REGION CHANGES WITH TIMES

The city of Cape Girardeau has changed dramatically through the some of the most notable decades of this century, including the Roaring '20s, the Jazz Age, the Great Depression and World War II.

During the Roaring '20s, Cape Girardeau became industrialized. Businesses along Broadway and Main streets developed.

"Houses were being built. Businesses along Broadway and Sprigg streets began to grow," said Dr. Frank Nickell, director of Southeast Missouri State University's Center for Regional History.

The jazz era, which Cape Girardeau took part in the 1930's, introduced new musical forms that would change music history. The book "Backwoods Jazz in the Twenties" tells the story of the Melody Kings, Peg Meyer's musical group which helped Cape Girardeau become well known on the music scene.

One member of this group, Jess Stacy, played with a number of famous musicians such as Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. The group began its musical career playing for school dances in the Cape Girardeau Central High gymnasium. As their popularity grew, the Melody Kings became regular players on the steamboats that cruised the Mississippi such as the St. Paul, the Avalon, and the Majestic.

The Great Depression did not significantly affect Cape Girardeau. The region continued to serve as a service center that provided health care, education, legal services, and building supplies. Cape Girardeau was productive agriculturally and many of the crops produced helped supply much of the central region of the United States. Cape Girardeau also helped to redevelop neighboring communities with jobs for builders, farmers, and factory workers. During the Great Depression, Cape Girardeau remained productive, especially with the increased river traffic.

As World War II approached, the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport provided a training base for members of the Air Force.

"And since World War II, the city has continued to expand as a distribution and service center, furthered by a quiet renewal of river traffic in the midst of a headlong rush to the interstate and adjoining highway systems," Nickell said.