TWIKA standard became airport landmark

If you were a kid growing up in the Cape Girardeau area in the 1960s and '70s, chances are you remember the tall global sign that marked the Cape Girardeau Municipal (now Regional) Airport.

(G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

In those early years of my life, my family often drove down to Scott County on weekends to visit relatives. I always knew we were close to our Cape Girardeau home, when I spotted that iconic symbol next to the highway.

Originally, the sign was put up to advertise The World's International Kart Association (TWIKA) go-cart race track at the airport. An article from the May 27, 1961, Southeast Missourian described the track then being constructed and added, "At the entrance a huge, 31-foot-high, bronze-finished standard bearing an 11-foot futuristic world globe, superimposed with the organization's name, TWIKA, soon will be erected. Around it, at the entrance, will be a brick patio entered through a wrought iron gate. Rose gardens will accent the area."

Unfortunately, the organization didn't last long. By 1963 TWIKA's property at the airport was sold at public auction by then Scott County Sheriff John Dennis at Benton, Missouri. The property was sold to attorney Rush H. Limbaugh Jr., who represented the Cape Manufacturing Co., Missouri Dry Dock and Repair Co., Central Materials Corp. and Dixie Contractors. The sales price was $7,500.

There's little information available in the Missourian files about the sign until 1967. In June of that year the Cape Girardeau Jaycees, led by project chairman Dennis Underwood, had the old TWIKA standard lowered to the ground. Members of the service club then cleaned it and prepared it for its new life as the airport's signature signage.

The photograph above shows the sign in its final form. It's similar to one that accompanied this Missourian editorial on Aug. 3, 1967:

THE NAME'S THE THING

Cape Girardeau's Municipal Airport now has identification.

Thanks to the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the former global emblem at the nearby defunct cart race track has been converted into this attractive marker.

Soon to be upgraded through bonds voted by the people of Cape Girardeau, the airport has long needed some means of recognition.

The Jaycees could not have found a more suitable emblem and the work they have done in moving the heavy object and creating the airport symbol is due the community's recognition.

There is one thing that bothers us, however, and we believe it does others as well.

This city has a most distinctive name, Cape Girardeau. That is its official name -- not the commonly used abbreviation, Cape.

All of us by habit refer to our town as Cape in our conversation. But officially, it is Cape Girardeau.

We think it takes some of the distinctiveness out of the city's name to shorten it on an official sign marking a municipal property. The people -- the city -- own the airport and we feel that as a piece of corporate property the full city name should be used.

Especially is it true at this site. While Cape Girardeau is known to all of us, its name is not known to many of the traveling public who will increasingly use I-55. In all community pride, we believe the full city name should be used here.

The Missourian has a set editorial style that in body type all usage of the city's name must be Cape Girardeau and not Cape. We think it cheapens the name of our city not to use its full title.

It's easy to roll Cape off the tongue and in conversation there is no fault to be found. But when we present the city before the public, in whatever way, we believe the full proud title should be used.

Would the city and Jaycees agree to make the necessary change? It certainly would be more dignified and appropriate for a multi-million dollar municipal asset -- the airport.

Now, whether the city of Cape Girardeau and the Jaycees obliged the Missourian's editorial writer, I have no idea. I can't remember whether the full name of the town ever graced the globe, nor can I find any photograph of the re-made sign except the one above.

Fred Lynch featured TWIKA in two of his blogs:

The World's International Kart Association

Go-Kart Racing 1961 - TWIKA Speedway