Pocahontas

History

The early inhabitants of the area were the Mississippian Mound Builders, who were part of the Mississippian culture. The Mound Builders went into decline in the 12th and 13th centuries, resulting in a depopulation of the area. In the latter part of the 18th century, French and Spanish officials allowed the immigration of Shawnee and Delaware Indians from Ohio. In the 1820s, these Indians were moved further west, with only a few remaining behind. The last of the Indians to stay were removed from the area in 1857. Early American settlers to the area were the Abernathy and Little families, who farmed the land around present-day Pocahontas. Samuel Green, an Englishman, purchased land from Joseph Abernathy and operated the Green Station general store and post office. The Applecreek Presbyterian Church was established in 1821 and celebrates its 200 year anniversary in 2021, German and Austrian immigrants began to settle around Pocahontas. St. John Iowa Synod Lutheran Church was founded in 1870, and in 1889 Zion Lutheran Church Missouri Synod was built. It was incorporated as a town in 1893. A flour mill was constructed by John Hatcher, and today the mill is still operated as the Bowman Milling Company. A public school and two Lutheran parochial schools were also established. As of 2015, the town had four stores, several shops, a planing mill and a lumber yard.

Geography

Pocahontas is located in north-central Cape Girardeau County, approximately thirteen miles north-northeast of Cape Girardeau and seven miles due west of Neelys Landing on the Mississippi River. U.S. Route 61 passes one mile west of the community. The village is located between the headwaters of Blue Shawnee Creek and Muddy Shawnee Creek. According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,596
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,099
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,967
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,958
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,861
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  2,669
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,488
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,283

Most recent

• M 2.64 — 2026-05-29
  12 km E of Williamsville, Missouri
• M 2.6 — 2025-11-01
  5 km SW of Puxico, Missouri
• M 3.07 — 2025-09-06
  4 km S of Puxico, Missouri
• M 2.72 — 2024-12-01
  9 km N of New Madrid, Missouri
• M 2.53 — 2024-03-05
  6 km ENE of Pinckneyville, Illinois
• M 3.07 — 2023-12-18
  5 km WNW of Waltonville, Illinois