Out of the past 6/21/05

25 years ago: June 21, 1980

Festivities continue at the second annual Riverfest, sponsored by the Tourism Council of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce; activities began late yesterday as booths, lining Water Street, opened for business, and the music of the Jeff Volkerding Combo rocked the big crowd.

The planned move later this year of Cape Girardeau County Circuit Clerk Charles P. Hutson, his staff and Circuit Judge Division IV (probate) clerk from the Jackson courthouse to the old public library building in Cape Girardeau has upset many Jackson lawyers.

50 years ago: June 21, 1955

Rezoning requests for two sections of land along Kingshighway from one-family dwelling classification to commercial use were received by the city council yesterday and referred to the City Plan Commission for its recommendation; Dr. and Mrs. Albert M. Estes made the application for rezoning one strip on the northeast side of Kingshighway between Fairview and Kingsway; the other strip is across Kingshighway at the intersection of East Rodney and Kingshighway.

The Jaycee Public Golf Course of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees chapter has been awarded first place in the project of the year contest in competition with Jaycee groups in cities of the 10,001 to 25,000 population category.

75 years ago: June 21, 1930

Construction is to begin soon on a rifle and pistol range for Service and Headquarters Companies of the 140th Infantry of Missouri National Guard; the field will be four miles north of Cape Girardeau on the Bend Road.

Four hundred more tons of freight were transported over the Cape Girardeau traffic bridge during three months of this year than during the corresponding period of last year; during March, April and May of this year, the amount of freight brought over the bridge amounted to 2,809,960 pounds, as compared to 2,085,321 pounds for the corresponding period a year ago.

100 years ago: June 21, 1905

The St. Vincent's Ladies Society gave an excursion on the steamer Cape Girardeau last night, to which 377 tickets were sold; it was the largest excursion crowd of the season and demonstrated the popularity of the society.

A.N. McGuire, the reliable blacksmith who had a shop on Broadway for so long, has fitted up a commodious place on North Main Street, opposite Schmittzehe's machine shop; it is ready for business.

-- Sharon K. Sanders