Out of the past: Dec. 3

1997

ULLIN, Ill. -- The century-old Illinois Central Depot at Ullin, a wooden structure identified during the heyday of passenger railroads, as "344 miles south of Chicago and 568 miles north of New Orleans," was moved "across" the tracks yesterday; the structure, abandoned when passenger service was discontinued in this small community of 500, has been saved from demolition by the Ullin Civic Club and the Village of Ullin; it will serve as a museum and visitor center, and as a reminder of earlier railroad days.

One hundred nineteen people sent in their favorite recipes for the Southeast Missourian's Colossal Cookie Contest; celebrity judges Tom Harte, Susan McClanahan, Wes Kinsey and Judy Lueders awarded first prize to Denise Bailey of Jackson for her Santa's Whiskers cookies.

1972

The 21st anniversary of Faith Baptist Temple, 2530 Marsha Kay Drive, is observed by the congregation with a former pastor speaking, dinner at the church and special singing; the Rev. Raymond Bugg, now pastor of Central Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs, Texas, is the guest speaker at the morning worship service; he pastored here from 1955-1959.

Two new visitor contact stations will be used next year at Trail of Tears State Park north of Cape Girardeau to facilitate the distribution of the new Missouri State Park Board's user fee permits and to serve as information centers; the wood frame buildings are being built during the winter months at the entrance to the park near Lake Boutin and at the south entrance leading to the campgrounds.

1947

Santa Claus arrived in Cape Girardeau yesterday afternoon, and what a reception the old gentleman received; youngsters by the hundreds crowded around the float on which he was in his sleigh, and at several points it appeared some of the smaller children might try to climb into his lap; his parade through town started in the Good Hope Street business district and continued on to Main Street, thence up Broadway to Pacific Street, stopping for around 40 minutes at each commercial district.

Former Cape Girardeau Mayor Hinkle Statler has resigned as supervisor of the motor vehicle unit of the department of revenue at Jefferson City to become associated with the Missouri Association of Public Utilities, effective Dec. 20; Statler will serve as assistant to William H. Allen, general counsel and managing director of the utilities association.

1922

Mrs. Otto F. Willa, wife of the county assessor, has returned to her home on Bloomfield Road, two miles west of Cape Girardeau, following treatment at Saint Francis Hospital for a broken right arm; she sustained the injury Thanksgiving Day, when she slipped and fell on the steps of her son Raymond's home at 211 S. Ellis St.; she broke her arm in two places.

A telegram is received early in Jackson telling of the death in San Antonio, Texas, of Abram R. Byrd, formerly one of the most prominent residents of Jackson and a member of one of the oldest families of Cape Girardeau County; his death comes as a shock to the community as it wasn't known that he was ill; Byrd was born on the family farm on Byrd Creek, about four miles northwest of Jackson, Dec. 9, 1850.

-- Sharon K. Sanders