BICENTENNIAL BANNERS RISE ON DOWNTOWN; SEVERAL ACTIVITIES ON SATURDAY WILL HELP KICK OFF CELEBRATION

The celebration that will recognize Cape Girardeau's 200th birthday is officially under way and downtown Cape Girardeau is doing its part to support the year-long, bicentennial observance.

"We have received six bicentennial banners to be placed in downtown locations," said Evelyn Boardman. "The banners, sponsored by various downtown businesses, will be placed at the four corners around the Clock located at the intersection of Main & Themis, and across the street from the Common Pleas Courthouse."

One of the banners was placed in its clock location Monday afternoon. The other five are expected to be hung today.

"These are the first bicentennial banners to be placed in Cape Girardeau," said Boardman. "This starts 12 months of historical focus, and the downtown area is eager to be a part of it."

The banners, 18 by 45 inches in size, with white lettering on blue, were prepared by the Four Seasons Banner Company of Daytona, Fla.

"We ran into a Cape Girardeau tie when we were seeking prices and designs for the banners," said Boardman. "When I mentioned that we were from Cape Girardeau, Ann Mockett, of Four Seasons, remarked that she was a native of Cape Girardeau."

The downtown area, which has figured strongly in the history of Cape Girardeau, has planned a number of events throughout the bicentennial year.

"We want to conduct a historical scavenger hunt, a whimsical interpretative sculpture contest and a historical costume theme contest and quilt show," she said.

The costume contest and quilt show will be held in conjunction with the 1993 Mississippi River Valley Scenic Tour, scheduled in April of 1993.

The bicentennial commemorates the 200th anniversary of the year Cape Girardeau was founded as a trading post.

Meanwhile, the Cape Girardeau Bicentennial Committee will conduct several activities Saturday in conjunction with Southeast Missouri State University's Homecoming weekend.

"We'll be conducting activities at St. Vincent's Seminary and at the Common Pleas Courthouse Saturday," said Martha Benders, chairperson of the Bicentennial Committee.

A bicentennial fund-raiser sales of T-shirts and baseball-type caps has been going well, noted Bender.

The shirts, available at Madder Rose in downtown Cape Girardeau, Schnucks, Boatmen's Bank, Screen Horizon, University Center Book Store and JCPenney, sell for $10. The caps sell for $8.

"Both shirts and caps will be available at St. Vincent's Seminary following the homecoming parade Saturday," said Bender.

Among activities planned at the seminary Saturday will be horseshoe pitching, and displays of remote control model planes and antique cars. Picnic tables will be set up for people to eat lunch.

"We'll also have a group in historic dress playing croquet," said Bender. Activities at the seminary will continue until 3 p.m. Saturday.

A mock trial has been planned for the Common Pleas Courthouse in downtown Cape Girardeau about 1 p.m., and various groups will be presenting music at St. Vincent's Church, from 1 to 3 p.m.

"The trial of Belle Starr will be held at the courthouse," said Bender. Starr was a notorious woman outlaw during the late 1880s.

Several bicentennial events will be held in the next year.

"The final bicentennial event will be the placement of a time capsule on the lawn of the Cape Girardeau Common Pleas Courthouse in October of 1993.