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Pavement Ends
James Baughn

University quietly wipes out another piece of Cape's history

Posted Tuesday, September 3, 2013, at 10:00 AM

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  • the city of cape would let them tear down anything under the sun. enough is enough the university does not run the city, or does it???

    -- Posted by bagman on Tue, Sep 3, 2013, at 10:58 AM
  • I grew up in Cape, but I don't live there now because it's a far cry today from what it was. It makes me sad when I do go there. Perryville still has that small town charm that reminds me a little of what Cape used to be like. Lots of old buildings being preserved and updated, but not torn down or replaced like in Cape.

    -- Posted by 1patriot on Tue, Sep 3, 2013, at 2:53 PM
  • The trees and terraces will be next.

    -- Posted by ksteinhoff on Tue, Sep 3, 2013, at 7:26 PM
  • Does the word eyesore strike a familiar note? The wall reminds me of grave stones in Lorimier Cemetery; all covered with moss and leaning. Even "landmarks" outlive their usefulness. And by the way, the university has done lots to keep Broadway decent around their property. I'm sure there would be rants if the Esquire were razed before it falls down on its own.

    -- Posted by JungleJim on Tue, Sep 3, 2013, at 8:09 PM
  • I'm with ksteinhoff on this one. I'm sure that college will find a reason to saw down that beech tree, if it wasn't for the Halloween storytelling event being held under it.

    -- Posted by Beaker on Tue, Sep 3, 2013, at 11:25 PM
  • Let's face it folks, if not for the business and revenue and revitalization and building and jobs that the university produces, Cape Girardeau would be about 4,000 in population. SEMO appears the only bright light of revitalization. Embrace it.

    -- Posted by ParkerDaws on Wed, Sep 4, 2013, at 8:13 PM
  • Well researched and written article about this lost landmark. Had been up and down those steps many times while enjoying the area. I suppose the university can provide a historic preservation degree, but certainly does not see the need to practice it. First the handwall court, now this. What next?

    -- Posted by tomneumeyer on Thu, Sep 5, 2013, at 5:47 PM
  • That should be handball, not handwall court, below.

    -- Posted by tomneumeyer on Thu, Sep 5, 2013, at 5:48 PM
  • What's next, you ask? Well, how about the log cabin that's sitting on the old university farm:

    http://landmarkhunter.com/199952-benjamin-hunter-cabin/

    A chunk of the farm acreage was recently sold to the city, so it's not hard to imagine that they will be wanting to unload the rest of it soon enough.

    -- Posted by James Baughn on Thu, Sep 5, 2013, at 5:53 PM
  • Your articles are generally very informative, but I'm really getting tired of the whining. The seminary was falling in on itself until the University took over. Practicing adaptive reuse and responsible historic preservation do not mean to imply that you can or should preserve everything. The River Campus and Emerson Bridge are landmarks and assets to the community. You likely decried the replacement of the one and continually whine about the reuse of the other.

    -- Posted by hondaprimacy on Thu, Sep 5, 2013, at 8:36 PM
  • For years, the stone wall, and pillar holding the commemorative plaque, at Old Lorimier Cemetery have looked pretty shabby. As does the concrete steps leading up to the burial grounds. Perhaps the university could work its magic here: tear both structures down and put in a ski slope for winter entertainment. Locals already use much of the incline for snow sledding thrills. A few extra feet, and Cape would have another tourist attraction.

    -- Posted by criticaldiscerner on Fri, Sep 6, 2013, at 5:47 PM