About 40 attend historical association luncheon

The sun stayed out, but the wind died down for the Annual Members Luncheon of the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau.

About 40 people gathered in the backyard of the Glenn House to celebrate the historical association's efforts for historic preservation and get a history lesson from Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle about the parts of Southeast Missouri he has researched in order to write his novels.

The historical association has been active in Cape Girardeau since the early 1900s. It owns the Glenn House on Spanish Street and the Reynolds House on North Main Street. The association runs the tours for the Glenn House — a 125-year-old home — and does upkeep on it and the Reynolds House. While the latter building has fallen into disrepair, it has been stabilized and the outer facade has been fixed — though no vote has been taken as to what the Reynolds House will become in the future.

"We've always been interested in our historical sites because we're losing them," said Martha Bender. She and her husband Kenneth have been active in the historical association and other local preservation groups for years, she said.

"I hope the younger generation can appreciate what we've done here," she said, nodding toward the Glenn House.

The historical association hosts special events at the Glenn House to raise money and has $15 dues for members. This year they will host several teas throughout the summer in conjunction with the Riverboat stops, but other than that "it's word-of-mouth," said Donna Grantham, the association's president.

The group has a members list with 145 entries, she said, but that's barely enough to do the "miscellaneous little cleanup things" to the houses. The Reynolds House was recently the beneficiary of a $50,000 donation for repairs, but needs much more.

"We don't have a lot of money," Grantham said. "Everything's volunteer."

The association was part of several tourist attractions in Cape Girardeau to get part of a grant from the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, which has allowed them to extend their operating hours.

"These new expanded hours that we now have is really a step in the right direction," said board member and treasurer Leland "Freck" Shivelbine. "It gives an opportunity for tourists who come in."

The new museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246

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