River Heritage Museum closes early for exterior renovations

After 40 years of meticulous curating, cataloging and showcasing of Cape Girardeau's history, the Cape River Heritage Museum is taking some time to work on itself.

The museum closed a month early for its typical winter hiatus to undergo renovations. It will soon have a new roof — a much needed refurbishment, according to longtime museum supporter Jerry Ford.

"There's no telling how many years [the roof] has been there," Ford said. "It was deteriorating, and underneath, the eaves were all rotted out."

Phillip Smith, an architect based in Cape Girardeau, was hired to conduct the renovations. Smith estimated the renovations will cost slightly more than $200,000.

In addition to replacing the roof, fixes will be made to the building's tuckpointing, new gutters and downspouts will be installed and water-damaged soffits and facsia will be replaced.

Work is only being done to the outside of the museum. According to Ford, the City of Cape Girardeau maintains the outside of the building and the Cape River Heritage Museum Board takes care of the museum's interior.

Cape River Heritage Museum closes each year from mid-December to mid-April. According to curator Charlotte Slinkard, the museum closed to the public a month early this year for the needed renovations.

The museum first opened in 1977 at 127 N. Water St. as Southeast Missouri Museum. High maintenance costs forced the museum to move to its current location a few years later. The museum's name changed to Cape River Heritage Museum after the move to its current residence, a former firehouse off Independence Street.

Smith said the severity of this winter's weather will determine when the renovations will be completed. He estimated work will be done by early spring at the latest.