James Reynolds House Foundation celebrates renovation of historic Cape Girardeau home

One of Cape Girardeau's historic homes previously in disrepair has been renovated by a local group with plans to rent the space for special events.

Built in 1857, the Reynolds House is located at 623 N. Main St. According to a recent Southeast Missourian story, prior to 2019 the house was in poor condition. Much of the flooring was unsalvageable, and some glass window panes were broken.

"The house was ready to be torn down," said Bonnie Kipper, a board member of the James Reynolds House Foundation. "It was what most people would have considered not salvageable."

No one had lived in the home, influenced by French Colonial architecture, for more than 50 years.

But the Foundation stayed with the project, and it's now available to rent for events of up to 45 people.

"We're presenting it to the community as an event center, and we hope to bring in exhibits of historical significance from other towns to help people understand how all of the history of all of the towns weave together and make our area," Kipper told the Southeast Missourian.

There's still some work to be done on the yard, but it's certainly much improved from where it started a few years ago.

Historic preservation is a worthwhile endeavor. You can't save every building, but there's a case to be made that certain structures should be maintained. They certainly tell a story, providing future generations a link to our past. In this community, there are several passionate individuals who put time, energy and resources into these efforts. This is a success story, and we congratulate the James Reynolds House Foundation for their efforts.