A former railroad town, Chaffee has held on to its nostalgic charm
Chaffee forms a somewhat rectangular shape — filled with gridded residential streets and older homes surrounded by parcels of farmland — along the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. “It’s one of the railroad towns, so the railroad goes right through it,” says Shari McConnell, a broker with and the owner of Re/Max PLUS Realty, who has over 15 years of experience. “They were founded earlier on, so it’s typical of those types of towns [to have older homes.]”
Chaffee has Arts and Crafts-era cottages and later ranch-style homes
Chairs rest on the front porches of Arts and Crafts-era cottages in Chaffee, allowing homeowners to gaze across spacious front lawns to the weathered sidewalks that run alongside residential roads. “Most of its appeal would be the quaintness of it,” McConnell says. “Certain areas have historic homes, and some of those are very appealing.” Some of these older homes weren’t built with car owners in mind, so many come with detached garages and sheds.
Ranch-style homes and split-levels from the 1950s and 1960s are also common throughout Chaffee. These builds come on lots that can go up to a half-acre in size, largely ranging from $95,0000 to $290,000.
The CAP Index Crime Score in Chaffee is 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
Community pool and parks in Chaffee, and Tywappity preserve outside
A gazebo painted with American flag motifs sits in the center of Circle Park — which is located in the center of Chaffee — where the community gathers for live music during the warmer months. Farther south, Frisco Park consists of three baseball fields alongside the city’s railroad track. On the west side of the city, another baseball diamond is next to a playground and the Chaffee swimming pool, which has a diving board and a small spiral slide.
Just outside of Chaffee, the Lake Tywappity Conservation Land surrounds its namesake lake. Fishing boats and red-eared slider turtles skim across the water, while great blue herons wade on the outskirts of the lake. Hiking, hunting for deer or turkey and gathering around grills and picnic pavilions are common activities in the natural space.
Route 77 leads to Jackson, while Highway M connects to the interstate
Chaffee is largely located on the east side of Missouri state Route 77, which travels north toward Jackson, about 15 miles away. Chaffee is also about 15 miles from Cape Girardeau, and the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport offers direct flights to Chicago, where travelers can connect to other destinations. Missouri state Highway M leads east out of the community and connects with Interstate 55 near Scott City and the airport.
The seasonal Chaffee Drive-In and a Don Carlos Mexican Restaurant
The Chaffee Drive In, which has been in business since the 1950s, is a popular stop for slushies, sundaes and shakes. However, it only serves sweet treats between March and September. Chaffee has its own Don Carlos Mexican Cuisine location, where diners can choose from an extensive list of burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas and fajitas, among other dishes. Food Giant, a grocery store, is on the west side of town, along SR 77.
Numerous state and district titles secured by the Chaffee Red Devils
Children may begin their K-12 education at Chaffee Elementary School, which earns a C-minus grade from Niche. They may then move forward to the C-rated Chaffee Junior/Senior High School, which offers more than 10 extracurricular activities from which to choose, including two different robotics teams. The high school’s football team was the first to light its field for evening games in Southeast Missouri and, across all sports, the school’s athletic teams have won five state titles and almost 30 district championships.
