THOUGHTS ON LEAVING A BICENTENNIAL MEMENTO

Statues add to the appearance of a city, and some cities such as Richmond, Va., Washington, D.C., and St. Louis have many.

Statues commemorate someone or some event. They are modeled along either historical or artistic lines.

A visitor to Richmond is impressed with Monumental Avenue, which features statues of the South's Civil War generals mounted on their horses or displaying their swords from their pedestals. Spaced a block apart, the display is something a visitor does not forget. Reading about such southern leaders as Jeb Stewart and his horse in a history book does not compare with seeing him on Monumental Avenue; it is so lifelike a visitor waits to hear him speak.

Statues in Washington, D.C., of past presidents, especially the one of Lincoln, are recognized even by small children. The statue of St. Louis in front of the St. Louis Art Museum on Art Hill in St. Louis is an equestrian statue titled "Forward." It was one of the St. Louis World's Fair pieces, depicting the progress of the city. A competition was held for naming the statue, and Mrs. Loren Stockbacher of Carondelet won the award.

Cape Girardeau has two statues, one in Courthouse Park of a Union soldier and one at the southeast entrance of Capaha Park on Memorial Corner, where the names of soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for the United States in recent wars are in bronze on memorial pillars. The statue is a miniature of the Statue of Liberty.

Jackson has one statue. It is on the southeast lawn of the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse. The front of the pedestal contains the names of Cape Girardeau County men who made the supreme sacrifice in World War I. The World War I soldier on the pedestal is dressed in a GI uniform.

Years ago statues were sculptured of marble and bronze. Today both materials are expensive. Perhaps a new composite will be discovered that will be durable and within the means of artists so that more statues can be made. They are not only meaningful but add beauty.

In a bicentennial year it is important to consider projects that endure and give pleasure and meaning.

Cape Girardeau has three lines of thought to consider should someone be chosen from the past for commemoration through a statue during its bicentennial: Jean B. Girardot, whose name became the basis of the city's name; Louis Lorimier, the founder of the city; and the Shawnee and Delaware Indians who came with Lorimier. All three are important and in keeping with the unusual history of Cape Girardeau.

When Jean B. Girardot came from Canada to Fort Kaskaskia as a French ensign, he had no intention of returning to his former homeland. He remained at the fort, married, had a family, and eventually established a profitable fur trading business with Indians on the Illinois and Missouri sides of the Mississippi River in 1730. He was an inspiration to other men who soon followed the fur trade.

It is interesting to note that St. Louis became the world market for certain furs, notably Alaskan seal and blue fox. The auction market there attracted buyers from all over the world. The market was in the wholesale district near the levee on Third Street. Furs, tobacco and other items were sold at auction, and selling was controlled by specific wholesalers under government supervision.

Girardot purchased raw furs from Indians, who cleaned and prepared them for sale. Girardot bought and sold the furs to keelboatmen who took them to Canada or New Orleans for shipment to Europe. They were in great demand for clothing and trimming. Furs in the United States were superior to those abroad.

The story of Lorimier is well known to southeast Missourians. He was an unusual man, and Cape Girardeau profited because Lorimier wanted the settlement to excel. His leadership and the assistance from his secretary, Barthelemi Cousin, gave Cape Girardeau a foundation many other districts and towns lacked.

The Shawnee and Delaware Indians are a story in themselves. Their presence in Southeast Missouri for several years under Lorimier's supervision is an unforgettable chapter in our history. An Indian statue overlooking the Mississippi would be as impressive on this side of the river as the one on the Illinois side at Starved Rock.

Cape Girardeau records are documented with many stories concerning exploration, discovery, navigation, settlement, Indians, war and other phases of history. As cities go, Cape Girardeau has had a full life that has made the area interesting, progressive, and a nice place to live.

After 200 years what more could the forefathers have anticipated?