Plat bicentennial starts Friday

If you see oddly dressed men walking around downtown Cape Girardeau speaking in strange tongues Friday, don't worry. The territory hasn't been sold back to the French.

This trip back in time is a celebration of an event that helped transform Cape Girardeau from four acres of private property into surveyed, mapped public land suitable for wider settlement.

Local history enthusiasts will re-enact the platting of the city to commemorate the bicentennial of that event. The action will take place at 2 p.m. in the main courtroom of the Common Pleas Courthouse and will kick off a year's worth of celebrations.

Some of the characters present will be Louis Lorimier, city founder and owner of the land; Bartholomew Cousins, Lorimier's surveyor and linguist; and Joseph McFerron, the first clerk of the city. The town crier will also make an appearance at the platting and around the Main Street clock beforehand.

The Sons of the American Revolution will also be present, bearing historic 13-, 15- and 24-star American flags.

After the re-enactment, the crowd will be invited to Red House Interpretive Center, a reconstruction of Lorimier's home, for cookies and non-alcoholic drinks.

"We hope people will come out and experience this bit of history," said city public information officer Tracey Glenn. "We think it's a great way for people of Cape Girardeau to experience their rich history."

Mike Shain from KFVS12 will give historical background and context for the ceremonial platting and the men involved.

Glenn said that this is the first of many events celebrating Cape Girardeau's history this year. Highlights will include a February United We Read event where participants will read and discuss the novel "The Gold of Cape Girardeau" by Morley Swingle, a genealogy workshop held by the Cape County Genealogical Society on May 9, a bicentennial photo contest sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in April, and regular events at the Red House.

For more information, call Jane Randol Jackson at 204-2331.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245