Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city of 40,344 people in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, founded in 1793.
Why visit Cape Girardeau
Townapedia lists 54 museums and landmarks, 32 parks and trails, 46 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Broadway Theatre, Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Fort D and Old Lorimier Cemetery.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Cape Girardeau
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau ( jirr-AR-doh, French: Cap-Girardeau [kap ʒiʁaʁdo] ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 39,540 at the 2020 census, making it the 17th-largest city in the state. It is a principal city of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson metropolitan area with 97,517 residents. Cape Girardeau is the economic center of southeastern Missouri and the home of Southeast Missouri State University.
From the Wikipedia article Cape Girardeau, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Broadway Theatre
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Former theater and movie theater in Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge
Bridge · 2.5 mi
Bridge in Missouri and East Cape Girardeau, Illinois
Cape Girardeau Bridge
Bridge · 2.5 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Marcus Cape West 14
Cinema and theater · 1.6 mi
247 Siemers Drive, Cape Girardeau
Museums and landmarks54
Old Lorimier Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic cemetery in Cape Gurardeau County, Missouri
500 North Fountain Street, Cape Girardeau
Abraham Russell Ponder House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
August and Amalia Shivelbine House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic home located at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States
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B'Nai Israel Synagogue
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Synagogue in Cape Girardeau, MO
Broadway and North Fountain Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Broadway Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
National historic district located at Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Broadway-Middle Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Cape Girardeau Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic district in Missouri, United States
Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Colonel George C. Thilenius House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
42 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds32
20 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes46
Leap of Faith Nutrition
Cafe · Shake, Tea, Coffee, Energy Drinks · 0.7 mi
229 South Plaza Way, Cape Girardeau
Mo-Sa 06:30-16:00
Watami Sushi & Hibachi Steakhouse
Restaurant · Sushi, Japanese · 0.5 mi
45 South Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau
Mo-Sa 11:00-15:00 open "lunch", Su 12:00-15:00 open "lunch", Mo-Fr...
Green's Garden - Urban Market
Restaurant · 2.2 mi
2 North Main Street, Cape Girardeau
Tu-Fr 09:30-17:30; Sa 08:30-17:30
Hotshots Sports Bar and Grill
Restaurant · Burger, Pizza · 2.2 mi
15 North Main Street, Cape Girardeau
Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant and Lounge
Diner · American · 2.2 mi
19 North Water Street, Cape Girardeau
Burrito-Ville
Restaurant · 1.6 mi
913 Broadway Street, Cape Girardeau
Mo-Sa 10:30-21:00
34 more on the map.
History
The city is named after Jean Baptiste de Girardot, who established a temporary trading post in the area around 1733. He was a French soldier stationed at Kaskaskia between 1704 and 1720 in the French colony of La Louisiane. The "Cape" in the city name referred to a rock promontory overlooking the Mississippi River; it was later destroyed by railroad construction. As early as 1765, a bend in the Mississippi River, about 60 miles (97 km) south of the French village of Ste. Genevieve, had been referred to as Cape Girardot or Girardeau (both pronounced the same in French).
The settlement of Girardeau is said to date from 1793 when the Spanish government, which had acquired Louisiana in 1764 following the French defeat in the Seven Years' War, granted Louis Lorimier, a French-Canadian, the right to establish a trading post. This gave him trading privileges and a large tract of land surrounding his post. Lorimier was made commandant of the district and prospered from the returns on his land sales and trade with indigenous peoples, such as the Ozark Bluff Dwellers and the Mississippian people.
From the History section of Cape Girardeau, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay13
Hampton Inn Cape Girardeau I-55 East
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
207 North Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau
Budget Inn Motel & Restaurant
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
1448 North Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau
Candlewood Suites Cape Girardeau
Motel and hotel · 1.6 mi
485 South Mt. Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau
Drury Plaza Hotel Cape Girardeau Conference Center
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
3351 Percy Drive, Cape Girardeau
Drury Suites Cape Girardeau
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
3303 Campster Drive, Cape Girardeau
Pear Tree Inn Cape Girardeau West
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
103 Cape West Parkway, Cape Girardeau
Town House Inn Cape Girardeau
Motel and hotel · 0.4 mi
505 N Kingshighway St, Cape Girardeau
Churches and places of worship21
Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Annunciation
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.8 mi
615 William Street, Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.6 mi
820 South West End Boulevard, Cape Girardeau
South Cape Girardeau Congegration
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 2.6 mi
1150 South Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau
Christ Eveangelical Church
Church · Evangelical · 1.7 mi
33 South Ellis Street, Cape Girardeau
Shopping15
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries27
Southeast Missouri State University River Campus
School · 2.2 mi
518 South Fountain Street, Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau Car Tech Ctr.
School · 2.5 mi
1080 S Silver Springs Rd, Cape Girardeau
Healthcare9
Map of Cape Girardeau
230 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 26°F | 3.5 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 30°F | 3.3 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 37°F | 4.7 in |
| Apr | 69°F | 47°F | 5.2 in |
| May | 78°F | 58°F | 5.3 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 66°F | 3.8 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 3.9 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 3.2 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 58°F | 3.6 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 46°F | 3.6 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 37°F | 4.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 30°F | 3.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cape Girardeau Muni Ap 72329 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cape Girardeau County has had 23 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-08-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-07-09: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2019-05-20: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (CGI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Scott City 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Gordonville 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Jackson 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Kelso 8 mi south, about 13 min by car
- Thebes 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Chaffee 11 mi southwest, about 17 min by car
- Carbondale 34 mi northeast, about 55 min by car
- Herrin 44 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Marion 45 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Paducah 53 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Cape Girardeau dec29-07 (23), Drowzy at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Cape Girardeau banner, Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Greetings from Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Large Letter Postcard (8407159677), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Louis J. Schultz School, Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Dr. Jean Chapman House2 NRHP 16000084 Cape Girardeau County, MO, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dr. Jean Chapman House NRHP 16000084 Cape Girardeau County, MO, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Esquire Theater, Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Broadway Commercial HD 210 N Ellis NRHP 15001017 Cape Girardeau County, MO, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Broadway Commercial HD3 NRHP 15001017 Cape Girardeau County, MO, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Broadway Commercial HD NRHP 15001017 Cape Girardeau County, MO, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Broadway Commercial HD2 NRHP 15001017 Cape Girardeau County, MO, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wood Building in Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Broadway and Fountain in Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Rush Limbaugh Courthouse, Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Broadway west of Middle, Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- South Middle Street in Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Marquette Hotel, Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- House at 323 Themis Street, Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Lorimier south of Merriwether in Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas from rear near sunset, Nyttend, Public domain
- FortDMap, Larry J. Summary, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OldLorimierCemetery1, Larry J. Summary, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CapeSynagogue, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- McKendree Chapel Exterior - Interior, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saint Vincent's College Building, Nyttend, Public domain
- Klostermann Block, Nyttend, Public domain
- August and Amalia Shivelbine House, northern side, Nyttend, Public domain
- GlennHouseCape, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- OLIVER-LEMING HOUSE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- James Reynolds House (front and back), Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Warehouse Row Historic District, Nyttend, Public domain
- Huhn-Harrison House, Nyttend, Public domain
- CapeRC, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Spanish south of Themis, Cape Girardeau, Nyttend, Public domain
- Computer Laboratory (MSA) (20329587543), Missouri State Archives, No restrictions
- Visitor feeding Buffalo, Capetown Safari (MSA) (5789077344), Missouri State Archives, No restrictions
- Colonel George C. Thilenius House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Abraham Russell Ponder House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Erlbacher Buildings, Nyttend, Public domain
- Frederick W. and Mary Karau Pott House, Nyttend, Public domain
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