BUSINESS LINE: TIME LINE REFLECTS GROWING, CHANGING BUSINESS SCENE

ALVARADO WAS POPULAR SPOT: Alvarado Service Station as it appeared in 1934. It opened in December of 1929 at the northeast corner of Highway 61 and Broadway. At one time it was one of the most attractive restaurants in Cape Girardeau. The towers were removed in the late 1960s and the building ws reduced to a rectangular-shaped structure. It was finally demolished in 1971. (JUDITH ANN CROW COLLECTION)

COMPANY BOTTLED SOFT DRINKS IN CITY: Cape City Bottling Works was located on North Pacific and was owned by Emil M. Thilenius. The company bottled soft drinks. It was sold in 1926 after being in the family three generations. In 1943, Arthur W. Thilenius bought the company back from A.W. Milde. (JUDITH ANN CROW COLLECTION)

HIRSCH BROS. OPENED AS CENTENNIAL STORE: Hirsch Bros. Cash Bargain Store was located at the northwest corner of Good Hope and Sprigg. As its sign proclaimed, the store carried "groceries, dry goods, clothing, hats, shoes, hardware, window glass and seeds." The store originally opened on July 4, 1876 and was called The Centennial Store. It closed in 1977. The building remains today as a florist supply. (JUDITH ANN CROW COLLECTION)

PARK `N' EAT, ON WEST BROADWAY, OPENED IN 1940. (G.D. FRONABARGER)

NICHOLS' LIVERY STABLE AS IT APPEARED IN CIRCA 1910. (JUDITH ANN CROW COLLECTION)

WHEAT FIELD GROWS RETAIL HUB: Before construction of the West Park Mall in 1980, the site was a wheat field. The 600,000 square foot center was a joint project of May Department Stores and Drury Industries Inc. The mall opened its door in 1981. (SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN)

WEILPUETZ BAKERY WAS HOME TO BAMBY BREAD: The Wielpuetz Bakery operated at 533 Good Hope from 1911 to 1963. The bakery was the home of "reddy-sliced" Bamby Bread. It was founded by C. Wielpuetz and sons. The operation moved to Cape Girardeau from Fornfelt. The family sold the bakery in 1935 to Thomas Fitzgerald and his son, O.L. Fitzgerald. They continued to operate the firm until 1943. It was then sold to R.J. Lewis of Anna, Ill., who changed the name to Bunny Bread, Inc. (JUDITH ANN CROW COLLECTION)

HECHT'S GRAND OPENING AT 107 N. MAIN STREET IN 1927. (JUDITH ANN CROW COLLECTION)

WALTHER BROS. OPEN FOR BUSINESS: Walther Bros., in this 1910 portrait, was located on Broadway and dealt in furniture and household furnishings. An advertisment of the time claimed the brothers were known for their "up-to-date" and progressive business methods. (JUDITH ANN CROW COLLECTION)

The following is a timeline of business and industry in Cape Girardeau. Information for this timeline was gleaned from the files and books housed in the Southeast Missouri newspaper library. Because of the vast number of businesses located in Cape Girardeau over the years, not every company is included here.

1700s

Circa 1792 Louis Lorimier established trading post on land that would become Cape Girardeau.

Circa 1793 Louis Lorimier built mill on Cape LaCroix Creek (Lorimier Mills).

1798-99 John Smith T was producing dueling pistols.

1800-1929

1802 Blacksmith shop established by John Risher.

1805 General merchandise sold from basement of George G. Ellis home at Broadway and Lorimier.

1806 First hotel license granted to William Ogle.

1806 Garah Davis and William Ogle operated store.

Circa 1810 Tannery established by William Scripps and son on Painter Place (South Park Avenue).

1816 Bartholomew Cousin bequeathed mill mounted on two flatboats to John Risher.

1817 Tannery owned by Moses McClain was located on southwest corner of Spanish and Industry.

1820s I.R. Wathem built Marble City Mill on North Main.

1820s Levi L. Lightner built and operated a "still house."

1826 Mill situated in northern end of town is organized.

1830-1859

1830 Pottery production started using clay from Tywappity Bottoms.

Circa 1835 Robert Sturdivant and brother-in-law, Edwin White, started mercantile business, White & Sturdivant.

1835-36 William Cramer and John Anthony began producing cigars.

1836 Cape Girardeau Patriot established by Edwin White.

1837 Cape Girardeau Patriot sold to Robert Sturdivant, who ran newspaper for two years. Robert Renfroe and Charles Cook then ran paper until 1842 or 1843.

1838 St. Charles Hotel built at southwest corner of Main and Themis; Zalma Block proprietor.

1843 Robert Sturdivant, in partnership with another man, started mercantile business at Water and Themis.

1847 The Western Eagle, later named The Cape Girardeau Eagle, established; continued until 1861.

1848 Watkin Webb and brother operated store here.

Late 1840s or early 1850s B.M. Horrell and James Reynolds built steam-powered mill, which jutted out over river, just north of Broadway.

1850 St. Louis-New Orleans Telegraph Co. was formed; a single wire mounted on trees followed old Kingshighway to Cape Girardeau, then crossed the river to Paducah and on to Nashville and New Orleans.

1853 Third Branch of the Bank of Missouri moves from Jackson (est. 1843) to Cape Girardeau.

1854 Leach Bros. Store opened at Main and Themis.

Circa 1857 New Johnson House built at northwest corner of Broadway and Water. After Civil War, hotel was bought by T.J. Rodney and renamed Marble City Hotel.

1857 Horrell and Reynolds mill was rebuilt of brick and named Union Mill. At same time in 100 block of North Main, another mill was in operation, as was third mill on bluff at east end of Belleview (Fort A).

1859 Doyle Hat Shop opened

1860-1889

1860 Bahn Hardware Store opened.

1860 Girardeans celebrated with speeches, illuminations, big feed procuring of Pilot Knob and Belmont Railroad. (Civil War prevented its construction.)

1862 Kraft Bakery established.

1863 Last Chance Saloon on Broadway built.

1864 Walther Furniture Store opened.

1865 Before end of Civil War, William M. Hamilton established The Argus newspaper, which continued until 1871.

1866 The Marble City News was established by A.M. Caseboldt.

1866 Robert Sturdivant bought Third Branch of Bank of Missouri.

1866 Mill built at 430 Broadway by George Thilenius.

1866 Marble City Mill closed.

1869 Another railroad, Cape Girardeau State Line Railroad, organized here and bonds issued. Was not built.

1870s Cape Girardeau Marble Yards produced stones for many monuments and buildings. Cape Lime & Marble Co. had quarry on North Henderson.

Circa 1870 Col. George C. Thilenius began to manufacture soda pop at his large brick winery at Longview Place.

1870 Franklin House opened on Main Street; John A. Frank, proprietor.

1871-1876 Westliche Presse, a German language paper which added an English edition, published.

1872 Good telegraph line following Frisco tracks reached Cape Girardeau.

1873 Cape Building and Loan Association established.

1874 Name of The Marble City News was changed to The Cape Girardeau News.

1870s Roth Tobacco Co. established by Louis Roth.

1874 Tatum and Cross cigar factory was founded; distributed products to six states.

1876 Frederick Henninger built brewery at southeast corner of Morgan Oak and Middle.

1876 Centennial Store (later named Hirsch Brothers Store) opened at northwest corner of Sprigg and Good Hope.

1876 Ben H. Adams began publishing The Cape Girardeau Democrat.

1876 Marble City Hotel at Broadway and Water purchased by P.R. VanFranks.

1877 First long distance telephone line west of Mississippi River began operations between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. Service was changed to telegraph because of poor operations.

1877 Mill built by F.W. Pott called Planter's Mill.

1878 Vandeven Grocery and Mercantile Store opened.

1878 The Courier began publishing.

1880 Union Mill taken over by Robert Sturdivant.

1880 D.A. Glenn Store opened.

1880 J. Maple Wilson opened drug store.

1880 Stephen Banks, blacksmith, and William Beaudean, wagonmaker, opened blacksmith shop on South Spanish.

1880 First train entered Cape Girardeau city limits on Louis Houck railroad.

1880 Boston Store opened by John F. Schwepker.

1882 Hartung Gun Shop opened.

1882 Cape Girardeau Building and Loan Association formed.

1884 Sturdivant Bank was incorporated.

1885 Sturdivant Bank building, northwest corner of Main and Themis, constructed by Clemens Lindemann, pioneer contractor.

1885 The Cape Girardeau News was purchased by D.L. Hoffman.

1885 Osterloh's book store started.

1887 Marble City Hotel bought by John McClain and name changed to Riverview Hotel.

1888 Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri reported these factories in operation: Cape Girardeau Foundry, owned by Albert & Klostermann; Cape City Woolen Mills, owned and operated by L.F. Klostermann; extensive brewery, owned by Casper Uhl; and cigar factories, owned by George H. Cramer, August Bierwirth and Louis Roth.

1890-1900

1890 James M. Hartzell operated first local electric plant, in experimental stage, from his sawmill on Spanish Street, south of Independence.

1891 First National Bank chartered at 118 N. Main.

1891 Brewery and Ice Company on Morgan Oak incorporated.

1892 Bohnsack Clothing Store opened.

1892 Merit E. Leming established lumber mill in south section of town.

1892 I. Ben Miller began drug store on Broadway.

1894 Wulfers family established dairy business.

1895 Vogelsanger Hardware Co. opened.

1896 Southeast Missouri Drummers Association organized at St. Charles Hotel.

1896 Cape Girardeau Telephone Co. was formed and first switchboard was installed on second floor of Sturdivant Bank building.

1896 Edward Hely Stone Co. opened quarry on South Sprigg.

1898 William Vedder opened store.

1898 Bauer Bakery established.

1899 Bauer Bakery incorporated.

1899-1908 Weekly newspaper Progress published and became daily in 1906.