Bird's Point, Missouri facts for kids

Bird's Point is a small, unincorporated community located in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. It sits on what used to be an island in the mighty Mississippi River. This spot is very close to where the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers meet. Right across the river from Bird's Point is Cairo, Illinois. It's also where the U.S. Route 60 bridge connects Missouri to Cairo.

A Look Back: The History of Bird's Point

Bird's Point got its name from Abraham Bird Sr. He was a well-known businessman and farmer from Virginia. In 1796, he brought his family to this area, first near what is now Cairo, Illinois, and then to Bird's Point. People say his family was the first group of white settlers to live here. Famous explorers Lewis and Clark even saw the Bird's Point settlement during their big journey in 1803.

Bird's Point During the Civil War

Bird's Point was a very important place during the Civil War. A battle, called the Battle of Charleston, happened nearby on August 19, 1861. Union soldiers, led by Colonel David P. Jenkins, protected this area early in the war. They stopped Confederate forces from taking control of important supply routes.

Once the Union secured Bird's Point, it became a key spot. It was used to supply and repair equipment for the Union army and navy. It also served as a training camp and military base. After the war, many of these military buildings were used for regular civilian activities, including the boat yard.

Railroads and River Trade

In the 1880s, Bird's Point was a busy hub for moving cotton. Both railroads and riverboats were used. Ferries helped carry goods and people across the river from the island to Illinois.

The Texas and St. Louis Railway built tracks to Bird's Point in 1882. This railroad eventually stretched all the way to Gatesville, Texas. Trains would use a special ramp to get onto large boats called "car floats." These floats then carried the train cars across the Mississippi River to Cairo, Illinois.

Later, this railroad became the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, often called the Cotton Belt. It was a great way for farmers to send their cotton bales to the Mississippi River. From there, the cotton could travel by water to markets in the Midwest. However, in 1898, the Cotton Belt moved most of its car ferry operations to a new spot.

Sadly, in September 1908, the riverbank at Bird's Point collapsed. This destroyed the boat yard and other facilities. A flood in April 1909 also ruined the railroad ramp. Even so, the Cotton Belt continued to serve Bird's Point for some years. The rail line to Bird's Point was finally stopped in 1938. In the early 1940s, an oil pipeline was built along the old railroad path. This helped transport crude oil by barges.

Connecting Across the River

The Cairo Mississippi River Bridge was finished in 1929. This bridge carries U.S. Routes 60 and 62 over the river, connecting Bird's Point with Cairo.

Another railroad, the Missouri Pacific Railroad, also had a line into Bird's Point. It ran a rail car ferry to Cairo, Illinois. But this rail line was also stopped in 1942.

Today, Bird's Point is mostly known for its large grain elevators and storage buildings.

The Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway: A Special River Project

Bird's Point is part of a big project called the New Madrid Floodway Project. After the huge Great Flood of 1927, the US Army Corps of Engineers built a special earthen levee here. This levee was designed to protect the rich farmland of Mississippi County.

How the Floodway Works

The levee at Bird's Point was built in a unique way. If the water level on the nearby Cairo flood gauge reaches 61 feet (about 18.6 meters), the river is meant to flow over the levee. This action would cause the levee to break open. When this happens, the river can spread into a large area of 133,000 acres (about 53,800 hectares) called the floodway.

This intentional flooding helps to relieve pressure on the flood control systems in nearby Cairo, Illinois and Hickman, Kentucky. The entire area is designed to be flooded on purpose when needed. So far, it has only been used twice: in 1937 and in 2011.

There are two other similar floodways on the Mississippi River further downstream. These are the Bonnet Carré Spillway and the Morganza Spillway. Both of these have gates that can be opened to control floods.

Famous Person from Bird's Point

The talented jazz pianist Jess Stacy was born in Bird's Point in 1904.