Bird's Point, Missouri

Bird's Point is an unincorporated community in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. It lies on an island or former island in the Mississippi River near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers is situated directly across the Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois. This is the point where the U.S. Highway 60 bridge connects up with Wickliffe, Kentucky.

History

In the 1800s, the area was an important northern railroad and river terminus for cotton distribution, and a series of
ferries facilitated movement of cargo and passengers from the island to the Illinois riverbank. A railroad ran to Texarkana, Texas, offering planters a convenient way to get their cotton bales to the Mississippi for water transport to markets in the Midwest.

Bird's Point was a strategic site during the Civil War. The Battle of Charleston occurred in the vicinity on August 19, 1861. Union cavalry under David P. Jenkins guarded the region for the early part of the war, deterring Confederate attempts to regain control of the vital supply routes. Once secure from enemy threat, Bird's Point was transformed into an important supply and repair site, as well as a training camp and military post, for the Union army and navy. ["Official Records", various citations.]

Following the war, many of the military buildings were converted to civilian usage, including the boat yard. In September 1908, the river bank caved in and essentially destroyed the boat yard and surrounding facilities. A flood in 1937 destroyed part of the levee, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked long hours to restore the ruined section.

Bird's Point today is marked by several large grain elevators and storage facilities.

Notable natives

Jazz pianist Jess Stacy was born in Bird's Point in 1904.

References

* U.S. War Department, [http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/records/list.cfm "The War of the Rebellion"] : "a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies", U.S. Government Printing Office, 1880–1901.

Notes