When was Cairo Illinois founded and who were the first settlers?
Early settlers arrived in the 1830s to build a town on this wetland. The first municipal charter for Cairo appeared in 1818 but lacked actual residents or deposits.
Questions about Cairo, Illinois
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What role did Ulysses S Grant play in Cairo during the Civil War?
Union General Ulysses S Grant occupied Cairo in January 1862 to control river access. Admiral Andrew Hull Foote established the naval station for the Mississippi River Squadron there on the 6th of September 1861.
Why did the population of Cairo Illinois decline so drastically after 1920?
Completion of these two bridges ended the ferry industry entirely and put many people out of work. The Cairo I-57 Bridge opened in 1978 bypassed the town to the north and largely crippled the remaining hospitality industry in the city.
How large is the Big Subway Gate flood protection system in Cairo?
The gate weighs 80 tons and stands 60 feet wide, 24 feet high, and five feet thick. It was designed to seal the northern levee by closing over U.S. Highway 51.
When did the lynching of William James occur in Cairo Illinois?
An estimated crowd of 10,000 gathered for the lynching of William James on the 11th of November 1909. Two men were lynched that night including white resident Henry Salzner who had allegedly murdered his wife.