Shocking history of local squirrels

Squirrels drive some people nuts.

Bird lovers aren't fond of the fluffy-tailed rodents, which explains why a variety of weight-sensitive bird feeders have been created to keep squirrels out. Some homeowners consider squirrels a nuisance since the animals take out their passion for gnawing on houses. They've chewed their way into attics and taken up residence, and biting at electrical wires is not uncommon.

In September, a squirrel shorted out a 34,000-volt circuit at an AmerenUE substation at 880 N. Main St., causing about 4,500 Cape Girardeau customers to be without electricity for more than an hour.

Another squirrel got into a transformer at Southeast Missouri State University and caused a power outage in October, leaving thousands of students and hundreds of concert-goers in the dark for hours. Classroom buildings were evacuated. A sold-out performance by opera singer Judith Farris at Academic Auditorium was postponed.

So why would anyone bring more squirrels to the area?

Southeast Missouri State University's "Rumor Mill" column on the school's Web site addressed the squirrel situation in a year in which state conservation department officials acknowledge there is a bumper crop of squirrels in the area.

Someone asked recently whether squirrels were imported to provide more wildlife on campus.

School officials said no.

But in the late 1920s, a Cape Girardeau civic club said yes.

Squirrely '20s

Ten fox squirrels from Nebraska were donated in 1929 to the city by the Lions Club, whose members constructed squirrel houses in Common Pleas Courthouse Park.

"Members of the club pointed out that the parks would be much more attractive if populated with squirrels." the Southeast Missourian reported in its Jan. 21, 1929, edition.

In August 1929, a Tennessee man donated four white squirrels to Cape Girardeau. J.R. Carroll Jr. of Kenton, Tenn., presented the squirrels to the city with the admonition that they must never be sold.

What happened to the white squirrels is unclear. They aren't mentioned in news accounts of Courthouse Park squirrels in later years.

Cape Girardeau today is home largely to gray squirrels, although there was a white squirrel reported at Cape Rock Park in recent years, said Dan Muser, the city's parks and recreation director.

Over the years, city and county employees and area residents have taken an interest in even the common gray squirrels at Courthouse Park. City and county offices at one time were both housed in the Common Pleas Courthouse.

In December 1930, police chief Jesse Crafton shot and wounded what the newspaper described as "a huge owl of the horned variety" that reportedly had swooped down on Courthouse Park and threatened the squirrels around noon. The Southeast Missourian reported that the "menacing hoots" attracted the attention of courthouse workers who summoned police.

"The bird was hustled off to police headquarters, a wing broken, and this afternoon was to stand trial. It is understood the maximum penalty would be recommended," the newspaper reported.

Muser, the parks director, said the situation would be far different today. "You could get away with shooting a squirrel, but you sure would be in trouble if you shot an owl," he said.

Federal law today prohibits killing owls and other raptors, the conservation department's Hendershott said.

But back then, city workers viewed the Courthouse Park squirrels like pets.

One squirrel was called Billy. The Southeast Missourian in a Dec. 15, 1933, article referred to Billy as "the famed and highly publicized gray squirrel who dwells in Courthouse Park." What exactly he did to gain notoriety isn't clear, other than bite two men. One was injured while feeding pecans to the squirrel.

Better menu

Feeding the Courthouse Park squirrels was a common practice for decades. They used to eat better.

In July 1941, the Southeast Missourian reported that "nuts rolled in" from children and adults in response to a public appeal for food for "starving squirrels."

As late as the 1960s and 1970s, county and city employees at the Common Pleas Courthouse routinely put nuts out for the squirrels and asked the public for help when the supply of nuts ran low.

Virginia Hinman, former Cape Girardeau city sewer tax collector, helped feed the squirrels when city offices were at the Common Pleas Courthouse.

She remembers Boy Scouts and city residents used to collect nuts and drop them off at the Cape Girardeau courthouse. "Back then, people were a little more thoughtful about things," she said.

The late Robert Baert of Chaffee used to bring bushels of nuts to the park.

In October 1972, he brought five bushels of walnuts to the Common Pleas Courthouse. The donation prompted an article and photograph in the Southeast Missourian. The photo showed city officials helping unload the sacks of walnuts.

Baert told the newspaper he liked to watch the squirrels scamper about for food. "I also like to hunt squirrels, but not such pets as these," he said.

While local government no longer looks to feed the squirrels, the city's Muser said the animals seem to be thriving in the parks.

The department of conservation doesn't keep tabs on the number of squirrels in the state. But conservation agent Gene Myers of Jackson said the squirrel population is high this year because of a mild winter and plenty of acorns available for the animals a year ago.

The result has been more complaints about the frisky rodents.

Just ask the Cape Girardeau parks director.

"I have a ton of them in my yard too," Muser said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123