American Queen passengers charmed by Cape during stop

Whether the passengers who stepped off the American Queen riverboat realized it or not, Saturday was about as fitting a day to see downtown Cape Girardeau as any.

The spindly-crowned tops of the Queen’s twin stacks could be seen smoking gently just over the river wall as a downtown train trundled along the interior. As the passing caboose allowed a proper view, all the history and romance of the Mississippi seemed to echo through the moored paddle-steamer.

Texan Duffy Oyster explained the history and romance of the Mississippi are, after all, the reason many of the tourists signed up for the trip in the first place.

“I thought I knew a lot about the history,” he said. “But I’ve learned a lot more about the Southern history of the places.”

He said since he’s done European river cruises before, he wanted to try something different.

The American Queen is seen through the Broadway floodgate as it makes a stop Saturday along the riverfront in downtown Cape Girardeau.Laura Simon

“I was shocked at how much I’ve enjoyed [the trip],” he said. “I thought I might be bored, but every little town is great.”

It’s reactions such as Oyster’s that U.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt of Missouri were considering when they introduced a bill in 2015 that would allow another riverboat, the Delta Queen, to conduct similar tours again. The exemption that allowed the 1920s-era boat to ferry tourists expired in 2008.

For those shop-hopping up and down Main Street’s air-conditioned storefronts, the weather was pleasant. Even though the air was hot enough to dampen the collars of the selfie-takers on the riverfront, it was sweetened by the lunchtime smells of Cape Girardeau’s downtown restaurants.

Waiting for a shuttle bus on a bench near Port Cape Girardeau, Nova Kemp of Oklahoma City highly recommended “the Cajun place” — she had lunched at Broussard’s — and said she was enjoying her first time in Cape Girardeau.

“For everyone who likes to go antiquing, especially,” she said. “This is the place to be.”

The antique stores, for their part, were enjoying the tourists’ visits as well.

The door to Pastimes Antiques had a sign that said, “Welcome passengers of the American Queen.” Inside, owner Deb Maevers said the day’s foot traffic had been more colorful than usual.

“It’s just fun meeting people from the boat,” she said. “They’re from all over the world. We had a couple from Australia in here earlier. And they’re just fascinated by the river.”

Bob and Arlene Brown, a California couple in matching tan-and-navy outfits, were one such pair. It was their first time in Cape Girardeau, Arlene said, and they were impressed by how prominent the city’s historic preservation efforts are.

“People care about history here,” she said. “In California, old buildings don’t mean anything. Since the property values are so high, old, new, they’ll just tear it down.”

Cape Girardeau’s charm, like all the stops they had made since shoving off at Memphis, Tennessee, had not disappointed.

“And I love that paddle-wheel boat,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to take a ride on a paddle-wheel boat like that.”

Half a dozen days onboard had not dulled her enthusiasm.

But what was perhaps most striking, they said, was the artwork along the city’s river wall.

“The murals are beautiful. And there’s no graffiti,” she said. “I think that shows a lot of pride in the community.”

Chester, Illinois, was slated to be the last stop before the trip’s conclusion in St. Louis. As the afternoon drew to a close, the passengers headed back to the Queen, passing those murals and the image of a ruddy 12-foot William Howard Taft tipping his bowler hat under a banner reading, “Visit us again.”

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627

Pertinent address:

Riverfront, Cape Girardeau, Mo.