Cape Girardeau is rich with history, particularly its significant African American heritage from the 1800s. If you want to explore this history, embark on a self-guided tour that highlights key locations where pivotal moments unfolded. You’ll find a wealth of culture, resilience, and stories of community strength in churches, homes, and cemeteries around the city.
Driving Tour
Ivers Square | 44 North Lorimier Street
Your tour starts at Ivers Square, a historic site named after James and Harriet Ivers, two pioneers of freedom. During the Civil War, the Court of Common Pleas became the hub for the Union Army in Cape Girardeau. It was here that 249 African American men enlisted in the Union forces from 1863 to 1864, securing their freedom if they survived the war. James “Jim” Ivers enlisted in 1863, only to die later that year in service. Harriet Ivers, his widow, lived on, purchasing a home in 1876 and raising their family.
Second Missionary Baptist Church | 428 South Frederick
This church was founded after the Civil War when newly freed African Americans sought spiritual independence from their former congregations. After meeting in homes, they purchased this lot in 1873, and in 1905, the brick building that stands today replaced the original frame structure. The surrounding neighborhood was home to notable community members, including veterans and property-owning women like Harriet Ivers. Today, the Second Missionary Baptist Church meets in a newer building at 835 Beaudean Lane.
St. James AME | 516 North Street
H4: St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in 1863, has been a beacon of faith and social justice for more than 150 years. Two years before slavery was abolished in Missouri, the St. James Society in the Methodist tradition was established by Rev. Winston, Rev. Burks, Professor Samuel Newlin and Jesse Stanton. In 1870, St. James’ fourth pastor, Rev. Spottswood Rice, a U.S. Colored Troop veteran, led the congregation to purchase property and build the church you see today. The church building stands as a symbol of resilience and continues to serve as an advocate for justice in the community.
Walking Tour
Court of Common Pleas | Spanish and Themis Streets
This historic courthouse saw the sale of many enslaved people, a grim reminder of Cape Girardeau’s ties to slavery. From the nearby Sloan Farm, enslaved individuals walked to the auction block, and many stayed in the area afterward. Untold numbers of slave sales and annual slave hire-outs on the first day of the new year were conducted on this property until 1865 when slavery was abolished in Missouri. Today, the building stands as a testament to those who endured these hardships.
Fairmount Cemetery | 835 Caruthers
Opened in 1882, Fairmount Cemetery became the final resting place for many veterans of the U.S. Colored Infantry, segregated even in death. The veterans’ graves are in section “C,” where headstones, some provided by the War Department, mark their service. A map and booklet about these soldiers’ lives are available at VisitCape’s office, courtesy of historian Denise Lincoln.
Holy Family Catholic Church | 1507 South Sprigg Street
In 1940, Holy Family Catholic Church was established by a group of African American teenagers and Father Darling. Although the congregation was short-lived, closing in 1961 as segregation laws ended, the church remains a crucial part of Cape Girardeau’s African American religious history. A crucifix from the church now hangs in Notre Dame Regional High School.
Lincoln / John S. Cobb School | Merriwether and Ellis Streets | 731 Merriwether
The Lincoln School, built in 1890, was Cape Girardeau’s first school for African American children. Renamed John S. Cobb School in 1925 after its revered principal, the school educated students until it was damaged by fire in 1953. The decision to delay its rebuilding was followed by the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954, which led to the desegregation of Cape Girardeau’s schools. Today, only the gymnasium remains, now part of the Southeast Missouri Regional Crime Lab, and where Cobb alumni still gather for reunions.
These sites offer a glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of Cape Girardeau’s African American residents from slavery through the Civil War and into the fight for equality in the 20th century. Each location is a story of survival, freedom, and community resilience – reminding us of the powerful history that shaped Cape Girardeau into the city it is today.