Empty lot was one home to piece of Cape Girardeau's history

By Terri Foley

The vacant lot at 501 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau gives no clues as to the history of the property or sense of what once occupied the land. The small concrete parking lot in the foreground of a grassy area, with a few trees and commercial buildings to the north and south of the lot, give no indication of the record of events that occurred at this location. As people pass by the vacant lot, do they ever become curious of what once was?

This vacant lot represents a piece of Cape Girardeau's historic fabric that has been lost to us forever.

A large two-and-half story, early classical revival house constructed of sandstone blocks once stood on that vacant lot. It was known as the Ellis-Wathen-Ranney house, and it was demolished 50 years ago this month. Buildings, like people, have a story to tell.

The story of the house began in 1839, when Alfred P. and Fanny Waters Ellis decided to construct a residence for their only child, Maria Rebecca Wathen. On Aug. 16, 1837, at age 15, she married Ignatius R. Wathen, and the house was her wedding gift. Ellis commissioned Edwin Branch Deane, an early Cape Girardeau architect who moved from Kentucky to start his architectural business. Deane designed the James Reynolds House, the Glenn House, the Clark-Boardman House and several others in Cape Girardeau. He oversaw the construction of Wathen House and worked with slaves from the Ellis estate, who built the magnificent house. Slaves cut the sandstone blocks from the bluff behind the house.

Deane constructed a two-story brick building to live in during construction of the house, which took two years. Later, the two-story brick building would become a part of the house and serve as the kitchen, laundry and slaves' living area. It was in the rear of the main house at the northwest corner, architecturally known as the "ell." The main house had four rooms and a hallway on each of the first and second floors, with two rooms on the third floor. On the first level were two parlors, a family room and a dining room. The second floor had four bedrooms. Each room in the house had a fireplace. An assortment of woods was used for flooring. The wood trim and doors were carved by Deane. Crystal chandeliers hung from ornate plaster ceiling medallions. The craftsmanship evidenced in the interior and exterior of the house is a lost art in today's world.

The exterior of the early classical revival house featured a side-gable roof with a dominating two-tiered pedimented portico with ionic columns and a shallow square base. A large centered entrance with an elliptical fanlight over a five-panel wood door and side lights with icon columns surround graced the east facade. The second level entrance featured a keystone with a carved eagle. Windows were six-over-six double hung with stone sills and were aligned horizontally and vertically in symmetrical fashion.

Alfred Ellis never lived to see the house completed; he died June 2, 1841. Upon completion, the Wathens resided in the house and had 15 children, but only four lived to maturity. Before Ellis died, Wathen worked with his father-in-law in the family business and would manage the Ellis estate after his death. He also continued to manage the family's mill business, Marble City Mills, which was constructed about 1820 by slave labor on North Main Street. It would later house the Ruehmann Hide & Fur Co. According to the 1860 census, Wathen owned real estate valued at $60,000 and personal real estate valued at $25,000.

Wathen died Sept. 22, 1865. His widow, Maria, lived at the family residence until her death Sept. 27, 1902. After her death, their daughter, Emma Wathen Ranney, lived in the family residence with her husband, Judge Robert G. Ranney.

Once the house went under ownership outside of the family, it was never the same majestic home it had once been. The house was converted into apartments and would later deteriorate, and eventually it was condemned.

Although the house was considered significant enough to be part of a Historic American Building Survey conducted in 1937 by Alexander Piaget and Charles van Ravenswaay and in later years recommend by the American Institute of Architects as worthy of preservation, the razing of one of Cape Girardeau's finest historic resources started Dec. 15, 1958.

A piece of history from this house is on display at the Missouri State Museum in Jefferson City. The grand entrance now welcomes visitors to the Slavery's Echoes exhibit. The museum acquired the entrance in 1981 from the Illinois State Historic Sites. The architectural element had been found in Galena, Ill. It is the only architectural element from the home known to exist at this time.

The Ellis-Wathen-Ranney house was a piece of our heritage, a prized example of an era of architectural design, a historic resource built by one of Cape Girardeau's earliest architects, a building that played a significant role in the history of our community. So how was it possible that this key resource was not better protected from destruction? In 1958, Cape Girardeau lost other historic resources that were an essential part of our heritage: the J.E. Kurka house at 920 College Hill, the Col. and Mrs. Joseph Russell house at 936 College Hill and the L.B. Houck house on College Hill.

Today, efforts are underway to preserve Cape Girardeau's historic resources. It is important to understand that historic buildings are the history book of our community. Buildings are the threads that weave together Cape Girardeau's historic fabric and provide insight into the development and history of our community. We have to work toward an understanding that historic buildings are not disposable. Historic buildings are our greatest renewable resource.

The next time you drive by a vacant lot or a parking lot, consider that maybe the land has a story to tell about the people who gave us this great community we reside in and its rich history.

Terri Foley is a historic preservationist and consultant who lives and works in Cape Girardeau.