Out of the past 8/20/11

25 years ago: Aug. 20, 1986

State and city officials are on hand for official ground-breaking ceremonies for a new visitors center at Trail of Tears State Park; the $350,000 center will contain a large main display space, a reception area and two administrative offices.

The Cape Girardeau County Democratic Central Committee may have violated provisions of the state's open meeting law last night, when only members of the central committee were allowed in the room when party officers were elected; selected chairman was Todd McBride; meeting elsewhere in Jackson, the Republican Central Committee picked Peter Kinder as its new chairman.

50 years ago: Aug. 20, 1961

Bethany Chapel becomes Bethany Baptist Church in the afternoon, when an organization service is conducted; the chapel's existence began when the First Baptist Church voted to start a mission Sunday School in the south part of town; the first meeting was held Nov. 16, 1953, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry McClard on South Ellis Street.

In the absence of Dr. R.C. Holliday, pastor of Centenary Methodist Church, who is vacationing, Allen Robinson, lay speaker, addresses the congregation at the morning worship service; he is manager of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and a member of Centenary.

75 years ago: Aug. 20, 1936

Blue the mule flopped into the new swimming pool at St. Vincent's College Wednesday and had to be rescued by an automobile wrecker; Jim, Blue's stable mate, was the cause of the trouble; the younger mule heaved against the side of Blue as the two were being used to pull a dirt scraper near the side of the pool, toppling Blue in.

The Walther Furniture Co. has been awarded the contract for furnishing the addition to the Marquette Hotel.

100 years ago: Aug. 20, 1911

The Cape Girardeau County Baptist Association, which includes three congregations of Perry County, closed a splendid meeting Friday at Crosstown, Mo., the attendance being unusually large; there are 16 churches in the jurisdiction of the association.

Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Martin and their two children leave for Platteville, Wis., where Professor Martin has accepted a position in the state Normal School.

-- Sharon K. Sanders