The World's Only Inland Cape EarthCache
The World's Only Inland Cape
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Cape Rock is located in Cape Rock Park and you can drive to within 150 feet of the earth cache. The last 150 feet are paved, but the incline is rather steep.
Cape Rock, located on the western bank of the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is the only inland bay in the world, and served as a defining feature in the development of the State of Missouri and the City of Cape Girardeau, as well as Cape Girardeau County.
"Cape" is another word for a headland, which is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. A large headland may also be called a peninsula. Long, narrow and high headlands may be called promontories. When headlands significantly affect ocean currents they are often called capes. The opposite to a headland is a bay which is a body of water surrounded by land on three sides.
Cape Rock is the only example in the world of an inland cape occuring along the banks of a river, and it exists in the form of a promontory into the Mississippi River.
In all other cases, a headland is a piece of land that juts into the sea from the main land coast line. Headlands are shaped by erosion. They are formed when the sea attacks a section of coast consisting of alternating bands of hard and soft waves. The banks of soft rock such as sand and clay, erode more quickly than those of more resistant hard rock such as chalk. This would form a headland, and did so at Cape Rock.
French soldier Jean Baptists Girardot was essential in the founding of the city of Cape Girardeau. As he was traveling through the area, he found this promontory overlooking the Mississippi River and chose this location to establish a trading post to serve the more than 20 Indian tribes that lived in the area. Trappers and travelers also discovered "Cape Girardot", and the city of Cape Girardeau, and Cape Girardeau County grew up around the trading post.
After Ensign Girardot moved on in search of other discoveries, the Spanish Governor sent Louis Lorimier to establish a military post at the former location of Girardot's trading post, and an attempt was made to rename the area Lorimont in his honor, the name "Cape Girardot" (laer modified to Girardeau) had already gained poopular acceptance among the region's population.
Cape Rock Park is located in the northeast part of the city, adn the park contains 21.3 acres and offers a breathtaking view of the mighty Mississippi River. The park was the original trading post established by Ensign Girardot. Although part of the actual cape was destroyed in the 1800s to make room for the railroads, this memorial "Cape Rock" sits atop the bluff of Girardot's trading post.
To claim credit for this cache, please email the following information through our geocaching.com profile:
1. What is the elevation at the base of the Cape Rock Memorial?
2. A photo of your GPSr atop the memorial. Please post this with your log rather than emailing it.
3. Your estimation of the width of the Mississippi River at the point of the Cape.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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