Confederate monument in Cape boxed up, prepared for relocation

Less than 24 hours after a vote authorizing its removal, the Confederate monument in Ivers Square in downtown Cape Girardeau was boxed up Tuesday afternoon and made ready for an undetermined new venue.

Scott Meyer, city manager, said “people walking by won’t have to see the (marker) anymore.”

By a 6-1 vote Monday, City Council members voted to “immediately remove and store” the 14-1/2 ton monument currently on municipal property, the future location of Cape Girardeau’s new City Hall.

The council, with the 4th Ward’s Robbie Guard dissenting, accepted the June 23 proposal of the city’s Historical Preservation Commission (HPC), with an important amendment.

Struck from the wording was a requirement that the future home of the marker not be on public land nor supported by public funding, a restriction deputy city manager Molly Mehner told the council would “significantly reduce” the city’s options.

“I think (removal) will happen pretty quick,” Mayor Bob Fox said Tuesday, “but it’ll take some time.”

The monument was originally erected on Morgan Oak Street in 1931 and moved to its current location in 1995.

As for moving it from Ivers, Meyer said the process is underway to get it relocated.

“Penzel Construction has a crane on site now that will not handle the job,” Meyer said, “but we’ll hire (Penzel) to bring in one that will.”

Penzel Construction is remodeling the Common Pleas Courthouse into the new City Hall.

Although the monument appears to be a monolith, meaning one uniform piece, it is not.

“My understanding is (the marker) is made up of three separate pieces,” said Fox, who added he does not have a favorite spot in mind for the monument’s future home.

Last weekend, Fox endorsed a suggestion by the not-for-profit Kellerman Foundation to relocate the slab to Old Lorimier Cemetery, the first Cape Girardeau graveyard, where many Union and Confederate soldiers are buried.

The cemetery location was not actively considered by the council Monday.

“It wasn’t my place to bring (Old Lorimier) up,” the mayor said, adding his preferred way forward from the beginning of the controversy was to refer the matter to city staff in consultation with Kellerman, the HPC, and others for a specific recommendation.

Wherever it goes, Fox said, he has one desire.

“I want to see the historical perspective (of the C.S.A. marker) preserved in some way,” Fox said, “with a plaque placing it in its proper context, explaining why it is offensive.”

Old Lorimier Cemetery, 500 N. Fountain St., is open to the public by appointment only and is surrounded by a 6-foot fence with barbed wire at the top as a guard against vandalism. It is situated on city property.

Asked whether the cemetery is still an option for a permanent home for the marker, the mayor was succinct.

“Definitely, yes,” he said, “and I’m surprised it was not moved there in ’95.”

The Cape River Heritage Museum, 538 Independence St., in the next block down from the current City Hall, was suggested Monday as a landing site by 1st Ward Councilman Dan Presson.

“The museum is on city property,” said Fox, noting the site once housed a fire station.

Fox met with protesters after Monday’s meeting in the parking lot of City Hall.

“It was more listening (for me) than anything else,” Fox said, “and they are fervent and passionate, and I understand.”

Fox noted that since the start of the controversy, triggered by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, he has received hundreds of emails.

“More than 70% said they wanted (the monument) left where it was,” Fox said, also acknowledging the overwhelming majority of those who spoke at Monday’s council meeting advocated for the marker’s removal.