Heritage Hall aims to help people appreciate local history

Local history buffs have a new resource at their fingertips to help delve into the history of the region.

The Kellerman Foundation for Historic Preservation is in the process of opening the Southeast Missouri Heritage Hall, which will be dedicated to helping connect residents with resources such as traveling exhibits and heritage guides.

Geoffrey Giglierano, a museum consultant working with the Kellerman Foundation, said the purpose of the center is to help people appreciate the region's rich heritage.

(Lindsay Jones)

"Cape and the surrounding region is in so many ways a living museum. It really is. It's not just one time period. There's Civil War stories, entrepreneurial stories, river stories -- there's so much diversity, so many angles to the history," he said.

"It's not just about preserving buildings and historic sites; it's also about saving stories."

While Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri in general already have history centers and historic sites, Giglierano said the hall's purpose is to work with them to enrich the experiences of visitors and residents alike.

"The key thing for us is public education," he said. "Encouraging preservation, not competing with or replacing any of the other entities like Old Town Cape or the Landmarks Commission; we're all working together."

The Southeast Missouri Heritage Hall held a soft opening Wednesday but will open officially Oct. 30.

The current exhibit, "A State Divided: The Civil War in Missouri," will be on display until March.

While the scheduling and hours of operation still are being hammered out, organizers expect the hall to be be open from about 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

Because the hall will depend primarily on volunteer efforts, Giglierano said the foundation always is looking for more people to get involved.

"[The Kellerman Foundation] are looking for community support to get not just the building up and running but to also help develop a website," he said. "Eventually they'd like to begin offering virtual tours of historic places and telling stories about architecture and what there is to see in this area."

The education and resource center is at 102 N. Main St.

At the moment, the Kellerman Foundation is in the process of purchasing the building, which Giglierano said at one time was used to house a bank.

He said the open floorplan made it an attractive option for a museum.

"Relatively little had to be done to the first floor to have it set up as an exhibition space," he said, adding the family from whom the building is being purchased also is helping.

"The Erlbachers are making a large donation as well," he said. "In these ways, [the Kellermans and Erlbachers] are making a significant investment in the project."

He also thanked Isle Casino Cape Girardeau for its help getting the hall started.

"We had a nice donation from Isle Casino," he said. "They're really great corporate citizens; we couldn't have done this without their help. We're helping to create more awareness of what a remarkable place this region is."

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627

Pertinent address:

102 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.