A Chinese proverb says, “To forget one’s ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root.”

Your family line likely boasts adventurers sailing down rivers and across oceans; changers determined to alter the course of history, even if just for their small community; brave souls picking themselves up over and over again when it seemed life would crush them. 

A town that values tradition understands the need for the most important connection of all – to one’s family. That’s why Cape Girardeau offers several resources to help you research your heritage, digging into the history of folks you may never have heard of but are part of you nonetheless – a source, a root. Imagine finding out you’re descended from royalty. Or that your ancestor braved several months at sea. Or that you’ve got your great-grandmother’s smile. 

Here are a few places to start uncovering your family’s story;

Cape Girardeau County Archive Center

Although it’s located in Jackson, the Archive Center holds records for Cape Girardeau County (including the town of Cape) dating back to the 1790s – particularly land grants and marriage licenses – some written in German or French. Today, original documents and microfilm allow visitors to access various kinds of records – court, tax, school, military, birth, death, maps, newspapers, cemeteries and churches. 

The Archive Center welcomes visitors with comfortable tables and chairs in a reading area that boasts free Wi-Fi. A printer and microfilm reader are also available, as is assistance from experts on Cape County history. 

Kirby Genealogy Room – Cape Girardeau Public Library

The Genealogy Room is a treasure trove of research material. Their archive of the Southeast Missourian newspaper goes back 100 years, and several other newspaper archives are available as well. You can also look up info via local census records, birth and death records, ship records of immigrants, published family histories and more. Plus, the library holds some records for other nearby counties. 

The public is welcome to utilize the Genealogy Room for free. In addition to printed material, it offers two microfilm readers and two computers connected to genealogy research databases. 

The State Historical Society of Missouri

The Cape Girardeau branch of the State Historical Society exists to preserve statewide records, particularly those with a connection to Southeast Missouri. Located in Pacific Hall on the Southeast Missouri State University campus, a few of the Society’s prized selections include the Oliver Collection (papers from a prominent local family); records from former congressman William “Bill” Emerson; and the Politics in Missouri Oral History Project (interviews with Southeast Missouri politicians).

Group tours are available, and staff archivists can assist with the research process for a fee. Before diving into research, the Society asks that you make a request at least two weeks before a visit, so the necessary documents can be collected as they travel from branch to branch.

To delve further in the past, check out some of Cape’s historical sites. Find a list here.