BONJOUR!: GERARD GIRARDEAU PAYS A VISIT TO NAMESAKE CITY

Gerard (Girardot) Girardeau, a familiar name in the early history of Cape Girardeau, came to town this week.

"My name is really Gerard Girardeau," said the Canadian nickel miner. "But, my father tells me our family name was `Girardot' before it became Girardeau."

When Girardeau walked into the Chamber of Commerce and announced his name Tuesday morning, he created some excitement and raised eyebrows.

"I don't recall hearing about any Girardots or Girardeaus in this area since the early history of the city," said Cathy Crites of the Chamber's Convention and Visitors Bureau. "But, when I seemed hesitant he showed me his credit card."

"We've entertained thoughts of visiting the city with our namesake for a number of years," said Girardeau, "This year we made it."

Girardeau doesn't claim to be related to the Girardot for which the city is named.

Not much is known about an Ensign Girardot, who was said to have established a trading post here in 1733. As early as 1704 there is a record of a man named Girardot, who was stationed with the French marines at Kaskaskia.

The name has had many spellings through the years, from Jeredot, an Indian trader, to Girardeau. Maps published from the mid-1700s have listed the bend in the Mississippi River as Cape Girardot, Cape Girardeau, and Cape Girardo.

But, history says nobody knows what happened to the Girardots/Girardeaus/Girardos, whether they were killed by Indians or simply moved. But, the name has stuck.

Girardeau, who works more than 2,500 feet underground in a mine around Sudberry, Ontario, and his wife, Mary Ann, arrived in Cape Girardeau Monday.

"Someone was telling me about the Riverfest Festival T-shirt with the name Gerard on it," said Girardeau, who visited the Chamber of Commerce office, The Madder Rose Ltd. shop downtown and Horizon Printing on Broadway before finding one of the shirts. The shirts were produced for the festival, held earlier this month.

"He was elated that we still had some of the shirts left," said Glenn Reeves of Horizon. "This year's t-shirts were designed to include a character enjoying the annual Riverfest celebration, and the character's name was Gerard."

"We're from a city of about 100,000 population," said Girardeau. "We had read about Cape Girardeau, and the city is about what we thought it would be a nice community located alongside the Mississippi River. We really like the entrance to the city and the river."

The Girardeaus have two other destinations while in the United States.

"We're going to Branson from here," said Girardeau. "We want to see some of the country/western shows and visit Silver Dollar City." From Branson, they will go east to visit a daughter who works at a hospital in North Carolina.