Dennis Scivally: engineer and community servant

Ever wonder who was behind the beautiful little park on Cape Rock Drive named Scivally Park? There was a gentleman ... a native of Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties, who became one of those civil servants of Missouri.

Dennis Scivally, the son of a Bollinger County farm family, started a meager education by attending only two to four months per year in a one-room school near Gravel Hill. His parents, dismayed by his lack of educational opportunity, moved to Cape Girardeau, where Dennis attended Old Lorimier School under Miss May Greene.

In 1894, he attended the old Normal School, where he excelled in academics and sports. He was chosen halfback on the first football team and first baseman on the baseball team. He later played for the Capahas. On graduation day, Scivally was chosen as one of three to give an oration. Later in 1958, Scivally was honored with the first Southeast Missouri State Teachers College Alumni Award.

His engineering career began with Louis Houck on railroad construction. After three years, he became the first highway engineer for Cape County. During the 1920s, there was much publicity for "getting Missouri out of the mud", including the deep muddy roads filled with potholes in Cape County.

One might say, the father of this campaign was Dennis Scivally, the chief engineer of the Cape Girardeau Special Road District. One of the first paved roads in Missouri was the old Rock Levy Road from Elm Street to Highway 61 (Sprigg Street) surveyed by the Missouri Highway Department project engineer, Dennis Scivally.

During this time, he was also designer of the Cape Girardeau plan for an outer drive, which became Cape Rock Drive, with beautiful plantings along the thoroughfare. The initial phase started in 1931, continuing until 1937. The park that was included was Ellis Park. In 1935 the Cape Girardeau Rotary Club passed a proposal to have it renamed Dennis Scivally Park.

In 1927, Gov. Sam A. Baker offered Scivally the position of engineer for Missouri Public Service Commission. Scivally refused the offer, preferring to remain in highway construction.

Scivally was instrumental in overseeing the extensive project for beautification of Highway 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson beginning in 1931 called the "Ten Mile Rose Garden". The highway became adorned with 25,000 rose bushes, evergreens and trees. It became known throughout the nation as one of the most beautiful highways in the country.

In 1933, Scivally married Lena Heider. They made their home at 235 N. Henderson Ave.

Just a glance at Scivally's obituary printed June 10, 1961, in The Southeast Missourian, one understands how devoted a public servant he was. In addition to his expertise in highway projects, Scivally was on the advisory board to plan Arena Park of 15 acres, Chamber of Commerce, rationing board during World War II, Cape Girardeau Rotary Club, St. Mark's Lodge Masonic Order for 50 years and Christ Evangelical Church Board.

Scivally's funeral was conducted by the Rev. M. A. Torbitsky of Evangelical Church. He was survived by his wife and no children.