Cape Girardeau, Missouri
September 22, 2019Dear Family & Friends:

Phil Brinson lives in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Tom Kettering, Rick Dryer and I met Phil decades ago while river rafting on the Colorado River. We bonded immediately and became close friends.

Cape Girardeau is the largest city between St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee. It is home to Proctor & Gamble, two famous hospitals and Southeast Missouri State University. This great River city hosts many five-star restaurants and lots of bars and breweries. The most distinguishing  feature of the city is the 1.3 mile  floodwall that was built in 1964 to protect the residents and the city from the periodic rising of the Mississippi River. The floodwall has never been beached by the River. The city side of the wall is adorned by fabulous murals depicting American history, particularly Cape Girardeau, life on the Mississippi River and the westward expansion of our country.

Lewis & Clark passed through Cape Girardeau in 1803, delivering letters of introduction to the City’s founder. Louis Lorimier. General Grant set up temporary headquarters in Cape Girardeau during the Civil War.

I enjoyed a zero day in Cape Girardeau with Phil and his close friends, Bill Leming and Stacy Bentsen. We enjoyed several meals in Cape Gerardeau and talked until
3am on Phil’s rooftop deck overlooking the River. On Sunday, Phil, Stacy and I attended church and took Communion, which was very special for me.

Phil and I visited the Trail of Tears State Park, just a few miles north of Cape Girardeau. This Park commemorates the tragic 1,000 mile journey of the Cherokee Indian Tribes, who were forced to relocate from Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee to Indian Territory in present day Oklahoma, west of the Mississippi River. Over 4,000
lives were lost, which was over 25% of the Indians who began this perilous  journey.

Thanks to Phil, Bill and Stacy for hosting me in Cape Girardeau and showing me such a great time. I love you guys and your great city.

God is good.

Bill

(click on images for better resolution)

Phil, Stacy, Bill & Bill

The floodwall

The flood gate

The murals. The first mural portrays the Trail of Tears. The second mural portrays Napoleon selling the Louisiana Territory to the United States as one of his aides faints. The third mural portrays Louis Lorimier, the founder of Cape Girardeau.

The Red House where Louis Lorimier and his family lived. It also served as a fur trading center.

This photo shows the water level during several famous floods.

Breakfast at the Huddle House