Photos around Cape Archives

June 3, 2013May 4, 2021

Pizza King Corner Crash

For a second I thought this was the same crash at Pacific and Broadway I had already covered, but it was definitely a different one. One of the things I found interesting was that it captured the Pizza King, which was once the Last Chance – First Chance Saloon.

Vandeven Mercantile is on the left.

View east on Broadway

Vandeven’s is on the right. You can see The Esquire, Wayne’s Grill, Radonics, Bodines and other lighted signs. This picture must have been taken later than the one below because the sign above proclaims “We’ve Gone Gulf.”

The old trolley tracks are visible in the middle of the street.

Station had been Cities Service

The station on the northeast corner of the intersection had been a Cities Service. Looks like the Bourbon billboard had been allowed to go blank in the later photo.

Howard’s on right

The old Howard’s Athletic Goods was on the right. Howard’s moved into the Vandeven building in 2009, then SEMO tore down the old (ugly) landmark building for a parking lot.

View to the north

Howard’s is on the left and the Gulf station is on the right. It’s warm enough that people are wearing light jackets, but I see the car on the left is still running snow tires. The banner mentions American Education Week, which is traditionally held in November, so it might be a warm, but rainy winter night. Those random white spots are caused by raindrops reflecting the camera’s flash.

Looks pretty minor (if it’s not YOUR car)

I’m going to guess the guys in the background are involved in the crash in some way. They have The Look on their faces.

I’m guessing the wreck was minor enough that nobody was hurt. The best indication of that is that the windshields don’t have any head dents.

June 1, 2013

High School Students Study Science

The July 3, 1965, Missourian caption reads, “High school pupils participating in the science training program at State College do a little outside experimentation too! [Please tell me I wasn’t the one who wrote a caption with an exclamation point.] From left are: Miss Susan Eubank, Edgewood, Ill.; Miss Melinda Carter, Lockwood; Stephen Hancock, Kennett, and Ron Fluegge, Jackson. The youths are getting experience in academic and social college life. The program is supported by an $18,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.”

Here’s my whole bylined Youth Page story about the science program.

Negative tomfoolery

This nameless couple didn’t make the paper, probably because they didn’t engage in any shenanigans.

That could very well have been because Girl Two’s mother said, “Keep your baton with you at all times. If anybody tries to get fresh with you, twirl ’em where it hurts.”

May 30, 2013

Paul Kaempfer, 1922 – 2002

I could have sworn this photo of Paul Kaempfer ran in The Missourian some time around November 19, 1966, but I couldn’t find it in the Google archives. In fact, except for a couple of short briefs, I couldn’t find much on Paul.

Paul Kaempfer died Nov. 17, 2002

The Missourian DID carry his obituary on November 18, 2002.

Paul E. Kaempfer, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

He was born June 19, 1922, in Cape Girardeau, son of the late Fred A. and Ruby Barks Kaempfer. He and Betty Waddill were married Dec. 4, 1944, in Kirksville, Mo.

World War II vet

He was a World War II veteran with the U.S. Air Force.

He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and St. Mark’s Lodge No. 93 AF & AM in Cape Girardeau.

Worked at Southeast Hospital 30 years

After working 30 years as plant engineer at Southeast Missouri Hospital, he retired in 1986.

He was also a member of Cape Council No. 20, Cape Girardeau Commandary No. 55, St.Mark’s Chapter No. 167 OES, Cape Shrine Club/ Moolah Temple AAONMS, and a past member of Cape Pilot Club.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Larry E. Kaempfer of Cape Girardeau and Jim F. Kaempfer of Gordonville; a daughter, Nancy C. Strauser of Cape Girardeau; a stepsister, Lois Flannery of Jackson; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Garage with graffiti

I see some “Larry Kaempfer” and “L.E.K” graffiti scrawled on the wall of the garage, so I’m assuming that’s Paul’s son. You can click on the photos to make them larger.

May 26, 2013

Memorial Day 2013

This photograph from Dad’s scrapbook wasn’t what I had planned to post tonight. Dad’s scrapbook has photos in it from when he was a pupil at May Greene School and on through at least 1934 when he graduated high school from the old, old Central on Pacific Street.

I don’t know who his buddy was. The mid-30s would have put it between World Wars I and II.

A flash of the Vietnam War

When I visited Athens, Ohio, this winter, there was something on the county courthouse that wasn’t there when I was in the town: a plaque dedicated to the memory of Athens County residents who lost their lives in Vietnam. The fading flowers were what caught my attention. I shot a few obligatory shots and didn’t think anything about it until I got back to the hotel and looked at the photos on the computer screen.

At the bottom of the plaque (not shown here) was the name of Robert N. Smith, MIA. I was rocked back. I remember shooting Smith’s wife and daughter when they were waiting for word about his fate. About a decade or so later, the daughter tracked me down and I think I sent her copies of the pictures. I didn’t think of them again for three decades.

The story has an incredible twist that I’m going to save for when I find the film of the Smith family. I’ve spent two weeks going through negative files day by day and haven’t located them yet.

Thanks to all of you who have served. And, thanks to those like the Smith Family who have waited so long to be able to write the final chapter in a loved one’s life.

Category: Photos around Cape