Sunset area seeks historical protection

The residents of the Sunset area of Cape Girardeau -- bounded by Caruthers Avenue, Broadway, West End Boulevard and Independence Street -- are examples of what makes this city such a wonderful place to live.

Curtis Prichard and some of his neighbors don't like what they see happening to their neighborhood and its homes, ranging from Victorian houses to pre-World War II bungalows. Some of the larger houses have been divided into apartments, and some aren't being maintained.

The residents are forming the Save the Sunset Area Project, proposing the protection of the area, which is intersected by Sunset Boulevard.

If it were declared a historic district, the area would have some protection of the city's Historic Preservation Commission, which would have to review and comment on any improvements to homes.

That doesn't mean there can't be any changes made. It just means there will be oversight by a group of people who understand and wish to protect Cape Girardeau's history.

Residents who take their futures into their own hands should be given a fair shake by the city council, which ultimately will have to vote on the neighborhood's historic status.