
From the Morgue
The Southeast Missourian's resident historian Sharon K. Sanders blogs about interesting pieces of local history pulled from the newspaper's morgue -- the place where our old editions are kept.
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Grace Methodist congregation processes to new edifice
Posted Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 12:00 AMIn a recent blog we examined the history of Grace United Methodist Church. It made reference to the congregation's move to a new edifice on Caruthers Avenue in 1959. As members of the congregation departed the old church, various "properties" were removed and transported to the new church. ... -
Red Williams: Athletic trainer at SE takes on new role
Posted Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 12:00 AMThe Cape Girardeau City Council made plans for the future of city parks and recreaetion at a meeting on Thursday, March 8, 1973. At the meeting, the body authorized the hiring of R.W. Booker and Associates Inc. of St. Louis and Thomas E. Phillips and Associates of Cape Girardeau to develop a master park plan at a fee not to exceed $14,600... -
German M.E. Church becomes Grace Church
Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 12:00 AMOne hundred years ago -- Feb. 13, 1923 -- the German Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau became Grace Methodist Church through a decision made by the church's governing board. Up until that time, the German congregation had been known alternatively as Ebenezer Methodist, German Methodist and Methodist Episcopal. ... -
A 'true community center' went up in flames 75 years ago
Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at 12:00 AMSeventy-five years ago this month, Cape Girardeau lost its "true community center." On the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1948, fire destroyed the 21-year-old Houck Field House on the State College campus. Not only was the field house the home of the Indians' basketball games, it also housed hoop competition for Cape Girardeau Central High School, College High School and the Sunday School League. ... -
Ground broken for medical center 50 years ago
Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 12:00 AMSaint Francis Medical Center has been a part of Cape Girardeau, in one form or another, since 1875, when three Franciscan Sisters -- Philomena, Engelberta and Felicitas -- began caring for the ill in a two-story frame house on Themis Street. Their "hospital" could accommodate a dozen patients... -
Hecht building a design of noted architect T.P. Barnett
Posted Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 12:00 AMLast week's blog about a veritable flood in Hecht's women's clothing store 75 years ago made me curious about the origins of the ornate building. A quick search in the Missourian's clip files revealed the structure was constructed in 1927 at a cost of $60,000. ... -
Frozen pipe floods Hecht's store
Posted Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at 12:00 AMThe frigid temperatures back in December were blamed on numerous broken pipes in the Legends apartment complex in Cape Girardeau. Water in the pipes froze with the sub-zero temps and caused the ruptures when they thawed out... -
Tracing Cape Girardeau's Masonic roots
Posted Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at 12:00 AMIt's an exciting time for Masonic organizations in Cape Girardeau. In October 2022 the sale of the Masonic Temple on Broadway was announced, and just last month construction of a new temple was made public... -
Lamenting the passing of the harness maker
Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at 12:00 AM1An article published on the front page of the Southeast Missourian in January 1923 caught my eye. It lamented the passing of the harness maker from among the ranks of Cape Girardeau's manufacturing establishments. Alas, the popularity of the automobile drove the trade to extinction... -
What's in a name? The naming of two Cape Girardeau parks
Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at 12:00 AM1The A.C. Brase Arena Building was still under construction when this aerial was taken in 1939. The park was officially named in January 1948. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)... -
Warren and Betty come home
Posted Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at 12:00 AMToday's blog is the last of three I've done featuring Warren E. Hearnes' final days as Missouri's 46th governor. This blog shares the story and images of Warren and Betty Hearnes' return to Mississippi County on Jan. 8, 1973... -
Cathryn Adams: ‘I walked in at noon eight years ago and I intend to walk out at the same time’
Posted Tuesday, December 27, 2022, at 12:00 AMAs Warren E. Hearnes packed his bags to leave the Missouri governor's office in December 1972, his secretary, Cathryn Clack Adams, began preparing to depart Jefferson City as well and the job she had handled for 18 years. Published Dec. 19, 1972, in the Southeast Missourian:... -
Leslie Lindy's gift
Posted Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at 12:00 AMLeslie L. Lindy acquired his first model train in 1948. From then on Lindy's enthusiasm for all things railroad became a passion for the young father and, eventually, his son. The Southeast Missourian newspaper has published several articles about Lindy and his train collection, but this was the first one... -
Warren Hearnes looks back on his days as Missouri governor
Posted Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at 12:00 AMAs his days as Missouri governor were drawing to a close, Warren Hearnes took time out of his schedule to give an interview to a Southeast Missourian newspaper staff writer. What resulted is an interesting look back on Hearnes' years in office, what he considered his successes and his failures, and his thoughts on the recent gubernatorial race... -
James Brown should have met Flo Edwards
Posted Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 12:00 AM3James Brown sang, "It's a Man's World," but he never met Flora "Flo" Edwards. At a time when men brought home the bacon and women were expected to stay home and tend the children, Flo Edwards drove a taxicab in Cape Girardeau, an occupation she followed for nearly 30 years... -
Photos that continue to mystify
Posted Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at 12:00 AM5When Mom passed away back in 2004, I became the "Keeper of the Family Photos." Big Sis handed over a big Tupperware container of pics, some in frames, some not. I spent a lot of time working my way through that tub, supplemented now and again by strays Big Sis would find around her house, which was my parents' home since they married in 1956... -
Frieda Rieck's talents extended beyond music
Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at 12:00 AM2Many of my older readers will recall the name Frieda V. Rieck. She was associated for many, many years with Cape Girardeau's musical life. A skilled violinist, she taught vocal music, string instruments and orchestras here at all levels — elementary, high school and college — for almost 40 years. Rieck is credited with organizing the Cape Girardeau Symphony. She taught at Southeast Missouri State College and retired in 1962 as head of the Music Department... -
Auto polo takes center stage at the '22 fair
Posted Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 12:00 AMAs a kid, my siblings and I loved the demolition derbies staged at Arena Park. Dad would take us; Mom got a quiet evening away from four noisy kids. I wonder if the people who attended the auto polo demonstrations in Capaha Park during the 1922 fair enjoyed the shows, which, I imagine, bore some resemblance to the demo derbies we cheered on... -
A hero returns to his hometown
Posted Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at 12:00 AMIn the fall of 1947, the remains of America’s heroes who lost their lives in World War II and were buried overseas began coming home. Just as had been done after the War to End All Wars, families were given the choice of having their loved ones remain buried where they had fallen or disinterred from foreign soil and re-interred in the United States... -
Cross recalls 1699 event
Posted Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 12:00 AMThe Cape LaCroix Cross, October 1947. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive) I'm sure when the Cape LaCroix Cross was unveiled Oct. 12, 1947, members of the Associated Committees of Historic Cape Girardeau — the organization sponsoring the event -- and the crowd of people who attended the dedication believed the memorial would remain at that location for generations to come...
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