Old Town Cape receives grant for new interpretation boards at mural

A grant awarded to the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau and Old Town Cape will help with redesigning and reprinting the interpretation boards along the downtown mural.

Old Town Cape announced receiving the $2,500 Missouri Humanities Council grant in a news release Wednesday.

The Mississippi River Tales Mural, painted on the floodwall along Water Street, celebrates the history of Cape Girardeau through a series of artistic depictions of significant historical moments. It's considered a landmark for the region, providing visitors with a brief timeline of Cape Girardeau's past.

The mural interpretation boards provide a deeper explanation of what each image symbolizes and help "establish the link between art and history," the news release states.

A celebration of the 10th anniversary of the mural's dedication will be July 30 to honor the downtown landmark and contributors to its legacy. The boards will be installed before the ceremony to officially mark the occasion.

Kevin Taylor, development and resources coordinator for Old Town Cape, said his organization and the convention and visitors bureau recognized the boards needed to be updated, and with the anniversary milestone quickly approaching, "we couldn't think of a better time."

The final design still being worked out, but Taylor said the redesigned boards will be similar to the original. Twenty-six mural interpretation boards will be printed.

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, Mo.