OLD MAN RIVER IS A BIG DRAW

When it comes to tourist attractions, there's nothing quite like the Mississippi River.

"It is an attraction in itself," said Lyn Muzzy, director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau. "A lot of people would give their right arm to be on a river, any river.

"It's an absolute part of any city tour that we do, and we do a lot of city tours with the motorcoaches that come in."

Said Muzzy, "We have had people come in here from Kansas who have never seen a river, let alone one of this size."

People, he said, love to see the barges on the river. "I had some friends in from California and they were just in awe," he said.

Some tourist attractions are seasonal, but not the river, Muzzy said. "It's there all the time. I'm glad we are on the river.

"That's the way I promote us. I say, `We are on the west coast of the Mississippi River.'"

Muzzy said tourists enjoy snapping photographs in front of the floodwall mural.

In fact, he said, the whole downtown with its ornate street clock and the old Common Pleas Courthouse is a selling point for the city. "As you know, I travel a lot. I tell you one thing, we are in good shape down there."

Antique shops in the area are a big draw. "Antique shops are an absolute must for an awful lot of people," said Muzzy. The Convention and Visitors Bureau distributed 22,000 brochures last year listing the more than 70 antique shops in the region, including those in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The river is an integral part of Cape Girardeau's downtown.

Evelyn Boardman and her husband, John, live in downtown Cape Girardeau and operate several businesses there. They see a lot of tourists.

Evelyn Boardman's Madder Rose Ltd. shop of fashion accessories at 31 N. Main doubles as a visitors information center.

"You would not believe how many tourists come in here from all over the world, and the first thing they want to see is the river," she said. "Some people think a river is the size of Cape LaCroix Creek. They are always amazed when they see the river."

Evelyn Boardman said she and her husband enjoy the downtown area, with its historic buildings and river heritage.

"We both like people," she said. "Of course, I grew up in Cape. I spent all my time walking downtown. This is just kind of second nature to me.

"I love city life. I want to be right on the streets with people," she said.

"It's neat to be down here. You hear the trains go by."

And there's always the river to view.

The Boardmans always look forward to the annual Riverfest celebration. "We kind of consider it our big downtown party," said Evelyn Boardman. "We stay up until everybody goes home."