Passport to the past

The Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau and five of the area's popular historical sites are giving people a chance to add some local history to their Independence Day celebrations.

The five attractions -- the Cape River Heritage Museum, the Glenn House, Fort D, Old St. Vincent Church and the Red House Interpretive Center -- are waiving their customary admission fees on Saturday and July 4, giving local residents and tourists an opportunity to enjoy a glimpse of the local past while celebrating the nation's birth.

The Cape River Heritage Museum offers a variety of exhibits on local history ranging from the history of the Cape Girardeau Police Department to the sharecroppers' demonstration of 1939 and the Missouri mule.

Much of the main exhibit floor is taken up by an display about the history of women in Southeast Missouri.

"This exhibit was created by the League of Women Voters in honor of the 90th anniversary of the Susan B. Anthony amendment," said Dan Brian, referring to the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote.

Dedicated to the women of Cape Girardeau, the exhibit deals with the history of area women in society, fashion and education.

Tourists can pick up a passport at any of the five attractions and have it validated. People who leave a passport validated at least three times at one of the sites will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 prepaid Visa card July 15. The sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fort D, 920 Fort St., was built in 1861 under the direction of Illinois Lt. John Wesley Powell. At the time, Fort D was one of four fortifications built to protect Cape Girardeau. While the other three no longer exist, Ford D was saved thanks to action by city leaders during the 1930s.

Visitors can view artifacts from the period and gain an understanding of the life of a soldier stationed at fort by reading the many interpretive signs.

Visitors to the Glenn House can get a glimpse of life in Cape Girardeau at the turn of the 20th century. The home at 325 S. Spanish St. was originally built in 1883 for David Glenn and his wife, Lulu, by her father, Edwin Deane.

The farm house was renovated in 1900 to the current Queen Anne style of architecture. The Glenn House has been restored to feature not only the architecture of the period, but also authentic furnishings of the era. The Glenn House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Old St. Vincent Church, 131 S. Main St., is one of only a handful of churches remaining in America featuring English Gothic Revival architecture.

Built in 1853, the structure was saved from destruction during the 1970s and underwent stages of restoration throughout the end of the 20th century, keeping the church functional as a place of worship while trying to remain loyal to the original architectural style.

The church will not be open for visitors until 1 p.m. July 4 but will be open Saturday.

The Red House Interpretive Center, across from the church on Main Street, commemorates the life of French Canadian trader and Cape Girardeau founder Louis Lorimier. Lorimier's trading post was the largest of its kind between St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn., and served Meriwether Lewis and his party in November 1803 as he stocked up on supplies in preparation for his famous expedition with William Clark beginning in 1804.

The Red House Interpretive Center allows visitors to see a rendering of Lorimier's home and business, as well as authentic items that might have been sold at the time.