Knights of Columbus Hall

This photo of men was taken in the Knights of Columbus Hall on April 2, 1967, if the note on the negative sleeve is to be believed. I searched for it in The Missourian, but didn’t see it. Either it didn’t run or I shot it as a freelance job.

Some of the men look familiar, but the only one I can identify for sure is the man in the back row, on the left. That’s Ray Seyer, Wife Lila’s uncle. You’ll be hearing more about him soon. Lila went back to Cape for his 90th birthday party Saturday.

These are men who wear serious, built-to-last wingtip shoes. I wonder if they were made in the Cape Shoe Factory? Click on any photo to make it larger.

The KC Hall

The Knights of Columbus Hall that overlooks the Mississippi River is one of those buildings that I would recognize at a glance, but haven’t had many occasions to visit. My most vivid memory is abandoning my date – probably Lila – in my car in the parking lot one night while I dashed off to shoot a fire in a neighboring building.

Casino vs. Bingo?

Will the Bingo players keep coming or will the Casino dry up that income for local charities and groups?

A family photo

The last time I was inside the KC Hall was after Lila’s mother’s funeral. The family gathered there to reminisce and to snack on food friends had brought. Inevitably, cameras came out and the picture-taking started. This sequence shows Son Adam with his Uncle John Perry. The family resemblance is plain.

8 Replies to “Knights of Columbus Hall”

  1. Man on right in back row could be Hilliary Schmittzehe….my pelling may be rong. He has long been active in K of C.

  2. Back row, second from right, my father-in-law Joseph Sciortino. He worked many years for Superior Electric beginning when it was located on Independence Street where Thorngate later located. Superior Electric was relocated to Nash Road until it was sold and closed operations. When beginning working at the Independence Street location Joseph would walk the two blocks to work from home in the 1400 block of William (the last block of William until it was continued when Town Plaza opened). He began working for Superior as a purchasing agent in the late 1940s. Superior was owned by his good friend Joseph Quatmann (sp), also a member of Knights of Columbus. I know Ray who did auto mechanic work at his garage at his home on Merriwether Street across from Sunny Hill Dairy when I worked there during my senior year of high school and for two years after. Ray did several mechanical repairs to my car when it needed attention just to keep it running. Ray later became auto mechanics shop teacher at Vo Tech. I saw him recently (I think) at an insurance meeting for retirees at Career Center.
    Joseph and Harold Haas were readers and vocalists at St. Mary church. Joseph had a Pavarotti voice and sang often at weddings including singing Panis
    Angelica in Italian at Susan and my wedding in 1962. His solo was from the balcony, then he “scrambled” down to walk Susan down (up) the aisle. Good memories.

  3. Great article, Ken. I recognized Dad and Hillary and Mr. Sciortino, but no one else. They do look vaguely familiar though. Will have to take this laptop over to show Dad this article. Thanks! Mary

    1. You should get him hooked up to the Internet. Mother would give up her TV before you could pry her iPad out of her hands. It’s a great way to keep a far-flung family connected.

  4. And don’t forget the KC bowling lanes which, with the Lutheran lanes, were the only show in town until the modern bowling alley arrived on Minnesota Ave. With the recent death of fabled St. Louis bowler Don Carter, I was reminded when his powerhouse team “Budweisers” rolled into town to take on Cape’s best at the KC lanes. The Cape men blew them away, perhaps owing to their familiarity with the lanes.

  5. I bowled at the KC lanes. We really enjoyed it. was cheap enough that we always came up with enough money to have a good awards program and diner at the end of the season. Some of the guys would bring grilles and fix steaks. We had a meal fit for a king. Best bowling league I ever enjoyed and I have been at all the lanes here and Jackson. Always got a kick out of Bill Kibler, as The Red Skelton show was on that night also. When the dancing girls came on, Our lane stopped till they were done if bill was up to bowl. There was a great group of guys tat really knew how to have fun

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