Out of the past 6/26/12

25 years ago: June 26, 1987

Once called "the pride of Southeast Missouri," the old shoe factory building on North Main Street is set for demolition; the chamber of commerce board of directors decided to tear down the structure after all other options were exhausted.

County Circuit Court Judge Stanley A. Grimm is one of three judges nominated for a vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals by the state's appellate Judicial Commission.

50 years ago: June 26, 1962

Steel pilings were driven into the bed of Apple Creek to shore up the Highway 61 bridge which was damaged in 1962, when struck by a tractor-trailer truck loaded with 30,000 pounds of bacon. Making the repairs was Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson. (Missourian archive photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

Temporary repairs are started on the Apple Creek bridge at Old Appleton, which was taken out of service Saturday when struck by a tractor-trailer truck hauling slabs of bacon; it is believed traffic will resume over the U.S. 61 bridge in about 10 days.

Death by ballot comes to public housing for Cape Girardeau; the issue is soundly thrashed in lively voting, 2,801 to 1,158 against instituting a low-cost government housing program here.

75 years ago: June 26, 1937

Chief of police Herbert F. Wickham is one of the 36 Missourians picked for a place on the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Southeast Missouri Teachers College won't get a new library building this year, president W.W. Parker has been informed; the legislature had appropriated money for the new library, along with funds for buildings at each of the other state colleges; but the appropriation was about $6 million over estimated revenue, forcing the governor to do some trimming.

100 years ago: June 26, 1912

Louis Houck, the historian of Missouri, is keynote speaker at a program at Courthouse Park commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of Louis Lorimier, founder of Cape Girardeau; earlier in the day, Lorimier's grave and that of his consort were decorated with flowers.

Andrew Kelleher of Rector, Ark., is spending a week with old friends in Cape Girardeau County; he formerly lived near the old fairgrounds and was one of the pioneers of the county.

-- Sharon K. Sanders