Sikeston official say sesquicentennial celebration was success

SIKESTON, Mo. -- As Sikeston's sesquicentennial year draws to a close, those who organized and participated in the events marking the milestone are calling it a success.

"I think it went great," said Doug Friend, Sikeston's city manager, who helped coordinate the 150th birthday celebration. "Our main goal was just to give people an opportunity to come back to their hometown, renew friendships, have reunions and those types of things. And I just don't think it could have come off any better."

Missy Marshall, executive director of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce who also coordinated the events, agreed.

"I would consider it a success without a lot of stress," she said. Marshall noted that the sesquicentennial theme was simply injected into a lot of Sikeston's ongoing events, with only a few planned specifically to mark the big birthday.

That's a contrast to the celebration 50 years ago, when the town marked its centennial.

"It was a different kind of celebration, but we're in a different time," said Marshall. "Our community continues to grow and evolve and change. Who knows what it will be like 50 years from now?"

Roger Sherman remembers several of the events in 1960 -- that summer, he and his family moved to Sikeston from Farmington, Mo., when he took a job with Sikeston Public Schools.

"I noticed the beards and mustaches -- I laughed at some of them," he recalled. Sherman also noted that in 1960, many wore period dress, and although none of those traditions were observed this time around, Sherman said he didn't really miss it.

Sue Rogers did.

"When they had the centennial, everybody, or just about everybody, dressed in the period dress," she said. "You'd go downtown in the middle of the day and the merchants would be dressed that way. That went off and on all year."

Rogers also pointed out the beards and mustaches men sported 50 years ago.

Her father, who just turned 89, even asked where all the beards were this year.

Mary Etta Lancaster said this year's events were a lot different from those 50 years ago, too.

"I think 50 years ago, they made a bigger deal out of it," she said. Lancaster recalled being a "princess" at the centennial.

"I also remember that a production company came in and put on a big production," she said.

But the festivities this year and in 1960 were all "wonderful," said Lancaster.

Rogers pointed out that during this celebration, there was a lot more interaction between various organizations.

Sherman agreed. This year, he's participated in some of the events, including the cake and ice cream birthday bash held in the summer, organized by the Kiwanis Club, to which he belongs.

"I've done a lot of listening and reading," he said, referring to the pictorial history book put together by the Sikeston Depot and the historical facts published weekly in the Standard Democrat.

"I also saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in years," said Sherman. "That was especially true at the [Cotton Carnival] parade."

Sherman said the festivities made an impression on him when he moved to town, and made a big impact this year, too.

"Sikeston's always been, in my opinion, a very proud town," said the New Madrid County, Mo., native. "You could see that at the time, and again this year."

Friend said the sesquicentennial provided an opportunity to teach youngsters about Sikeston.

"I know there were several different classes that I had the opportunity to speak to and talk about the history of our town," he said.

Rogers said those school lessons struck a chord in her three grandchildren who attend Sikeston schools.

"They would even get to talking to my dad about it," she said. As a family, they've done a lot more sorting through old pictures and reminiscing about Sikeston's history during this year.

"I've heard a lot of comments on how Sikeston has grown," she said. "People like the idea that we have a museum now, because that's something that we had not had. They missed the old stores and the Dunn Hotel -- but they complimented the new BMU and the growth."

Rogers continued: "So many historical things have disappeared. But 50 years from now, people like my grandkids will probably see even more changes. I think the sesquicentennial celebration has sparked a good interest with people understanding how far we've come and how far we'll go."

Not only that, it's also renewed a lot of the local pride, with higher attendance than usual at several local events.

Marshall pointed out the all-school reunion held Homecoming weekend was a big success. Several enjoyed the sesquicentennial-themed floats in the Cotton Carnival parade, too.

For the chamber of commerce, the 150th birthday celebration was a positive thing, as it led to the creation of a history committee. Facts compiled were published, and in the next one to two years, the committee plans to publish an encyclopedia of Sikeston, which will include timelines, biography and more.

Marshall noted that the Historic Midtown Development Group has sponsored an ice cream social and car show, which were part of the birthday bash, for several years. Combining it with a 150-foot cake for the birthday celebration, just gave it a bigger boost.

"I think [the sesquicentennial] really opened people's eyes to other events that are taking place on a regular basis in our community," she said. "We all get so busy and aren't sure if we have time for something but I think that, because of the anniversary, people made an extra effort to try something new. That's not a bad thing for any of us."