In 1835, James Nash platted the town of Calhoun and named it for statesman John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. On the night of December 3, 1877, the "Great Fire" swept through the southeast block of Calhoun and destroyed all of its principal businesses. This dealt a devastating blow to the economy, and the town struggled for some time to regain growth and momentum.

on to Cape Girardeau