105-728: The United States Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division ( MVD ) is responsible for the Corps water resources programs within 370,000-square-miles of the Mississippi River Valley , as well as the watershed portions of the Red River of the North that are within the United States. It encompasses the entire Mississippi River from Lake Itasca , Minnesota, to the Gulf of Mexico. It excludes
210-553: A Corps of Engineers ... that the said Corps ... shall be stationed at West Point in the State of New York and shall constitute a military academy." Until 1866, the superintendent of the United States Military Academy was always an Engineer Officer. The General Survey Act of 1824 authorized the use of Army engineers to survey road and canal routes for the growing nation. That same year, Congress passed an "Act to Improve
315-725: A century the inspections and hearings have been held aboard the M/V Mississippi and its predecessors. There are seven members on the commission. The current President of the Mississippi River Commission is U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Major General Diana M. Holland . The mission is executed through the United States Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division Districts in St. Paul, Rock Island, St. Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg, and New Orleans. The headquarters of
420-417: A doctrinal framework for employing capabilities; and remaining an adaptive institution in order to provide Commanders with the freedom of action they need to successfully execute Unified Land Operations. There are several other organizations within the Corps of Engineers: USACE provides support directly and indirectly to the warfighting effort. They build and help maintain much of the infrastructure that
525-587: A few activists of the civil rights struggle formed the Cairo United Front , a civil rights organization to bringing together the local NAACP , a cooperative association, and a couple of black street gangs. The Cairo United Front was formed to organize the efforts of the black population in Cairo to counter the White Hats. The United Front formally accused the White Hats of intimidating the black community, and presented
630-458: A hand-selected unit of volunteer Army combat engineers trained in jungle warfare, knife fighting, and unarmed jujitsu ( hand-to-hand combat ) techniques. Working in camouflage, the Pioneers cleared jungle, prepared routes of advance and established bridgeheads for the infantry, as well as demolishing enemy installations. Five commanding generals (chiefs of staff after the 1903 reorganization) of
735-449: A higher street level, to be at the same height as the top of the levees. That plan was scrapped as the cost of fill to raise the streets and surrounding land to that height proved to be impractical. In 1914, a large flood gate was constructed by Stupp Brothers of St. Louis, Missouri. The flood gate is known as the "Big Subway Gate", and it was designed to seal the northern levee in Cairo by closing over U.S. Highway 51. The gate weighs 80 tons,
840-521: A list of seven demands to the City of Cairo. The seven demands included appointment of a black police chief, appointment of a black assistant fire chief, and an equal black-white ratio in all city jobs. Racial violence in Cairo reached a peak during summer 1969 as the Cairo United Front began leading protests and demonstrations to end segregation and draw attention to its seven demands. The protests led to
945-468: A major industry in Cairo was the operation of ferries. Into the late 19th century, nearly 250,000 railroad cars could be ferried across the river in as little as six months. Vehicles were also ferried, as there were no automobile bridges in the area in the early 20th century. The ferry industry created numerous jobs in Cairo to handle large amounts of cargo and numerous passengers through the city. Wealthy merchants and shippers built numerous fine mansions in
1050-454: A major provider of hydroelectric energy and the country's leading provider of recreation, Its role in responding to natural disasters also grew dramatically, especially following the devastating Mississippi Flood of 1927 . In the late 1960s, the agency became a leading environmental preservation and restoration agency. In 1944, specially trained army combat engineers were assigned to blow up underwater obstacles and clear defended ports during
1155-544: A new U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Cairo. Still growing, the city had a population approaching 15,000. The new federal court house, located at 1500 Washington, was designed by the architects Louis A. Simon and George Howe . The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois moved into the new courthouse in 1942, from the old U.S. Custom House and Post Office. After the U.S. district court structure in Illinois
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#17328376557911260-502: A new emphasis on a more holistic approach to risk management. As part of this work, USACE is the number one provider of outdoor recreation in the U.S., so there is a significant emphasis on water safety. Army involvement in works "of a civil nature," including water resources, goes back almost to the origins of the U.S. Over the years, as the nation's needs have changed, so have the Army's Civil Works missions. Major areas of emphasis include
1365-455: A pike, and lifted it up for the cheering crowd to see. The mob then set James's body on fire and roasted the remains while men, women, and children shouted and cheered... Some took out their pocketknives and cut off ears and fingers and broke up bones to take as gruesome souvenirs. But the increasingly large mob in Cairo learned of this and seized another train, racing to catch up with the sheriff and James. Sheriff Davis' attempt to save James from
1470-437: A population of nearly 13,000. Of that total, approximately 5,000 residents were African-American , or 38 percent. In 1900, this was an unusually high black population for a town of Cairo's size in the North. Five percent of all black residents in the state of Illinois lived here. Later in the early 20th century, Chicago became the center of black life in the state, as it was the destination of tens of thousands of migrants during
1575-505: A rash of violence that was stopped only when Illinois Governor Richard Ogilvie deployed National Guardsmen to restore the peace. In summer 1969, the Cairo United Front also began what became a decade-long boycott of white-owned businesses, which had generally not hired blacks as clerks or staff. The boycott encompassed virtually all the businesses in the town. In December 1969, violence escalated again and several businesses were burned on Saturday, December 6. Early that morning, residents of
1680-467: A record water level to Cairo that crested at 59.5 feet. To protect Cairo, Corps of Engineers closed the flood gate and blew a breach in the Bird's Point levee for the first time to relieve pressure on the Cairo flood wall. Following the flood, the concrete flood wall was raised to its current height. It is designed to protect the town from flood waters up to 64 feet. In 1942, the federal government constructed
1785-507: A town was made by the Cairo City and Canal Company in 1836–37, with a large levee built to encircle the site. However, this effort collapsed in 1840, with few settlers remaining. Charles Dickens visited Cairo in 1842, and was unimpressed. The city would serve as his prototype for the nightmare City of Eden in his novel Martin Chuzzlewit . In 1846, 10,000 acres in Cairo were purchased by
1890-578: A typical year, the Corps of Engineers responds to more than 30 Presidential disaster declarations, plus numerous state and local emergencies. Emergency responses usually involve cooperation with other military elements and Federal agencies in support of State and local efforts. Work comprises engineering and management support to military installations, global real estate support, civil works support (including risk and priorities), operations and maintenance of Federal navigation and flood control projects, and monitoring of dams and levees. More than 67 percent of
1995-481: A warehouse in Cairo were burned to the ground, and windows were broken out of numerous other buildings. The National Guard unit at Cairo was activated to respond to the violence. On July 20, 1967, one of the leaders of the violence in Cairo warned white city officials, "Cairo will look like Rome burning down" if city leaders did not meet the demands of the black groups in Cairo by Sunday, July 23, 1967. The spokesman represented approximately one hundred black residents of
2100-434: A week. The battalion also deployed in support of post-Katrina operations. All of this work represents a significant investment in the nation's resources. Through its Civil Works program, USACE carries out a wide array of projects that provide coastal protection, flood protection, hydropower, navigable waters and ports, recreational opportunities, and water supply. Work includes coastal protection and restoration, including
2205-540: Is 60 feet wide, 24 feet high, and five feet thick. With the addition of the gate, Cairo could become an island, completely sealed off from approaching flood waters. Following the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 , the levee system around Cairo was strengthened. As part of this project, the Corps of Engineers established the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway . The Ohio River flood of 1937 brought
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#17328376557912310-600: Is directly responsible to the Chief of Engineers . Within the authorities delegated, MVD Commander directs and supervises the individual District Commanders. MVD duties include preparing engineering studies and design, constructing, operating, and maintaining flood control and river and harbor facilities and installations, administering the laws on civil works activities, acquiring, managing, and disposing of real estate, and mobilization support of military, natural disaster, and national emergency operations. The Mississippi River Commission
2415-465: Is near the Cache River complex, a Wetland of International Importance . Settlement began in earnest in the 1830s and busy river boat traffic expanded through the 1850s. Fort Defiance , a Civil War base, was located here in 1862 by Union General Ulysses S. Grant to control strategic access to the rivers, and launch and supply his successful campaigns south . The town also served as a naval base for
2520-500: Is responsible for Corps of Engineers policy and plans the future direction of all other USACE organizations. It comprises the executive office and 17 staff principals. USACE has two civilian directors who head up Military and Civil Works programs in concert with their respective DCG for the mission area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is organized geographically into eight permanent divisions, one provisional division, one provisional district, and one research command reporting directly to
2625-499: Is supervised by the civilian Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) . Three deputy commanding generals (major generals) report to the chief of engineers, who have the following titles: Deputy Commanding General, Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operation, and Deputy Commanding General for Military and International Operations. The Corps of Engineers headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. The headquarters staff
2730-719: The Cairo Citizen weekly newspaper. Radio station WKRO is licensed to Cairo. Cairo is located at the confluence of the Ohio River with the Mississippi, near Mounds, Illinois . The elevation above sea level is 315 feet (96 m). The lowest point in the state of Illinois is located in Cairo at the Mississippi River . According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Cairo has a total area of 9.11 square miles (23.59 km ), of which 6.99 square miles (18.10 km ) (or 76.72%)
2835-665: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through its security planning, force protection, research and development, disaster preparedness efforts, and quick response to emergencies and disasters. The CoE conducts its emergency response activities under two basic authorities — the Flood Control and Coastal Emergency Act ( Pub. L. 84–99 ), and the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( Pub. L. 93–288 ). In
2940-479: The Great Migration . The Illinois constitution of 1818 allowed for limited slavery in the salt mines and allowed current slave owners to retain their slaves. The General Assembly also passed legislation that severely curtailed the rights of free blacks residing in the state and discouraged the migration of free blacks. If a black person was unable to present proof of their freedom they could be fined $ 50 or sold by
3045-546: The Mississippi River Squadron to pursue the Anaconda Plan to win the war. Developed as a river port, Cairo was later bypassed by transportation changes away from the large expanse of low-lying land, wetland, and water, which surrounds Cairo and makes such infrastructure difficult, and due to industrial restructuring, the population peaked at 15,203 in 1920, while in the 2020 census it was 1,733. Several blocks in
3150-586: The United States Army held engineer commissions early in their careers. All transferred to other branches before being promoted to the top position. They were Alexander Macomb , George B. McClellan , Henry W. Halleck , Douglas MacArthur , and Maxwell D. Taylor . Occasional civil disasters, including the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 , resulted in greater responsibilities for the Corps of Engineers. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and
3255-640: The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore provide other examples of this. The Chief of Engineers and Commanding General (Lt. general) of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has three mission areas: combat engineers, military construction, and civil works. For each mission area the Chief of Engineers/Commanding General is supervised by a different person. For civil works the Commanding General
Mississippi Valley Division - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-548: The "guerrilla warfare tactics" that had left the town in a state of turmoil for over two years. To enforce the boycott, African-American picketing of businesses continued throughout 1970. In December, the city enacted a new city ordinance banning picketing within 20 feet of a business. Another large violent clash erupted as a result of the new city ordinance. Following the violence, the United Front called for another large rally and resumed picketing at white-owned businesses despite
3465-545: The 1905 anti-lynching law by dismissing Sheriff Davis for failing to protect James and Salzner. Wells sided with the governor against reinstatement. The slow economic decline of Cairo can be traced to local and regional changes back to the early 20th century. In 1889, the Illinois Central Railroad bridge was completed over the Ohio River, which brought about a decline in ferry business. The immediate economic impact
3570-623: The 19th and early 20th century, including the Italianate Magnolia Manor , completed in 1872, and the Second Empire Riverlore Mansion , built by Capt. William P. Halliday in 1865. Across the street from the customs house, the Cairo Public Library was constructed in 1883 of Queen Anne-style architecture , finished with stained glass windows and ornate woodwork. The library was dedicated on July 19, 1884, as
3675-558: The A. B. Safford Memorial Library. Anna E. Safford paid for the construction of the Library and donated it to the city. These and other significant buildings are also listed on the National Register. For protection from seasonal flooding, Cairo is completely enclosed by a series of levees and flood walls , due to its low elevation between the rivers. Several buildings, including the old custom house, were originally designed to be built to
3780-563: The Army Corps of Engineers contributed to the success of numerous missions throughout the Civil War. They were responsible for building pontoon and railroad bridges, forts and batteries, destroying enemy supply lines (including railroads), and constructing roads for the movement of troops and supplies. Both sides recognized the critical work of engineers. On 6 March 1861, once the South had seceded from
3885-453: The Army and the Air Force use to train, house, and deploy troops . USACE built and maintained navigation systems and ports provide the means to deploy vital equipment and other material. Corps of Engineers Research and Development (R&D) facilities help develop new methods and measures for deployment, force protection, terrain analysis, mapping, and other support. USACE directly supports
3990-557: The Cairo economy. The strategic importance of Cairo's geographic location during the Civil War sparked prosperity in the town. Several banks were founded during the war years, and the growth in banking and steamboat traffic continued after the war. In 1869, construction began on the United States Custom House and Post Office, which was designed by Alfred B. Mullet , the Supervising Architect . The custom house
4095-774: The Corps of Engineers in March 1863. Civil works are managed and supervised by the Assistant Secretary of the Army . Army civil works include three U.S. Congress -authorized business lines: navigation, flood and storm damage protection, and aquatic ecosystem restoration. Civil works is also tasked with administering the Clean Water Act Section 404 program, including recreation, hydropower, and water supply at USACE flood control reservoirs, and environmental infrastructure. The civil works staff oversee construction, operation, and maintenance of dams, canals and flood protection in
4200-586: The Engineer Regiment is commanded by the Engineer Commandant, currently a position filled by an Army brigadier general. The Engineer Regiment includes the U.S. Army Engineer School (USAES) which publishes its mission as: Generate the military engineer capabilities the Army needs: training and certifying Soldiers with the right knowledge, skills, and critical thinking; growing and educating professional leaders; organizing and equipping units; establishing
4305-939: The HQ. Within each division, there are several districts. Districts are defined by watershed boundaries for civil works projects and by political boundaries for military projects. U.S. Army engineer units outside of USACE Districts and not listed below fall under the Engineer Regiment of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which comprises the majority of Army engineer soldiers. The Regiment includes combat engineers , whose duties are to breach obstacles; construct fighting positions, fixed/floating bridges, and obstacles and defensive positions; place and detonate explosives; conduct route clearance operations; emplace and detect landmines; and fight as provisional infantry when required. It also includes support engineers, who are more focused on construction and sustainment. Headquartered at Fort Leonard Wood, MO,
Mississippi Valley Division - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-578: The Mississippi River Commission. The MR&T project provides for control of floods of the Mississippi River from Head of Passes to vicinity of Cape Girardeau, Missouri , control of floods of the tributaries and outlets of the Mississippi River as they are affected by its backwaters, and improvement for navigation of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge, Louisiana , to Cairo, Illinois . This includes improvements to certain harbors and improvement for navigation of Old and Atchafalaya Rivers from
4515-602: The Mississippi River to Morgan City, Louisiana . It also includes bank stabilization of the Mississippi River from the Head of Passes to Cairo, Illinois , preservation, restoration, and enhancement of environmental resources, including but not limited to measures for fish and wildlife, increased water supplies, recreation, cultural resources, and other related water resources development programs, and semi-annual inspection trips to observe river conditions and facilitate coordination with local interests in implementation of projects. For over
4620-778: The Mississippi flood zone near Cairo in Missouri to prevent flooding in Cairo and other more populous areas farther downstream along both the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Cairo was named after the Egyptian city of the same name because its location at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers was reminiscent of the Nile Delta . The first municipal charter for Cairo and for the Bank of Cairo were issued in 1818, but without any settlement and without any depositors. A second and successful effort to establish
4725-544: The Navigation of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers" and to remove sand bars on the Ohio and "planters, sawyers, or snags" (trees fixed in the riverbed) on the Mississippi, for which the Corps of Engineers was identified as the responsible agency. Separately authorized on 4 July 1838, the Corps of Topographical Engineers consisted only of officers and was used for mapping and the design and construction of federal civil works and other coastal fortifications and navigational routes. It
4830-622: The New Orleans District, is responsible for the design and construction of the Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS) which seeks to provide 100 Year storm protection to the City of New Orleans. The Mississippi Valley Division is made up of six districts, based in St. Paul, Minnesota , Rock Island, Illinois , St. Louis, Missouri , Memphis, Tennessee , Vicksburg, Mississippi , and New Orleans, Louisiana . The Division Commander
4935-455: The Pyramid Court housing project. They demanded new job opportunities, organized recreation programs for their children, and an end to police brutality. Cairo Mayor Lee Stenzel and other city leaders met with federal and state representatives to ensure that a plan was developed to satisfy the demands by the deadline in an effort to head off any additional rioting. In response to the rioting,
5040-486: The Pyramid Courts housing project opened fire on three firemen and the Chief of Police while they were responding to one of the intense fires. During the shootout, the Chief of Police and one of the firemen were shot by a high-powered rifle. Thirteen people were eventually arrested during the conflict. The Cairo Chief of Police resigned the next month, stating that Cairo lacked both the legal and physical means to deal with
5145-527: The U.S., as well as a wide range of public works throughout the world. Some of its dams, reservoirs, and flood control projects also serve as public outdoor recreation facilities. Its hydroelectric projects provide 24% of U.S. hydropower capacity. The Corps of Engineers is headquartered in Washington, D.C. , and has a budget of $ 7.8 billion (FY2021). The corps's mission is to "deliver vital public and military engineering services; partnering in peace and war to strengthen our nation's security, energize
5250-519: The Union, its legislature passed an act to create a Confederate Corps of Engineers. The South was initially at a disadvantage in engineering expertise; of the initial 65 cadets who resigned from West Point to accept positions with the Confederate Army, only seven were placed in the Corps of Engineers. The Confederate Congress passed legislation that authorized a company of engineers for every division in
5355-494: The United States. The Military Programs Environmental Program manages design and execution of a full range of cleanup and protection activities: The following are major areas of environmental emphasis: Cairo, Illinois Cairo ( / ˈ k ɛər oʊ / KAIR -oh , sometimes / ˈ k eɪ r oʊ / KAY -roh ) is the southernmost city in Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County . A river city, Cairo has
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#17328376557915460-454: The benefit of motorist travel and trade between the states. Motorists cross the southern tip of Illinois between Missouri and Kentucky, completely bypassing the city of Cairo. While the city was protected by its levees from destruction when the Ohio River rose to record heights during the 1937 flood, the city's economic decline continued. Between the 1930s and 1960s, the population in Cairo remained fairly steady; however, many jobs were gone as
5565-420: The case in many other cities on the Mississippi, Cairo has suffered a marked decline in its economy and population. Its highest population was 15,203 in 1920; in 2020 it had 1,733 residents, about an 89% loss of population from its peak a century earlier. The city has decreased in population for eight consecutive US census reports from 1950 to 2020. The city faces many significant socio-economic challenges for
5670-511: The city, and had Fort Defiance constructed to protect the confluence. Cairo became an important Union supply base and training center for the remainder of the war. Military occupation caused much of the city's trade to be diverted by railroad to Chicago. Cairo failed to regain this important trade after the war, as more railroads converged on Chicago and it developed at a rapid pace, attracting stockyards, meat processing, and heavy industries. Instead, agriculture, lumber, and sawmills now dominated
5775-446: The city. The death of Robert Hunt sparked aggressive protests in Cairo's black community. On July 17, 1967, a large portion of the black population in Cairo began rioting. The black rioting that erupted in 1967 was not confined to Cairo; it was part of a larger pattern of more than 40 racially motivated riots that broke out in major cities in the United States in the summer of 1967. During the night of rioting on July 17, three stores and
5880-470: The closure. The community and region are working to stop abandonment of the city. They are restoring some architectural landmarks, and plan to develop heritage tourism focusing on the city's history and relationship to the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Other cities have used such strategies to attract visitors and build new businesses to their communities. A community clinic offers medical and dental care, and several mental health services. Local media include
5985-480: The courthouse, and the crowd shot his body many times. After hanging Salzner, the mob continued searching for Alexander long into the night. Police and sheriff deputies located Alexander before the mob did, and they took him to the county jail disguised as a police officer. Some newspapers mistakenly reported that he was lynched. The mob continued to search for Alexander, also threatening the mayor and chief of police, who were guarded in their homes by more police against
6090-534: The creation of a "Chief Engineer for the Army". Congress authorized a corps of engineers for the United States on 11 March 1779. The Corps as it is known today came into being on 16 March 1802, when the president was authorized to "organize and establish a Corps of Engineers ... that the said Corps ... shall be stationed at West Point in the State of New York and shall constitute a Military Academy ." A Corps of Topographical Engineers , authorized on 4 July 1838, merged with
6195-434: The crime. As word of the crime spread, whites in Cairo demanded an immediate trial of James, but the case was delayed by the court. The white townspeople grew infuriated by the delay in a speedy trial, and the threat of mob violence quickly developed. On November 10, Sheriff Frank E. Davis arranged to take James out of the city jail on an Illinois Central train to avoid mob violence. One man chopped off James's head, put it on
6300-579: The economy and reduce risks from disasters." Its most visible civil works missions include: The history of United States Army Corps of Engineers can be traced back to the American Revolution . On 16 June 1775, the Continental Congress organized the Corps of Engineers, whose initial staff included a chief engineer and two assistants. Colonel Richard Gridley became General George Washington 's first chief engineer. One of his first tasks
6405-647: The field; by 1865, the CSA had more engineer officers serving in the field of action than the Union Army. One of the main projects for the Army Corps of Engineers was constructing railroads and bridges. Union forces took advantage of such Confederate infrastructure because railroads and bridges provided access to resources and industry. The Confederate engineers, using slave labor, built fortifications that were used both offensively and defensively, along with trenches that made them harder to penetrate. This method of building trenches
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#17328376557916510-1120: The following: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers environmental mission has two major focus areas: restoration and stewardship . The Corps supports and manages numerous environmental programs, that run the gamut from cleaning up areas on former military installations contaminated by hazardous waste or munitions to helping establish/reestablish wetlands that helps endangered species survive. Some of these programs include Ecosystem Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites, Environmental Stewardship, EPA Superfund , Abandoned Mine Lands, Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program , Base Realignment and Closure, 2005 , and Regulatory. This mission includes education as well as regulation and cleanup. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has an active environmental program under both its Military and Civil Programs. The Civil Works environmental mission that ensures all USACE projects, facilities and associated lands meet environmental standards. The program has four functions: compliance, restoration, prevention, and conservation. The Corps also regulates all work in wetlands and waters of
6615-586: The goods consumed by Americans and more than half of the nation's oil imports are processed through deepwater ports maintained by the Corps of Engineers, which maintains more than 12,000 miles (19,000 km) of commercially navigable channels across the U.S. In both its Civil Works mission and Military Construction program, the Corps of Engineers is responsible for billions of dollars of the nation's infrastructure. For example, USACE maintains direct control of 609 dams, maintains or operates 257 navigation locks, and operates 75 hydroelectric facilities generating 24% of
6720-571: The height of Cairo's prosperity, the post office in the building was the third busiest in the United States. It is one of only seven of Mullet's Victorian structures remaining in the nation, and the building has been converted for use as a museum. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . After the Civil War, the city became a hub for railroad shipping in the region, which added to its economy. By 1900 several railroad lines branched from Cairo. In addition to shipping and railroads,
6825-617: The invasion of Normandy. During World War II, the Army Corps of Engineers in the European Theater of Operations was responsible for building numerous bridges, including the first and longest floating tactical bridge across the Rhine at Remagen , and building or maintaining roads vital to the Allied advance across Europe into the heart of Germany. In the Pacific theater, the "Pioneer troops" were formed,
6930-585: The lowest elevation of any location in Illinois and is the only Illinois city to be surrounded by levees . It is in the river-crossed area of Southern Illinois known as " Little Egypt ", for which the city is named, after Egypt's capital on the Nile . The city is coterminous with Cairo Precinct . The city is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, two of the largest rivers in North America, and
7035-638: The mid-19th century, Corps of Engineers' officers ran Lighthouse Districts in tandem with U.S. Naval officers. The Army Corps of Engineers played a significant role in the American Civil War . Many of the men who would serve in the top leadership in this organization were West Point graduates. Several rose to military fame and power during the Civil War. Some examples include Union generals George McClellan , Henry Halleck , and George Meade ; and Confederate generals Robert E. Lee , Joseph Johnston , and P.G.T. Beauregard . The versatility of officers in
7140-606: The military construction mission on 1 December 1941, after the Quartermaster Department struggled with the expanding mission, the Corps built facilities at home and abroad to support the U.S. Army and Air Force. During World War II the USACE program expanded to more than 27,000 military and industrial projects in a $ 15.3 billion mobilization effort. Included were aircraft, tank assembly, and ammunition plants; camps for 5.3 million soldiers; depots, ports, and hospitals; and
7245-627: The military construction mission, the chief of engineers is directed and supervised by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for installations, environment, and energy, whom the President appoints and the Senate confirms. Military construction relates to construction on military bases and worldwide installations. On 16 June 1775, the Continental Congress , gathered in Philadelphia , granted authority for
7350-480: The military in the battle zone, making expertise available to commanders to help solve or avoid engineering (and other) problems. Forward Engineer Support Teams, FEST-A's or FEST-M's, may accompany combat engineers to provide immediate support, or to reach electronically into the rest of USACE for the necessary expertise. A FEST-A team is an eight-person detachment; a FEST-M is approximately 36. These teams are designed to provide immediate technical-engineering support to
7455-485: The mob proved futile when the mob intercepted Davis and his prisoner. The mob returned James to Cairo and took him to the intersection of Commercial Avenue and Eighth Street. Approximately 10,000 people had gathered for a spectacle lynching as the leaders attempted to hang James from large steel arches that spanned the intersection. The rope broke and James survived the hanging, but members of the armed mob shot him more than 500 times, killing him. The mob dragged James' body to
7560-486: The mob. Governor Charles S. Deneen of Illinois dispatched 11 companies of militia to Cairo to suppress the violence. By the time the mob discovered the next morning that Alexander was held at the jail, the soldiers had arrived and prevented further violence. A group of civil rights activists in Chicago hired journalist Ida B. Wells to investigate the lynchings. After the residents had calmed down, Governor Deneen enforced
7665-440: The nation's hydropower and three percent of its total electricity. USACE inspects over 2,000 Federal and non-Federal levees every two years. Four billion gallons of water per day are drawn from the Corps of Engineers' 136 multi-use flood control projects comprising 9,800,000 acre-feet (12.1 km ) of water storage, making it one of the United States' largest water supply agencies. The 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) ,
7770-541: The new ordinance. The picketing turned violent after police heard shots fired and moved on the crowd. In 1978, the Cairo I-57 Bridge across the Mississippi River was opened. The interstate largely bypassed Cairo to the north, crippling the remaining hospitality industry in the city. Cairo's hospital closed in December 1986, due to high debt and a dwindling number of patients. With the decline in river trade, as has been
7875-401: The night of November 11, 1909, two men were lynched . The first was William James, an African American accused of the murder of Anna Pelly, a young white woman killed three days earlier, although there was no physical or circumstantial evidence connecting him to the crime. The second man lynched was Henry Salzner, a white man who had allegedly murdered his white wife the previous August. James
7980-415: The only active duty unit in USACE, generates and distributes prime electrical power in support of warfighting, disaster relief, stability and support operations as well as provides advice and technical assistance in all aspects of electrical power and distribution systems. The battalion deployed in support of recovery operations after 9/11 and was instrumental in getting Wall Street back up and running within
8085-613: The operation is in Historic Downtown Vicksburg in the Mississippi River Commission Building. United States Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers ( USACE ) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army . A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment , military construction , and civil works . USACE has 37,000 civilian and military personnel, making it one of
8190-406: The police and unjustly targeted. On July 16, 1967, Robert Hunt, a 19-year-old black soldier home on leave, was allegedly found hanged in the Cairo police station. Police reported that Hunt had hanged himself with his t-shirt , but many members of the black community of Cairo accused the police of murder. There had been an alleged history of police discrimination and violence against black residents of
8295-486: The postal service. For nearly a half century, the MRC functioned as an executive body reporting directly to the U.S. Secretary of War. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 changed the mission of the MRC. The consequent Flood Control Act of 1928 created the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project (MR&T). The act assigned responsibility for developing and implementing the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project (MR&T) to
8400-626: The rapid construction of such landmark projects such as the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, Hanford and Oak Ridge among other places, and the Pentagon , the Department of Defense headquarters across the Potomac from Washington, DC. In civilian projects, the Corps of Engineers became the lead federal navigation and flood control agency. Congress significantly expanded its civil works activities, becoming
8505-519: The remaining population, including poverty, crime, issues in education, unemployment and rebuilding its tax base. The closure of the Elmwood and McBride housing projects was announced by the federal government in 2017. In August 2017, Ben Carson , the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development at the time, visited the city. Ten families had found new housing, but an estimated 400 people will be affected by
8610-420: The scene of Pelly's murder. His head was cut from his body and displayed on a pole that was stuck into the ground, and his body was burned. Hundreds of townspeople conducted a search for the alleged accomplice, Arthur Alexander. Unable to locate him and still bloodthirsty, they entered the court house jail and broke into the cell where Henry Salzner was being held. The mob hanged Salzner from a telegraph pole near
8715-589: The sheriff to the highest bidder. Not long after the passage of the constitution, the state's general assembly adopted a pro-slavery resolution that announced its approval of slavery in slave-holding states and at the same time condemned the formation of abolition societies within Illinois’ boundaries. Although Black people comprised a large proportion of the Cairo population, they were frequently discriminated against in jobs and housing. Race relations were strained in 1900. The state passed an anti-lynching law in 1905. On
8820-501: The shipping, railroad, and ferry industries left the city. Population decline began as workers moved to other cities. Racial tensions rose in the late 1960s as African-Americans sought implementation of gains under new federal civil rights laws passed as a result of the Civil Rights Movement . The police, fire department, and most city jobs were still overwhelmingly dominated by whites. African-Americans were allegedly harassed by
8925-800: The three mission areas are administered by a lieutenant general known as the chief of engineers /commanding general. The chief of engineers commands the Engineer Regiment, comprising combat engineer , rescue, construction, dive, and other specialty units, and answers directly to the Chief of Staff of the Army . Combat engineers, sometimes called sappers , form an integral part of the Army's combined arms team and are found in all Army service components: Regular Army, National Guard , and Army Reserve . Their duties are to breach obstacles; construct fighting positions, fixed/floating bridges, and obstacles and defensive positions; place and detonate explosives; conduct route clearance operations; emplace and detect landmines; and fight as provisional infantry when required. For
9030-675: The town comprise the Cairo Historic District , listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Old Customs House is also on the NRHP. The city is part of the Cape Girardeau – Jackson , MO –IL Metropolitan Statistical Area . The entire city was evacuated during Mississippi River floods in 2011 , after the Ohio River rose higher than the 1937 flood levels, with the possibility of 15 feet of water inundating Cairo. The United States Army Corps of Engineers breached levees in
9135-503: The trustees of the Cairo City Property Trust, a group of investors including writer John Neal who planned to make it the terminus of the projected Illinois Central Railroad , which finally arrived there in 1855. Cairo had been growing as an important river port for steamboats , which traveled all the way south to New Orleans. The city had been designated as a port of delivery by Act of Congress in 1854. A new city charter
9240-568: The warfighter or in a disaster area. Corps of Engineers' professionals use the knowledge and skills honed on both military and civil projects to support the U.S. and local communities in the areas of real estate, contracting, mapping, construction, logistics, engineering, and management experience. Prior to their respective troop withdrawals in 2021, this included support for rebuilding Iraq , establishing infrastructure in Afghanistan , and supporting international and inter-agency services. In addition,
9345-489: The watersheds and developing collaborative engineering solutions that will reduce risks through the reduction of flood damage potential, maintain and enhance navigation, and protect, restore and enhance environmental ecosystems, while being prepared to respond to regional and national emergencies. The MVD operates hydroelectric plants within the system, is a large water and construction regulatory body, and maintains over 1.9 million acres for recreation. The MVD, and specifically
9450-578: The watersheds of the Missouri River and Ohio River , and portions of the Arkansas River and the Red River of the South . The division includes all or parts of 13 states: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. The mission of the division is to serve the Mississippi Valley region by managing
9555-425: The white community in Cairo formed a citizens protection group that was deputized by the sheriff. The protection group became known as the "White Hats", because many of its 600 members began wearing white construction hats to show their membership while patrolling the streets to maintain order. In the following two years, accusations of White Hat bullying incidents in the black community began to increase. In early 1969,
9660-470: The work of almost 26,000 civilians on civil-works programs throughout USACE provides a training ground for similar capabilities worldwide. USACE civilians volunteer for assignments worldwide. For example, hydropower experts have helped repair, renovate, and run hydropower dams in Iraq in an effort to help get Iraqis to become self-sustaining. USACE supports the United States' Department of Homeland Security and
9765-503: The world's largest public engineering, design, and construction management agencies. The USACE workforce is approximately 97% civilian, 3% active duty military. The civilian workforce is primarily located in the United States, Europe and in select Middle East office locations. Civilians do not function as active duty military and are not required to be in active war and combat zones; however, volunteer (with pay) opportunities do exist for civilians to do so. The day-to-day activities of
9870-422: Was accused of killing Pelly by choking her to death in an alley with pieces of a flour sack on the evening of November 8, 1909. Pelly's body was discovered the next morning. Police believed that James was large enough to have committed the crime, especially as there were rumors of an accomplice. James was placed in police custody on Tuesday, where he remained until Wednesday evening. No physical evidence linked him to
9975-621: Was appointed colonel and commander of all engineers in the Continental Army and, on 17 November 1777, he was promoted to brigadier general. When the Continental Congress created a separate Corps of Engineers in May 1779, Duportail was appointed as its commander. In late 1781 he directed the construction of the allied U.S.-French siege works at the Battle of Yorktown . On 26 February 1783, the Corps
10080-522: Was completed in 1872. It served as a custom house, post office, and United States Court. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois met at the building until 1905. From 1905 to 1942, the Custom House was used for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois. The building also housed the U.S. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Illinois from 1905 to 1912. At
10185-574: Was disbanded. It was re-established during the Presidency of George Washington . From 1794 to 1802, the engineers were combined with the artillery as the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers . The Corps of Engineers, as it is known today, was established on 16 March 1802, when President Thomas Jefferson signed the Military Peace Establishment Act , whose aim was to "organize and establish
10290-503: Was established in 1879 to facilitate improvement of the Mississippi River from the Head of Passes near its mouth to its headwaters. The stated mission of the Commission was to develop and implement plans to correct, permanently locate, and deepen the channel of the Mississippi River, improve safety and ease of navigation, prevent destructive floods. and promote and facilitate commerce, trade, and
10395-568: Was known as the zigzag pattern. The National Defense Act of 1916 authorized a reserve corps in the Army, and the Engineer Officers' Reserve Corps and the Engineer Enlisted Reserve Corps became one of the branches. Some of these personnel were called into active service for World War I . From the beginning, many politicians wanted the Corps of Engineers to contribute to both military construction and civil works. Assigned
10500-744: Was merged with the Corps of Engineers on 31 March 1863, at which point the Corps of Engineers also assumed the Lakes Survey District mission for the Great Lakes . In 1841, Congress created the Lake Survey . The survey, based in Detroit, Michigan, was charged with conducting a hydrographical survey of the Northern and Northwestern lakes and preparing and publishing nautical charts and other navigation aids. The Lake Survey published its first charts in 1852. In
10605-417: Was not severe, as the railroad traffic still was directed through Cairo, and automobile and truck traffic increased in the early 20th century. In 1905, a second bridge was constructed across the Mississippi River at Thebes, Illinois . The effects of the second bridge were more severe, as rail traffic through Cairo was now reduced and railroad ferry operations were no longer necessary. As the steamboat industry
10710-442: Was reorganized in 1978, the court house was used for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The building remains in use by the federal courts and as the active post office for Cairo. The courthouse was built and is operated by the U.S. General Services Administration . Cairo's turbulent history of race relations is marked by the 1909 spectacle lynching of black resident William James . In 1900, Cairo had
10815-546: Was replaced with barges, river traffic had less reason to stop in Cairo. In 1929, the Cairo Mississippi River Bridge was completed, linking Missouri with Illinois to the south of Cairo. In 1937, the Cairo Ohio River Bridge was completed. Completion of the two bridges ended the ferry industry in Cairo, putting many people out of work. As the town was bypassed by two bridges to the south, it also lost
10920-637: Was to build fortifications near Boston at Bunker Hill . The Continental Congress recognized the need for engineers trained in military fortifications and asked the government of King Louis XVI of France for assistance. Many of the early engineers in the Continental Army were former French officers. Louis Lebègue Duportail , a lieutenant colonel in the French Royal Corps of Engineers, was secretly sent to North America in March 1777 to serve in George Washington 's Continental Army . In July 1777 he
11025-551: Was written in 1857, and Cairo flourished as trade with Chicago to the north spurred development. By 1860, the population exceeded 2,000. During the Civil War , Admiral Andrew Hull Foote made Cairo the naval station for the Mississippi River Squadron on September 6, 1861. Since Cairo had no land available for base facilities, the navy yard repair shop machinery was afloat aboard wharf-boats, old steamers, tugs, flat-boats, and rafts. In January 1862, General Ulysses S. Grant occupied
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