Snake Hill is full of memories, still lots of fun

To the editor:

When the road up Snake Hill was built in the 1930s, the builders probably had no idea they were creating what would become a well-known and loved landmark.

High school kids who had cars in the early 1960s would make games out of that curvy, steep hill to have something to do on a weekend night. Starting from a dead stop at the top of Snake Hill, foot off the brake and gas, they would start down the hill, first slowly and then picking up speed, to see if they could make it all the way down without chickening out by hitting their brakes. A few kids ended up in the ditches.

Snake Hill has also become a thrill ride for my grandchildren, Brooke and Thomas. Starting at the intersection below Snake Hill, we slowly take off. As we pick up speed, their hands go up in the air like they are on a roller coaster. As we hit the first curve and dip in the road, we slightly accelerate, giving us the feeling that we have just made that downward dip in any large roller coaster ride and are going back up. Then it's on up the hill's curves, hands still in the air, yelling at the top of their lungs, and laughing with joy when we get to the top. One of them will always shout, "Can we do it again?"

When you live in Cape Girardeau, you have to create your own fun things to do. Brooke, Thomas and I do just that.

DANNY FARROW

Cape Girardeau