Cape Rock Park marker missing again

Infamous tradition. Childish prank. Silly rite of passage.

Whatever description is used, it's still theft. Once again, someone has stolen the bronze plaque at Cape Rock Park.

Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation manager Dan Muser said the plaque was noticed missing earlier this summer, but officials have held off replacing it in hopes the historical marker would be found, such as it was last year when a Jackson, Mo., student found it lying next to the railroad tracks.

The cost to replace the plaque is estimated at $1,000, which is a second reason the parks department did not immediately buy another one.

"It gets to be a budget issue," Muser said. "We'll have to look at it and see what we can do to come up with that."

Police have no suspects in the plaque's disappearance, said patrolman Jason Selzer.

The plaque marked the location of the trading post begun in 1733 by Cape Girardeau's namesake, Jean Baptiste Girardot, who chose a rock promontory overlooking the Mississippi River. Much of the rock was blasted off in the 1880s to make way for the railroad.

For more than five decades, the plaque has been a frequent target of vandals, who have removed it, damaged it and smeared it numerous times over the years.

Muser said the 10-pound marker was fastened to the rock with large screws and epoxy. It was a replacement for a plaque that was removed by park personnel more than 10 years ago because of worn lettering.

"We've fastened it according to the way they do plaques at cemeteries," Muser said. "It's epoxied on and I'm not aware of a better way to do it. But if someone really, really wants it bad enough, they'll find a way to get the thing off."

Herb Nance, member and former commander of American Legion Post 63, helps maintain the park and has rebuilt the wooden handrails leading up the hill to the historic rock more several times after they had been broken by vandals. News of the plaque's disappearance disturbed him.

"I don't have any answer to why people do these things," Nance said. "You don't want to single out any person for blame, but it seems funny that these things always seem to happen whenever school lets out or starts up -- but it could have nothing to do with any college students."

Anyone with information about the plaque's whereabouts is asked to call the Cape Girardeau Police Department at 335-6621.

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160