A traveler can spend years driving through Missouri and never realize one of America’s most influential roads is running beside them.
Before interstates dominated road trips, Highway 61 carried blues musicians, Great Migration travelers, dreamers, and families between Minnesota and New Orleans. Known as the Blues Highway, the historic route marks its 100th anniversary in 2026, bringing renewed attention to one of America’s most influential travel corridors.
Positioned between St. Louis and the Mississippi Delta, Cape Girardeau became a natural crossroads for musicians, travelers, and migrants moving in both directions along Highway 61.
Many travelers know Route 66. Far fewer realize that Highway 61 stretches the full length of Missouri, linking river towns, music history, and generations of travelers along the way.
“Everybody knows Route 66,” says Visit Cape manager Brenda Newbern. “Highway 61 deserves a place in that conversation. It has carried some of America’s most important stories for 100 years, and many travelers are only now discovering them.”
The road that carried the blues
Highway 61 helped connect some of the most influential figures in blues history. Artists including B.B. King and Robert Johnson traveled the route, while musicians from northern cities made their way south in search of the Delta blues traditions that helped mold American music.
Cape Girardeau became a natural stopping point. The city earned its place in the Highway 61 story through its location along the Mississippi River and its role as a gathering point for travelers moving north and south.
“We’re right in the middle,” Newbern says. “The music, the history, and the Mississippi River all come together here in a way that helps people understand why Highway 61 mattered then and why it still matters today.”
Highway 61’s story in Cape Girardeau includes much more than music. Visitors can explore connections to the Mississippi River, Civil War history, and the journey of African Americans moving north in search of opportunity during the Great Migration. In fact, the city was once home to multiple locations listed in the Green Book, the guide that helped Black travelers find safe lodging during segregation. Those connections remain an important part of Cape Girardeau’s history and its place along Highway 61.
Along the route, travelers often discover experiences that can be easy to miss from Interstate 55. Historic landmarks, museums, river towns, and cultural attractions reveal themselves one stop at a time.
A weekend in Cape Girardeau doesn’t stop at history, though. Live music now helps define the city’s visitor experience, with performances throughout the year at local venues, restaurants, breweries, and community events.
How visitors can experience the highway’s influence
- The Blues on Broadway concert series celebrates the Blues Highway anniversary with nationally recognized performers.
- Scout Hall concerts feature touring musicians and special events throughout the year.
- A free Elvis Presley tribute concert on July 20 features award-winning Elvis tribute artist Finley Watkins and his full band at the A.C. Brase Arena Building, where Presley performed in 1955.
- Historic museums explore Highway 61, the Mississippi River, and regional history.
- Riverfront murals and walking tours highlight the city’s connection to the Mississippi River and Highway 61.
- Locally owned restaurants, breweries, and gathering places have become favorites among both visitors and residents.
- Visitors can contribute their own brushstrokes to a community mural project inspired by Highway 61.
“There is something exciting about following the same road traveled by blues legends, dreamers, and generations of travelers,” Newbern says. “The centennial is bringing those stories back into the spotlight and inviting people to experience them for themselves.”
The road still has stories left to tell
Highway 61 has spent a century connecting musicians, river towns, dreamers, and travelers. Its story can still be heard in local music venues, found in historic landmarks, and experienced in communities like Cape Girardeau.
“There is a reason people become fascinated with Highway 61 once they start learning about it,” Newbern says. “Every town has a story. Every mile has a connection to something larger.”
A century later, the Blues Highway continues to invite travelers to trade interstate exits for unexpected discoveries.
Some roads take you somewhere. Highway 61 gives you a story to take home.
This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of Cape Girardeau CVB. To learn more information, visit visitcape.com.
