Murtaugh Park Expansion

Murtaugh Park construction 07-12-2013As many of you have figured out, I’m in Cape for a few weeks. When I’m here, I drive around like crazy trying to bag as much new material as possible to dole out when I return home to Florida.

From time to time, I have even managed to scoop The Missourian. (Of course, as I point out to bike riders who brag about overtaking another rider, “It’s only a race if the other guy knows it.)

I thought I might have a chance of catching Photo Buddy Fred Lynch asleep this afternoon when I drove past what I’ve dubbed the Historical Triangle.

Have catskinners become deere slayers?

Murtaugh Park construction 07-12-2013

There was a artist on a bulldozer who we’d have called a “catskinner” in the days when yellow Caterpillar equipment was ubiquitous on job sites. I’ve seen enough dirt pushed around to judge he knew what he was doing.

Since he’s on a Deere dozer, I guess that would make him a “deere slayer,” but that doesn’t have the same ring. The sign in the foreground proclaims the narrow strip of grass to be Murtaugh Park. The Red House is in the background.

Drat! James Baughn beat me

Murtaugh Park construction 07-12-2013Right there in front of me was a flurry of dump trucks, jackhammers, front end loaders and guys leaning on shovels. All I had to do now was to figure out what was going on.

Drat! Missourian webmaster James Baughn, who with Fred and Sharon Sanders, are must-read Missourian bloggers, beat me to the story. He deserves the traffic, so get the full story from Baughn. (If you REALLY want to be distracted, go to his Bridgehunter website. There’s nowhere else like it to find interesting factoids about bridges.)

The short version is that making Main Street open to two-way traffic made Aquamsi Street redundant between William and Merriwether Streets. The workers were ripping up Aquamsi so grass could replace asphalt, resulting in Murtaugh Park nearly doubling in size. (Of course, that will last until the City Fathers and Mothers decide to make Main one-way again in a few years.)

I stumbled across another story that is right up Baughn’s alley. I hope he reads it here before I see it appear in his blog.

Stories about Murtaugh Park

Crash Damages Church Sign

I see what looks like car juice on the street, sidewalk and lawn in front of a sign that’s taking a nap in front of the Evangelical United Church of Christ at the corner of Merriwether and South Ellis. Based on other photos in the envelope, I’m going to guess these wreck pictures were taken some time in September of 1966.

Evangelical United Church of Christ sign back up

I checked out Google Earth this evening, it looked like the sign has been replaced.

When I called Cape this evening, Mother said, “Looks like you’ve been slacking off the last few days.” I tried to explain to her that I’ve been working on a project that’s kept me busy, so I’ve been reaching into the negative drawer for stuff that doesn’t require a lot of research. It’s tough when your own mother gives you a C-minus grade. I’m probably going to have to turn in some extra homework to bring up my grade.

By the way, if you’ve noticed something new at the top of the page – three rotating photos of Central High School cheerleaders, the CHS Alma Mater and something touting the Cape Central High Centennial, click on them and you’ll be taken to a website with information about how you can order a quite nice book celebrating 100 years of Cape Central High School. I was going to have a story about the book and the high school’s new library, but Mother was right: I WAS slacking off today. I took advantage of a perfect Florida afternoon to go bike riding with a couple of friends. I’ll be pounding dusty erasers for a week for playing hooky.