on North Water Street. The marker stands along the Missouri Wall of Fame along the Mississippi River Front. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 18 Main St, Cape Girardeau MO 63701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds 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

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walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named 2003 (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named 1980 (within shouting distance of this marker); Missouri Mule / The Wild West (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wild West (within shouting distance of this marker); Lights, Camera... Actors! (within shouting distance of this marker); Sports Dazzlers (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named 1964 (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named 1958 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cape Girardeau.

Other markers no longer nearby. The Artists (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 2003 (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Dwarfing the Titanic (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing); 1980 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Hollywood (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Civil War / The Boys of Summer / Sports Dazzlers

Photographed by Edward Troxel, November 16, 2024

2. Artists Panel Marker

(was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1964 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); 1958 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2024, by Edward Troxel of Creal Springs, Illinois. This page has been viewed 141 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 19, 2024, by Edward Troxel of Creal Springs, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.