Old Lorimier Cemetery

{{Short description|Historic cemetery in Cape Gurardeau County, Missouri}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Old Lorimier Cemetery

| nrhp_type =

| image = OldLorimierCemetery6.JPG

| caption =

| location = 500 North Fountain Street,
Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

| coordinates = {{coord|37|18|43|N|89|31|13|W|display=inline}}

| locmapin = Missouri#USA

| built = {{Start date|1808}}

| architect OR builder =

| added = September 28, 2005

| area = {{convert|5|acre}}

| refnum = 05001091{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

}}

File:OldLorimierCemetery1.JPG

The Old Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau, Missouri was established between 1806 and 1808 by Louis Lorimier.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=zMbnngEACAAJ|title = Burials in Old Lorimier Cemetery, Cape Girardeau, MO, 1806–1983|publisher = Cape Girardeau County Genealogical Society (Jackson)|date = 1994|language = en}} The cemetery is located at 500 North Fountain Street overlooking the Mississippi River.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=O8h7kVXfq-wC&q=Old%2520Lorimier%2520Cemetery&pg=PA23|title = The New Town Square: Museums and Communities in Transition|last = Archibald|first = Robert|date = 2004|publisher = Rowman Altamira|isbn = 978-0759102880|language = en}} 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.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=EadwAAAAQBAJ|title = The Big Book of Missouri Ghost Stories|last = Taylor|first = Troy|date = 2013|publisher = Stackpole Books|isbn = 978-0811711494|language = en}} 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."{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=xcxWsmxRzVEC|title = Missouri Roadsides: The Traveler's Companion|last = Earngey|first = Bill|date = 1995|publisher = University of Missouri Press|isbn = 978-0826210210|language = en}}{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6gyxWHRLAWgC|title = Dictionary of Missouri Biography|last1 = Christensen|first1 = Lawrence O.|last2 = Foley|first2 = William E.|last3 = Kremer|first3 = Gary|date = 1999|publisher = University of Missouri Press|isbn = 978-0826260161|language = en}}{{cite web| url =http://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/79001354.pdf| title = National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Old Lorimier Cemetery| access-date = 2016-09-01| author=Terri L. Foley and Brenda Schloss| date=February 2005|publisher=Missouri Department of Natural Resources}}

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