SPECIAL CELEBRATION SET HERE FOR MISSOURI DAY ON WEDNESDAY

A local celebration of Missouri Day Wednesday marks the 80th anniversary of the adoption of the state flag. It's also a celebration of a great place to live, says event chairman Charles Woodford.

The celebration will begin at 11 a.m. at the Oliver-Leming House, 740 North St., and is open to the public. American Legion Post 63 and its auxiliary, in conjunction with the Cape River Heritage Museum and the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitor's Bureau, have planned the event.

The General Assembly designated the third Wednesday in October Missouri Day back in 1915, Woodford said. Wednesday also has been proclaimed Missouri Flag Day by the governor.

"We felt we should give honor to the Missouri flag, which was designed and created right here in Cape Girardeau," Woodford said. "This is the 80th anniversary of the adoption of the Missouri state flag."

The Missouri flag was officially adopted as the state flag in 1913. In 1975, the city of Cape Girardeau officially declared the city's motto as "Home of the Missouri State Flag."

The flag was designed by the late Marie Oliver of Cape Girardeau. She was the wife of former state Sen. Robert Burett Oliver.

Oliver died at her home in Cape Girardeau in 1944 at the age of 91.

During the ceremony, the current owners of the Oliver-Leming House will be presented with a state flag and a bronzed plaque to be affixed to the house, declaring it the home of the state flag.

The location at 740 North St. is on the National Register of Historic Places, and has a bronze plaque stating that fact. The second plaque explains the reason the house is on the register, said Woodford.

Members of the Oliver and Leming families will be on hand, as well as local dignitaries, Woodford said. More than 300 invitations have been mailed to local and regional guests.

The house will be decorated with flags and bunting. Representatives of the Cape River Heritage Museum will be dressed in period costume.

Members of the American Legion Auxiliary will distribute souvenir Missouri flags.

The home is owned by David Taylor and Keith Heinrich. They are in the process of restoring the structure.

Following the celebration Wednesday, they will open the house for a reception.

"We are going to encourage people to go to the museum in the afternoon," Woodford said. "They have a big display on the Missouri Golden Troopers."

In addition the tribute to the state flag, Woodford said events are scheduled to celebrate Missouri's heritage.

Woodford said the national American Legion has close ties to the state. It was organized in Missouri following World War I.

"Missouri has a lot of official things - rock, insect, tree, flower. The official instrument is the fiddle and the official song is `The Missouri Waltz,'" he said.

Nine-year-old Lisl Shoenberger will perform "The Missouri Waltz" on the fiddle as part of the ceremony.

"When you think of Missouri, you have got to think of mules," Woodford continued. Floyd Miller of Oak Ridge is bringing in a team mules and a wagon for the event.

"Missouri is a neat state, it really is," said Woodford. "We've got a lot of good public services, low taxes, good public officials who take care of our money. Except for the summertime weather, it's a pretty nice home.

"Missouri does a lot for its people and I think most of us are glad to live here."

And that's reason to celebrate, Woodford said.