Day lilies planted to beautify new interchange

A few years ago O.D. "Dave" Niswonger gave Southeast Missouri State University 3,000 of his original creation hybrid, the Missouri Highway Day Lily, to celebrate LaSalle Avenue and East Main reuniting Cape Girardeau and Jackson at Interstate 55 exit 102.

In the beginning it was 3 generations of the Niswonger family, Dave, his son John, and his grandson Joe, working the ground with a tiller in the hot sun. Dr. Wesley Mueller of the agriculture department, his wife Claudia Mueller, with Southeast agriculture students and volunteers from the Mormon church planted the design.

New life came to the project last week from the John Guild Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution including Jan Chamberlain, Morgan Lake, Linda Hutson, Shirley Young and Patsy Johnson. They donated 14 Knockout Roses and a beautiful Crepe Myrtle to create a blooming centerpiece in Niswonger's gift.

Here's some genealogy trivia. The families of Shirley Young and Dave Niswonger both arrived in Cape Girardeau County on the Bollinger wagon train in 1800.

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