Alexander County, Illinois

62 topographic sheets cover 28 settlements here, and 7 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

7 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Illinois within the United States

Alexander County within Illinois

What the record shows

657 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
7 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 6 buildings and 1 district.
3 of the 7 listings were added during the 1970s.
The Geographic Names Information System records 28 populated places in this county; 28 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Property	Type	Listed	Reference
Cairo Historic District	district	1979	79000815
Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Depot	building	1986	86003168
Magnolia Manor	building	1969	69000053
Thomas J. and Caroline McClure House	building	1996	96001341
Old Customhouse	building	1973	73000689
Thebes Courthouse	building	1972	72000447
Ward Chapel AME Church	building	2024	100010699

Wildfire, 1994 to 2020

70 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 70 of them, burning about 1,204 acres. 2 started naturally and 15 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	28
Arson/incendiarism	15
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	14
Power generation/transmission/distribution	4
Recreation and ceremony	4
Railroad operations and maintenance	2
Natural	2
Smoking	1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Four of them were set deliberately.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
24 March 1995	Arson/incendiarism	245 acres	Shawnee National Forest	STAT # 1
26 October 2000	Arson/incendiarism	106 acres	Shawnee National Forest	DISWOOD
8 May 2018	Arson/incendiarism	90 acres	Shawnee National Forest	REIMAN
15 March 2000	Debris and open burning	90 acres	Shawnee National Forest	HONEY
27 January 2014	Debris and open burning	60 acres	Shawnee National Forest	COLD
9 April 2001	Debris and open burning	60 acres	Shawnee National Forest	DOWN UNDER
15 March 2000	Arson/incendiarism	50 acres	Shawnee National Forest	OLIVE BRANCH
19 April 2005	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	47 acres	Shawnee National Forest	REIMANN ROAD

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1957 to 2025

60 of 338 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 338 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 13 injuries and about $18,396,810 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event	Reports
Flood	152
Thunderstorm Wind	80
Hail	52
Flash Flood	21
Tornado	17
Heavy Rain	10
Funnel Cloud	5
Lightning	1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
April 1957	Tornado (F2)	not stated	5 hurt, $250,000	no account filed
April 1960	Tornado (F1)	not stated	4 hurt, $25,000	no account filed
May 2003	Tornado (F2)	Willard	1 hurt, $300,000	The tornado formed northwest of Cairo near the Mississippi River. Three tractor-trailer rigs were overturned on the Interstate 57 bridge over the Mississippi River. The tornado tracked through Cairo, damaging dozens of homes and several businesses. One single-family home was destroyed, injuring a child who was cut by flying debris. Of the damaged homes, about four sustained major damage, and the rest had mainly minor damage.
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Willard	1 hurt, $75,000	A wood-frame house sustained major damage to its roof and an attached garage. The garage was totally destroyed. A large section of the house's roof was blown off. A woman, who was standing in front of the window when the storm hit, received cuts to an artery in her neck. She was hospitalized overnight. Heavy rain coming through the damaged roof caused extensive water damage. About half a dozen trees were uprooted or snapped. Near the community of Willard, a garage was severely damaged by high winds. The walls of the garage were bowed outward, and the door was caved in.
April 1972	Tornado (F2)	not stated	1 hurt, $25,000	no account filed
July 1970	Tornado (F1)	not stated	1 hurt, $25,000	no account filed
January 2016	Flood	East Cape Girardeau	$4,500,000	Mississippi River levels continued their climb from December, and record flooding occurred early in the month. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at a new record of 47.74 feet before dawn on the 2nd. The old record was 45.91 feet, which was set in May of 1995. Records at Thebes go back to at least 1844. The 2016 crest would have been higher if a major levee break had not occurred in Alexander County. Flood stage at Thebes is 33 feet. The primary flood-related impact was a large levee break (about one-quarter mile wide) in the Len Small Levee near Miller City, between Thebes and Cairo. This levee break contributed to major flooding in and near the communities of Olive Branch and Miller City. Several dozen residences were flooded, some of them by water up to seven feet deep. Voluntary evacuations were requested as floodwaters inundated these communities and cut off access roads. Many homes and businesses in these communities were sandbagged, but many of them ended up being flooded. A Red Cross shelter was opened at Cape Girardeau. The National Guard was requested to assist with sandbagging operations and levee repairs. A couple of relatively small levee breaches were reported between Miller City and Cairo. The levee protecting East Cape Girardeau was in danger of failing, and residents of that community were advised to evacuate. Schools were closed in much of the county due to widespread evacuations. The impact of all of this flooding would have been much greater during the growing season, when crop losses would have been extreme. Because of the high water, barge traffic was restricted on the Mississippi River.
July 2019	Flood	East Cape Girardeau	$3,000,000	The Mississippi River finally fell below flood stage at the Thebes river gage after spending about four and one-half months above flood stage. While the crest was among the ten highest on record, the extended duration of the flood played an even greater role on the impact. The combination of seepage and relief wells along the levees permitted large amounts of water to seep into normally dry areas. The biggest impacts in Alexander County were weeks after the river crested. Portions of Illinois Routes 3 and 146 were flooded and closed from the East Cape Girardeau area down to Thebes. A number of residences were flooded in McClure and East Cape Girardeau. Further south, the breach in the Len Small levee continued to permit large amounts of water into the Miller City area. A U.S. Geological Survey measurement determined that at least 20 percent of the total Mississippi River flow was exiting through the break in the Len Small levee. County roads and swaths of cropland were damaged extensively by fast-flowing water around the levee break. Six barges passed through the levee break and became stuck on Miller City Road. The loose barges damaged irrigation pivots and farm equipment. The river fell below flood stage late in the month, permitting more accurate damage assessments to take place.
June 2019	Flood	Thebes	$2,000,000	Major flooding continued on the Mississippi River through the month of June. After rising above flood stage in mid March, the Mississippi River remained above flood stage through the spring and into early summer. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at 43.66 feet on June 10. This is considered a major flood. Major flooding starts at 42 feet. The East Cape Girardeau area was particularly hard hit, with some residences flooded for weeks. The Route 146 bridge connecting Illinois and Missouri at Cape Girardeau was closed due to flooding on the Illinois side of Route 146. Illinois Route 3 was flooded and closed for an extended period of time from Thebes north to East Cape Girardeau. A break in the Len Small Levee that occurred during the record flood of 2016 was not adequately repaired. This prolonged major flood enlarged the break in the levee, causing large parts of the Miller City area to flood. Several evacuated families were unable to reach their homes due to the flooding and road washouts. In the Miller City area, large sections of roads were washed away. The county highway engineer estimated damage to roads was well over one million dollars. A sewage plant at Thebes was inundated with floodwater and shut down, causing the community to be without sewer services. The Thebes Landing area of town was flooded. There was widespread flooding of low-lying farmland and woods across the county. Since some crop planting was not possible due to prolonged spring flooding, direct crop losses were reduced. The extended duration of the flooding caused levees to become unstable, and seepage became a problem. The governor of Illinois issued a disaster proclamation for the affected counties along the river.
May 2011	Flood	Cache	$1,500,000	Major flooding continued on the Mississippi River from April. At the Thebes river gage, the flood crest of 45.52 feet on the night of May 2 was the second highest crest on record. The record crest was 45.91 feet in May of 1995. A major levee break at Fayville resulted in flash flooding in central and northern parts of the county. Communities outside of levee protection systems, such as Olive Branch, Miller City, and Tamms, were evacuated as floodwaters inundated entire communities and cut off access roads. Many homes and businesses in those communities were sandbagged, but most of them ended up being flooded. Lower portions of the community of Thebes were inundated. The National Guard was requested to assist with sandbagging residences. A water main break caused interruptions in the drinking water supply.
May 2011	Flood	Cairo	$1,000,000	Record flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At the Cairo river gage, the flood crest of 61.72 feet on the evening of May 2 broke the previous record of 59.50 feet set in 1937. The activation of the New Madrid Floodway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spared Cairo (population 2,800) from an even higher crest that could have easily overtopped the city's levees. With the detonation of the Mississippi River levee at Birds Point, Missouri, the Ohio River dropped suddenly at Cairo. The entire city of Cairo was placed under a mandatory evacuation order as the Ohio River approached the top of the levees protecting the city. Only about 40 people remained behind after the evacuation. Due to heavy rain and backed-up sewers, several blocks within the city experienced basement flooding despite being protected by levees. Some streets in the city were undermined by seepwater. Most routes into and out of the city were blocked by flooding, including Route 3 to the north and both bridges to the south (over the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers). A main rail line that runs through Cairo was shut down due to a large landslide.
March 2008	Flood	Mc Clure	$800,000	Numerous road closures were reported, though all major roads were reopened within 24 hours. U.S. Highway 51 was closed at the northern entrance to Cairo. Several homes were flooded, mainly in the Olive Branch and Gale areas. Basement flooding occurred in Cairo, especially north parts of the city. Ten people were rescued with three boats used by the Department of Natural Resources.
April 2011	Tornado (EF2)	Cairo Arpt	$700,000	At the Cairo Regional Airport, a twenty-foot tall hangar was completely destroyed, along with two light aircraft and a camper. The debris was blown onto airport runways. The airport manager was an eyewitness to the tornado and noted an anemometer reading of 118 mph. One mobile home was destroyed on Route 3. Several trees were snapped or uprooted, along with minor to moderate roof damage on two homes. In Urbandale, large trees damaged two trailers and one house. Peak winds were measured near 120 mph at the airport. The average path width was 150 yards.
February 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Cairo	$500,000	A short-lived but very intense thunderstorm microburst caused about a half million dollars damage in the center of Cairo. The affected area, which was 5 city blocks wide and about a mile long, was primarily residential. A total of 52 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Of these 52, eight were businesses, seven were outbuildings or garages, and the rest were houses. Five of the residences were moved off their foundation and considered total losses. In another 25 buildings, windows were blown out and roofs were damaged. For the remaining structures, the damage was relatively minor, consisting of porch damage or gutters blown off. Initial reports indicated there were some minor injuries, however, later investigation revealed no injuries.
January 2016	Flood	Urbandale	$400,000	Major flooding of the Ohio River continued into January. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 56.14 feet on the 4th. This flood was very similar to the flood of March, 1997, when the crest was 56.2 feet. Flood stage there is 40 feet. The bridge connecting Cairo with Wickliffe, KY was closed due to floodwater over the bridge approach on the Kentucky side. The bridge, which carries U.S. Highway 51/60/62 over the Ohio River, was closed for about one week. Most of the flood gates were installed at Cairo. Areas not protected by the levee and floodwall system were inundated. Since the crop season was not underway, agricultural losses were insignificant.
March 1997	Flash Flood	Cairo	$400,000	no account filed
March 2018	Flood	Cairo	$350,000	Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from late February. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 54.8 feet on March 3. This was the 10th highest crest on record at Cairo, and it was 1.3 feet below the flood crest of January, 2016. Flood stage there is 40 feet. The bridge connecting Cairo with Wickliffe, KY was closed due to floodwater over the bridge approach on the Kentucky side. The bridge, which carries U.S. Highway 51/60/62 over the Ohio River, was closed for about one week. Most of the flood gates were installed at Cairo. Areas not protected by the levee and floodwall system were inundated. Since the crop season was not underway, agricultural losses were quite small.
May 2002	Flash Flood	Countywide	$300,000	no account filed
July 2023	Flash Flood	Cairo	$150,000	no account filed
January 1999	Tornado (F2)	Thebes	$150,000	no account filed
March 2019	Flood	Cairo	$100,000	Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from February into March. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 56.51 feet on the 1st. This was just a few inches above the crest of 56.2 feet in the flood of March, 1997. This flood crest was tied with the flood of April, 1975 for the second highest crest since the Flood of 1937. The flood of Spring, 2011 remains the highest crest since 1937. Flood stage at Cairo is 40 feet. U.S. Highway 60/62 was closed at the Ohio River bridge to Kentucky. This road serves as a primary link between Kentucky and Illinois. A detour of about 80 miles was required for commuters in the area. The governor of Illinois surveyed the flooded part of the county. There was extensive flooding of low-lying woods, fields, and parks. The impacts were very similar to the March, 1997 flood. Most of the flood gates were installed at Cairo. Areas not protected by the levee and floodwall system were inundated. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed a high-capacity pump near Urbandale to remove water from heavy rainfall on the protected side of the levee. Since the crop season was not underway, agricultural losses were insignificant.
May 2017	Flood	Thebes	$100,000	Major flooding occurred along the Mississippi River early in the month. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at 43.18 feet on the 6th. Flood stage is 33 feet. The river remained above flood stage for the entire month. There was extensive flooding of low-lying agricultural land, riverside parks, and river access roads. Residents of small communities such as Thebes and Gale were forced to evacuate or use boats to access their homes. Most roads leading to riverfront property were cut off by floodwaters. Some basements were flooded. The U.S. Coast Guard closed the Mississippi River to all vessel traffic to protect the integrity of levees, especially the Len Small Levee. This levee was broken during the record 2016 flood. Backwater flooding along tributary creeks affected many areas, including the inland community of McClure. Flooded streets in McClure impacted several families, who needed a boat to safely reach their homes.
October 2013	Tornado (EF0)	Gale	$100,000	The tornado passed through East Cape Girardeau with estimated peak winds near 80 mph. Numerous trees and tree branches were blown down. There was shingle and other minor damage to several houses. A church steeple was blown off a church. Some damage occurred to fencing and small sheds. The average path width was 175 yards.
June 2011	Flood	Thebes	$100,000	The Mississippi River remained above flood stage through the month of June. At the Thebes river gage, there were two separate crests. The river crested at 37.53 feet on the 1st and at 37.43 feet on the 23rd. Both of these crests represented moderate flooding. Though the flooding in June was considerably less severe than the preceding two months, a small number of homes and businesses remained underwater from East Cape Girardeau to the Miller City area, including McClure. Illinois Route 3 was on the verge of being closed, as was Illinois Route 146 near the Cape Girardeau bridge. Businesses near the intersection of Highways 3 and 146 remained flooded. Other buildings remained sandbagged, and at least one house's foundation was compromised. The Mississippi River remained too high to raise any of the locks and gates along the levees. As a result, the water from recent heavy rains as well as lingering floodwater from May remained trapped inland.
March 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Olive Branch	$100,000	A survey of the damage indicated a microburst with peak winds to 85 MPH occurred. On the south side of town, 20 to 30 trees and power lines were down. Several homes received major roof damage. A tree fell on a mobile home, and a garage was blown off its foundation. A front porch was damaged. A roof was partially blown off a metal building. One small storage shed was destroyed, and another shed was blown off its foundation. The damage path was divergent from west to east. The damage path was about 750 yards wide and 600 yards long.
March 2011	Flood	Cairo	$100,000	no account filed
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	East Cape Girardeau	$90,000	A microburst containing estimated winds near 85 mph moved across the Mississippi River into East Cape Girardeau. The damage was almost entirely on the south side of Route 146. Shingles and siding were blown off several homes. The roof decking was damaged on a couple of homes. Dozens of trees or tree limbs were blown down.
April 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Miller City	$80,000	A recently built shop was destroyed. Windows were blown out of a house. A camper was blown into a field. An irrigation rig was turned over and destroyed.
June 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Northern	$75,000	Numerous trees and limbs were blown down. A few houses and mobile homes were damaged by falling trees in Thebes. In McClure, a grain silo was lifted off its foundation, and shed roofs were blown off. A tree landed on a house in Elco. The community of Thebes was without power for more than 24 hours.
February 2019	Flood	Cairo	$50,000	Major flooding occurred on the Ohio River. U.S. Highway 60/62 was closed at the Ohio River bridge to Kentucky. This road serves as a primary link between Kentucky and Illinois. A detour of about 80 miles was required for commuters in the area. The governor of Illinois surveyed the flooded part of the county. There was extensive flooding of low-lying woods, fields, and parks. Through February, the impacts were very similar to the March, 1997 flood. Most of the flood gates were installed at Cairo. Areas not protected by the levee and floodwall system were inundated. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed a high-capacity pump near Urbandale to remove water from heavy rainfall on the protected side of the levee. Since the crop season was not underway, agricultural losses were insignificant. The Ohio River did not crest until March at the Cairo river gage.
June 2019	Flood	Cairo	$50,000	The Ohio River remained above flood stage since February 8 and through the month of June. This was the most prolonged flood on the Ohio River since records began at Cairo in the late 1800's. The highest recorded stage in the month of June (2019) was 51.54 feet, which corresponds to the moderate flood category. At this stage, the flooding has a significant impact on farming operations in the flood plain, causing some farmers to lose crops. However, farmers never were able to plant crops because this flood began in the winter. Riverside parks and recreational facilities remained underwater. Some side roads near the river were flooded. Due to the extended duration of the flooding, levees along the river were very stressed from saturation of the soil. Seepage was a concern, and relief wells caused water to rise on the land side of the levees. Moderate flooding continued into the month of July.
May 2019	Flood	Cairo	$50,000	The Ohio River rose above flood stage at Cairo on February 8 and remained above flood stage through the remainder of the spring. This was the most prolonged flood on the Ohio River at Cairo, IL since records began in the late 1800's. The highest recorded stage in the month of May (2019) was 50.53 feet, which corresponds to the moderate flood category. At this stage, the flooding has a major impact on farming operations in the flood plain, causing some farmers to lose crops. In this prolonged flood, farmers never really had the chance to plant in the flood plain. Flooding of riverside parks and recreational facilities occurred. A few side roads near the river were flooded. Due to the extended duration of the flooding, levees began to show signs of stress. There was concern about the stability of the levees, and seepage became a problem. Some roads nearest the levees began to buckle.
May 2019	Flood	Thebes	$50,000	After rising above flood stage in mid-March, the Mississippi River remained above flood stage through the remainder of the spring. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at 41.83 feet on May 8. However, the river started rising again late in the month. The May crest fell just a little shy of the major flooding category, which starts at 42 feet. A sewage plant at Thebes was inundated with flood water and was shut down, causing the community to be without sewage services. The Thebes Landing area of town was flooded. There was considerable flooding of low-lying farmland and woods. Some county roads were inundated. Since crop planting was not possible in areas that had been flooded all spring, direct crop losses were not high. Due to the extended duration of the flooding, levees began to show signs of stress. There was concern about the stability of the levees, and seepage became a problem. Some roads nearest the levees began to buckle.
May 2011	Flash Flood	Fayville	$50,000	A major breach occurred in the Fayville levee. Despite widespread sandbagging, there was flash flooding across parts of central Alexander County. The communities of Miller City, Olive Branch, and Willard were impacted. Floodwaters covered sections of Illinois Route 3. Many homes and businesses were flooded. Olive Branch was inaccessible, and portions of Illinois Routes 3 and 37 were closed.
April 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Olive Branch	$50,000	Numerous trees and power lines were down.
April 2011	Flood	Thebes	$50,000	Major flooding was in progress on the Mississippi River by the end of the month. The river continued rising into early May. There were voluntary evacuations of communities outside of levee protection systems, such as Olive Branch. The communities of Tamms, Olive Branch, and Miller City were isolated by floodwaters. Many homes in those communities were sandbagged, but most of the homes ended up being flooded. Lower portions of the community of Thebes were inundated. The National Guard was requested to assist with sandbagging residences. A water main break caused interruptions in the drinking water supply.
January 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Miller City	$50,000	A carport and shed were demolished, and a one third of the roof was blown off a house.
April 2019	Flood	Cairo	$50,000	no account filed
July 2019	Flood	Cairo	$40,000	The Ohio River finally fell below flood stage at Cairo after spending five months above flood stage, which is the longest duration on record. Much of this time, the river was above flood stage at Cairo due to backwater from the swollen Mississippi River. When it came to the impacts of the flooding, the extended duration of the flooding was at least as significant as its severity. The levee system along the Ohio River was saturated by the extended presence of floodwaters, raising concerns about the stability and integrity of some levees. Repairs were made in certain locations where slippage was observed. Although crops were never planted in many parts of the flood plain, the agricultural impacts were still significant. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested in late June and fell below flood stage in mid July.
June 2013	Flood	Thebes	$40,000	Major flooding occurred along the Mississippi River near Thebes. There was extensive flooding of low-lying agricultural land, riverside parks, and river access roads. Many farmers had not yet planted due to the prolonged spring flooding, so crop losses were minimal. The river crested at 43.62 feet on the Thebes river gage on the 7th. Flood stage there is 33 feet.
April 2011	Flood	Cairo	$40,000	The entire city of Cairo was placed under a mandatory evacuation order as the Ohio River approached the top of the levees protecting the city. Only about 40 people remained behind after the evacuation. Due to heavy rain and backed-up sewers, several blocks within the city experienced basement flooding despite being protected by levees. Most routes into and out of the city were blocked by flooding, including Route 3 to the north and both bridges to the south (over the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers).
May 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Cairo	$30,000	Half of the roof of the Alexander County courthouse was blown off. There was no other damage nearby.
May 2011	Flood	Cache	$30,000	no account filed
January 1999	Flash Flood	Countywide	$30,000	no account filed
March 2025	Tornado (EF1)	Fayville	$25,000	An EF-1 tornado began near the Mississippi River a mile northwest of Fayville, and moved east northeast. The tornado uprooted or snapped the trunks of dozens of trees and toppled an irrigation pivot. It moved into Pulaski County just northeast of Sandusky. The estimated peak wind was 105 mph. The total path length of the tornado was around 18 miles. A large area of 70-90 mph straight line winds swept just south of the tornado and eventually overtook it as it moved east of Interstate 57 in Pulaski County.
August 2023	Flash Flood	Fayville	$25,000	In the Rock Springs Hollow Road area, a roadway culvert was washed out.
October 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Tamms	$25,000	In Miller City, sheds were blown down, and there was minor damage to roofs. In Tamms, there were some trees and wires down. A tree fell on a house in Urbandale.
July 2015	Flood	Thebes Jct	$20,000	Flooding on the Mississippi River continued from June into July and increased to major levels. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at 42.02 feet on the 3rd. Flood stage is 33 feet. Extensive flooding of lowland fields occurred, including many acres of cropland. Residents of small communities such as Thebes and Gale were forced to evacuate or use boats to access their homes. Most roads leading to riverfront property were cut off by floodwaters. Some basements were flooded. Backwater flooding along tributary creeks affected many areas, including the inland community of McClure. Flooded streets in McClure impacted several families, who needed a boat to safely reach their homes.
May 2013	Flood	Cairo	$20,000	Continuing from April into May, moderate flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 49.96 feet on the evening of the 10th. This is about 10 feet over the flood stage of 40 feet. There was considerable flooding of low-lying fields and woodlands near the river. A state park and some river access roads were under water.
April 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Thebes Jct	$20,000	Trees and power lines were down on Illinois Route 3 near Thebes. Trees and power lines were down in the Horseshoe Lake area.
August 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Tamms	$20,000	Trees were blown down countywide, primarily in the communities of Tamms, Olive Branch, and Miller City.
January 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Olive Branch	$20,000	Trees were blown down. A tree was down on a trailer. Road signs were down on Illinois Route 3 at Olive Branch.
April 2019	Flood	Thebes	$20,000	no account filed
March 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Sandusky	$10,000	Straight line winds toppled an irrigation pivot on Sandusky Road just west of Sandy Creek Road. This damage was just south of a tornado track.
March 2020	Flood	Cairo	$10,000	Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River through most of March at Cairo. The river crested at 52.64 feet at Cairo on the 31st. This is just shy of the major flood category, which starts at 53 feet. There was considerable flooding of low-lying areas near the river, including parks and farmland. Most main roads remained open, although water approached Illinois Route 3 north of Cairo.
May 2017	Flood	Cairo	$10,000	An extended period of moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. The river was above flood stage for the entire month. At the Cairo river gage, the river crested at 52.15 feet on May 8. Major flooding starts at 53 feet. There was considerable flooding of low-lying areas near the river, including parks and farmland. Most main roads remained open, although water approached Illinois Route 3.
May 2013	Flood	Thebes	$10,000	Continuing from April into May, moderate flooding occurred on the Mississippi River. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at 39.6 feet early on the morning of the 6th. This was almost 7 feet above flood stage. There was considerable flooding of low-lying fields and woodlands near the river, including riverside parks and access roads.
October 2013	Tornado (EF1)	Tamms	$10,000	The tornado produced only tree damage along its path through this forested area. Hardwood tree trunks were snapped. Peak winds were estimated near 100 mph as the tornado approached the Pulaski County line. The tornado continued into northwest Pulaski County.
January 2010	Lightning	Cairo	$10,000	Lightning struck a housing development building, producing a large hole in the roof.
May 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$10,000	Numerous trees were downed. Hardest hit was the area along the Union County line, where trees fell across roads and damaged utility lines.

Mines and quarries

29 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 29 workings inside this county. 7 still produce and 22 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity	Workings
Diatomite	14
Silica	5
Stone, Crushed/Broken	3
Sand and Gravel, Construction	3
Clay	2
Fire Clay (Refractory)	1
Stone	1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
Burk Mine Tammsco Inc.	Stone	Past Producer
Shawnee Low Interest Refractory Clay Deposit	Fire Clay (Refractory)	Occurrence	Sedimentary
Miss.River Shale Exposure	Clay	Prospect
Spring Clay Pit	Clay	Past Producer
Jordan Creek Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Jordan R&S Quarry Markgraf Matls	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Jordan Trucking Sand & Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Limestone Prospect	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Occurrence
Moad Mines	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Thebes Sandstone Deposit	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Prospect
Illinois Minerals Co Mine No. 16	Silica	Past Producer
Shawnee Special Use Silica Deposit 3	Silica	Occurrence
Shawnee Special Use Silica Deposit 4	Silica	Occurrence
Unimin Plant	Silica	Producer
Unimin Plant & Mill	Silica	Producer
Birk 2a Pit	Diatomite	Past Producer
Birk No. 2 Pit	Diatomite	Producer
Birk No. 2 Pit	Diatomite	Producer
Birk No. 2a Pit	Diatomite	Producer
Birk No. 2b Mine	Diatomite	Past Producer
Birk No. 2b Mine	Diatomite	Past Producer
Birk No. 3 Mine	Diatomite	Prospect
Birk No.3 Mine	Diatomite	Prospect
Illinois Minerals Co. No 24 Mine	Diatomite	Past Producer
Illinois Minerals Co. No. 24 Mine	Diatomite	Past Producer
Rhymer Mine	Diatomite	Past Producer
Rhymer Mine	Diatomite	Past Producer
Whitaker Mines	Diatomite	Past Producer
Whitaker Mines	Diatomite	Past Producer

Every populated place in the county

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Cache

Cache precinct · 62988 · Near Island Number 29 · Cache quadrangle

21 sheets, 1934 to 1993
Cairo

Cairo precinct · 62914 · Cairo quadrangle

27 sheets, 1931 to 1993
Cairo Junction

Cairo precinct · 62914 · Cairo quadrangle

27 sheets, 1931 to 1993
Clank

Olive Branch precinct · 62988 · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Dawleys

Sandusky precinct · 62988 · On Wolf Creek · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Diswood

Sandusky precinct · 62988 · On Jim Branch · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
East Cape Girardeau

McClure precinct · 62957 · Near Giboney Island · McClure quadrangle

25 sheets, 1920 to 1996
Elco

Tamms precinct · 62988 · Near Dry Hollow · Mill Creek quadrangle

24 sheets, 1920 to 1996
Elmwood Place

Cairo precinct · 62914 · Cairo quadrangle

27 sheets, 1931 to 1993
Fayville

Thebes precinct · 62990 · Near Black Powder Hollow · Thebes quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Future City

Cairo precinct · 62914 · Cairo quadrangle

27 sheets, 1931 to 1993
Gale

McClure precinct · 62990 · On Miller Creek · Thebes quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Golden Lily

Cache precinct · 62914 · On Cottonwood Slough · Cairo quadrangle

27 sheets, 1931 to 1993
Hodges Park

Sandusky precinct · 62988 · On Road Run · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Klondike

Cache precinct · 62914 · Cairo quadrangle

27 sheets, 1931 to 1993
McClure

McClure precinct · 62957 · Near Picayune Island · McClure quadrangle

25 sheets, 1920 to 1996
Miller City

Cache precinct · 62962 · Cache quadrangle

21 sheets, 1934 to 1993
Olive Branch

Olive Branch precinct · 62969 · Near Coakley Hollow · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Roth

Cache precinct · 62962 · Cache quadrangle

21 sheets, 1934 to 1993
Sandusky

Sandusky precinct · 62988 · On Sandy Creek · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Shasta

Olive Branch precinct · 62962 · Near Goose Island · Thebes quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996

No longer a settlement
Tamms

Tamms precinct · 62988 · On Jackson Creek · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Tankville

Cache precinct · 62962 · Near Goose Island · Thebes quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Tatumville

Tamms precinct · 62988 · Near Hogskin Bottoms · Mill Creek quadrangle

24 sheets, 1920 to 1996
Thebes

Thebes precinct · 62990 · On Sammons Creek · Thebes quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Unity

Sandusky precinct · 62988 · Tamms quadrangle

22 sheets, 1934 to 1996
Urbandale

Cache precinct · 62914 · On Cottonwood Slough · Cairo quadrangle

27 sheets, 1931 to 1993
Willard

Cache precinct · 62962 · Cache quadrangle

21 sheets, 1934 to 1993

The vanished settlements of Alexander County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.