Out of the past 2/28/11

25 years ago: Feb. 28, 1986

The state of Missouri has accepted Cape Girardeau County's offer of land adjacent to Memorial Park near the Interstate 55-U.S. 61 intersection for the site of a new veterans home; the state will build a 150-bed facility on the 21.39-acre site.

The inability of a private contractor operating Cape Girardeau's air traffic control tower to obtain the required amount of liability insurance has prompted city officials to consider lowering the requirement from $20 million to $1 million.

50 years ago: Feb. 28, 1961

Purchase of the Old Opera House at Broadway and Lorimier Street, now in its 93rd year, by Richard Barnhouse, owner of the Petit N'Orleans Restaurant, from the First Federal Savings and Loan Association is announced; Barnhouse plans to restore the building; the savings and loan firm acquired the property in 1959 with the intention of converting the site into a parking lot.

KANSAS CITY -- Colorado College of Colorado Springs is named to compete in the NCAA southwest regional basketball tournament at Houck Field House in Cape Girardeau; other teams competing will be State College of Cape Girardeau, Southern Illinois University of Carbondale and Trinity University of San Antonio, Texas.

75 years ago: Feb. 28, 1936

A condemnation suit prepared by the city of Cape Girardeau and naming 90 owners as defendants, to secure needed right of way for the new sewer district, No. 6, in the West End, has been filed in Common Pleas Court.

Arthur J. Schrader files his petition at the office of the city clerk, formally entering the race for nomination for Cape Girardeau city commissioner; Schrader is the fifth candidate for the post, the others being Louis Wittmor, Dewey Hinton, W.V. Dyer and Simon Banks.

100 years ago: Feb. 28, 1911

The stable of the Blue Ribbon coal and ice plant on Themis Street and the stable of John Popp on the alley adjoining burned at the noon hour, each barn having a supply of hay and other feed; the stable used by the coal company was owned by Henry Vasterling.

Ina Ingersoll, the deaconess in charge of the West End mission and its day nursery, has moved her home from 826 Themis St. to 1225 William St. to be near her work.

-- Sharon K. Sanders