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Murals come in all shapes and
sizes in this river city. On your Great
Murals Tour, you can explore fascinating local
history --right off the walls-- or celebrate life on
the Mississippi as you discover new facets to the city.
No matter what direction your travels take you, your
trip will not be complete without visiting Cape Girardeau
and taking the Great Murals
Tour.
Take the fun-filled Mississippi River Tales Mural Mania Quiz! Return your quiz sheet to the Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau, and you'll be entered in a random drawing for a FREE PRIZE! Click here for the quiz sheet.
The River Heritage Mural Association, a group committed to further enhancing the artistic environment of the community and conveying the history and values of the city, will continue to create murals for future generations to enjoy. Let your imagination take you back to a different time as you experience dramatic, life-changing moments in the history of Cape Girardeau as you view these original art murals:
Mississippi
River Tales Mural
Reflecting
the area's rich appreciation of history, numerous murals
create a beautiful backdrop to some of the city's most
charming areas. The largest, and most dramatic of these,
is the Mississippi River Tales Mural, located on the
city's downtown river wall. Covering nearly 18,000 square
feet, this mural spans the length of the downtown shopping
district, and features 24 panels that tell the tales
of Cape Girardeau and the mighty Mississippi River .
You'll discover why Cape Girardeau is, indeed, where
the river turns a thousand tales. Be sure to stroll along the Mississippi River Tales Mural and enjoy Riverfront Park and the River Walk. Click here for the Mural Mania Quiz, and chance to win a free prize!
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Missouri Wall Of Fame
Appearing on the Mississippi River floodwall in downtown Cape Girardeau are 45 famous persons who were born in Missouri or achieved fame while living in the state: from President Harry S Truman, to outlaws Frank and Jesse James, sports broadcaster and St. Louis Cardinal Joe Garagiola and acclaimed author Samuel Clemens. Centered on the mural is the Missouri flag, which was designed in Cape Girardeau by Marie Watkins Oliver in 1908. Cape Girardeau’s contribution to the mural includes national radio and television personality Rush Limbaugh and astronaut Linda Godwin. This mural covers the entire flood wall between Independence and Merriwether streets.
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Welcome To Cape Mural
Depicting 200 years of Cape Girardeau history, the Welcome to Cape Mural is located on the east side of the floodwall in the Historic Downtown district. To view this mural, walk through the floodwall gates at the intersection of Broadway at Water Street or Themis at Water Street. The mural begins its chronological narration with the past, symbolized by the Native American of the south end, on to Don Louis Lorimier’s “Red House,” the first residence in the area. Cape’s growing importance as a regional center is shown by the historical paddle-wheeler “Cape Girardeau.” Local landmarks showcased are Old St. Vincent’s Church, the Common Pleas Courthouse, and the Show Me Center.
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Coca-Cola Mural
Located on Themis Street, on the North end of the Port Cape Girardeau building, this advertisement predates the 1920’s and was reconditioned in 1978.
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River
Heritage Mural
This 17- by 28-foot mural, located on the side of Mollie's Restaurant at the southwest corner of Spanish and Independence streets, symbolizes the history of Cape Girardeau as a river city. This contemporary-styled mural has a modern appearance and was completed in 1986. The mural showcases the Mississippi River, riverboats, and the historic Port Cape Girardeau building, which is rumored to have been used as General Grant’s headquarters during the Civil War and by bootleggers during Prohibition.
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Hecht’s Store Murals
A cathedral ceiling with a mosaic mural offers a unique entrance into this 1928 building. Inspired by the cathedrals in Rome and Paris, architect T.B. Barnett brought this influence back to Cape.
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Riverfest
Mural
This 720-square-foot mural is located on the west side of the C.P. McGinty building and is best seen from the 100 block of N. Spanish Street. The theme is the once annual Riverfest: Cape’s salute to its river heritage. The images incorporate some of Riverfest’s activities - air shows and sidewalk jazz were enjoyed at this fun-filled festival.
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 Southeast Missourian Murals
The Southeast Missourian Murals, located on the east side of the Southeast Missourian newspaper at 301 Broadway, represent the history of printing and the art of disseminating the news.
The first of their kind in America, these murals took 10 years to develop and two years to make. Producing the tiles that could withstand the forces of weather (freezing and thawing) caused the delay in production of the project.
Personalities on these tiles include Harry S Truman, Billy Sunday, and John Phillip Sousa.
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Jake Wells Bicentennial Mural
This 40- by 22-foot mural, high on the east side of a building located at 405 Broadway, depicts the founding of Cape Girardeau.
Dedicated to the city on its 200th anniversary in 1993, this masterpiece manifests images of our city’s history:
Ensign Jean B. Girardot, a young French Marine Lieutenant serving in this area in the early 1700s, started a trading post in the remote river area to give trappers and river travelers a welcome respite. The "Red House" was the home of the Governor of the Cape Girardeau district, Louis Lorimier, who came to the area in 1793. He was commissioned by the Spanish Governor General to establish a military post to trade and interact with the native inhabitants. Civic leader and author Louis Houck, who brought the first railroad to Cape Girardeau, is silhouetted on the left. Rising from the lower center are the Spanish and French flags, signifying possession of the area by those two countries.
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Jake Wells University Mural
Located inside Kent Library on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, the Jake Wells University Mural is a memorial to the strength and determination of the people who lived and worked in Southeast Missouri. Commemorating the University’s centennial, the 38- by 21-foot mural is one of the largest indoor murals in the state. Four facets of the area’s rich background carry the message of the nature and development of the area: the Mississippi River, mineral resources, timber resources, and agriculture. Figures on the canvas include railroad workers, farmers, pioneer mothers and circuit riders. Indentifiable places include Tower Rock, Lorimier’s Red House, Academic Hall and Water Street. These “thoughts on a wall” provide a walk-by look at the history and development of Southeast Missouri.
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Heritage
of Music Mural
Located on the west wall of the Shivelbine Music Building at 535 Broadway, this mural celebrates the musical history of Cape. The musicians shown are based on a historical photograph of Schuchert’s Silver Cornet Band, which was active in the city during the turn of the century. This musical heritage continues today with our contemporary Municipal Band giving weekly outdoor concerts throughout the summer.
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City
Hall Murals
City Hall, located at 401 Independence, originally housed Lorimier School. Murals of Ole King Cole, Three Men in a Tub, Huck Finn, and Long John Silver give a decorative touch to the corridor and serve as a background for water fountains.
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History Of Medicine Mural
Almost two dozen men and women, whose dedication to science led to a better life for all mankind, are featured on Southeast Missouri Hospital’s History of Medicine Mural.
The 72- by 11-foot oil mural, located on the curved facade of the hospital lobby, blends mythology and reality to create an inspiring and educational timeline of the history of medicine. John Hunn, of St. Louis, Missouri, was chosen as the artist to design and paint the mural, which took three months to complete.
Featured on the mural are Asclepius, the god of healing in Greek mythology; Hippocrates, Father of Medicine; Leonardo da Vinci and his Vitruvian Man; Marie Curie and her discovery of radium: Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross; Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale; and master mathematician Albert Einstein. The work also includes Southeast Hospital as it appeared when it opened in 1928.
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