Cemetery of Innocents moves as development comes

The crosses at the Cemetery of the Innocents along Siemers Drive in Cape Girardeau have been removed to make way for a new business development, though there is no confirmation about what type it is.

A representative of Drury Southwest, which donated the land to the anti-abortion group SEMO Lifesavers, said it was still unclear what kind of development would be on the property since negotiations were still ongoing. She declined to say who was purchasing the property.

The land, owned by Bob Drury and Drury Southwest Inc., was donated to the SEMO Lifesavers in 1990. Organizers with that group always knew the cemetery wasn't in a permanent location, said David Jansen, a SEMO Lifesavers member.

SEMO Lifesavers is the local chapter of Missouri Right to Life.

However, the crosses haven't disappeared. They have been moved a little farther south and across the road, to a new site along the southeast corner of Interstate 55 and Highway 74. Once the weather warms up, the crosses will again stand erect.

There are 500 regular-sized crosses and 30 larger ones that mark the years and number of abortions performed in the 30 years since the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, that legalized abortion.

The original crosses were borrowed from a group in Piedmont, Mo., in the early 1990s for a "Sanctity of Life" observance around the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Each year since, the crosses were used in the service.

The cemetery has been the site of several rallies and prayer services over the years. "In the past we've had rosary services and a lot of people stop at the crosses," said Kathleen Keesee of SEMO Lifesavers.

Until 1996, there were 700 wooden crosses staked in single-file rows in the field. When then-President Bill Clinton came to town on a campaign stop, the number increased to 4,400 to represent the number of abortions that occur in a day in the United States.

And though there aren't as many crosses remaining, they still send a message, Jansen said.

"The visual impact is strong," he said. "People have noticed they were gone."

Another change in the crosses is that now they are made of PVC pipe because it's more durable and weather-resistant than wooden crosses.

Personal touches

Much like people leave wreaths and flowers at a person's grave, the Cemetery of the Innocents has its share of memorial tokens. Some of the items that have been left include wreaths, poems and articles of clothing.

"One woman who had an abortion in college stopped here because she said she finally had a place to mourn for her child," Keesee said.

The items won't be placed with the crosses at the new site, she said, since they have been damaged by years outdoors. The mementos are at SEMO Lifesavers' office for now.

Volunteers worked to take down the crosses Jan. 26 after observing a Sanctity of Life service at the site, and more volunteers will be needed to erect them. Anyone interested in helping can contact Keesee at 334-7298 or the SEMO Lifesavers office at 335-0665.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126