Cape government marks 200 years of incorporation

With cries of "Oyez! Oyez!" from the understudy town crier, James Baughn, the Cape Girardeau city government celebrated 200 years of incorporation Wednesday at a birthday ceremony at the Red House Interpretive Center.

Roughly 50 people, including both residents and city officials, attended the ceremony that began at 10 a.m. Guest speaker Kent Bratton, former city planner for Cape Girardeau, outlined the process of the platting and the incorporation of the city.

After the speech, the Red House opened for building tours, which featured maps of the original city plat and ginger, pound and fruit cakes based on 1808-era recipes to celebrate the city government's birthday.

Wednesday's celebration differed from previous bicentennials for the city because it recognized 200 years to the day — July 23, 1808 — the first time the city government was legally recognized by the federal government. The city had to be reincorporated twice more in 1821 and 1843 because of issues related to the recognition of Missouri's statehood.

In 2006, the Red House celebrated the 200th anniversary of the filing of the initial plat of the city with a re-enactment of the filing. When referring to the historical foundation of the city, Feb. 3, 1806 is the date traditionally used, according to a history prepared by Bratton, Jane Randol Jackson, Red House co-founder, and Brenda Schloss, chairwoman for the Red House board.

The city celebrated another bicentennial in 1993 that remembered the appointment of Louis Lorimier by the Spanish government as commandant of the Cape Girardeau District, one of five territorial districts under Spanish control at the time of Lorimier's appointment in 1793.

"He was the law," said Jackson, who is also the former director of the Cape Girardeau County Archive Center.

The French reclaimed the territory west of the Mississippi in 1800 after the Treaty of San Ildefonso, then sold it to the United States government as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Lorimier retained his appointment as commandant until the city's formal incorporation in 1808. According to Jackson, Lorimier wanted to rename the area "Lorimont" during his tenure, but the name never stuck.

tthomas@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 197

Does this affect you?

Have a comment?

Log on to semissourian.com/today