Old Lorimier Cemetery Explained

Old Lorimier Cemetery
Location:500 North Fountain Street,
Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Coordinates:37.3119°N -89.5203°W
Added:September 28, 2005
Refnum:05001091

The Old Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau, Missouri was established between 1806 and 1808 by Louis Lorimier.[1] The cemetery is located at 500 North Fountain Street overlooking the Mississippi River.[2] There are believed to be more than 6,500 graves in the cemetery, most of them unmarked. A sidewalk serves as a north – south dividing line in the cemetery. It is said that Catholics are buried on the south and Protestants are buried on the north.[3] The east slope is believed to be the burial grounds of African-American persons. It has been recorded that as many as 1,200 soldiers from the Civil War were buried there. The grave marker for the wife of Louis Lorimier says "The Noblest Matron of the Shawnee race."[4] [5] [6]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Burials in Old Lorimier Cemetery, Cape Girardeau, MO, 1806–1983. Cape Girardeau County Genealogical Society (Jackson). 1994. en.
  2. Book: Archibald, Robert. The New Town Square: Museums and Communities in Transition. 2004. Rowman Altamira. 978-0759102880. en.
  3. Book: Taylor, Troy. The Big Book of Missouri Ghost Stories. 2013. Stackpole Books. 978-0811711494. en.
  4. Book: Earngey, Bill. Missouri Roadsides: The Traveler's Companion. 1995. University of Missouri Press. 978-0826210210. en.
  5. Book: Dictionary of Missouri Biography. Christensen. Lawrence O.. Foley. William E.. Kremer. Gary. 1999. University of Missouri Press. 978-0826260161. en.
  6. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Old Lorimier Cemetery. 2016-09-01. Terri L. Foley and Brenda Schloss. February 2005. Missouri Department of Natural Resources.