Photos around Cape Archives

July 22, 2015

2015 Flood Aftermath

The last thing I did before blasting off to the Tulsa wedding on Friday, June 19, was to go to Dutchtown to get ready for what I thought was going to be a major flood that would cause some lumber we had to float off.

By the time I got back in town, the water had gone down to where it appeared to more of an inconvenience than a disaster. (Click on the photos to make them larger.)

Clearing the way

I spotted these snags across the tracks near CR 654 north of Cape. The rusty rails indicated that no train had come that way in quite a while.

While I was shooting the first photo, I heard a noise behind me and gave way to a railroad crew coming through to clear the line. One of the workers said the main line was open all the way to Wittenberg, but nothing could move south until Cape opened the floodgate north of Sloan’s Creek.

Tanks

Google Earth shows these tanks are usually set way back from the river, but they must have been surrounded by water when the flood was high enough to top the railroad tracks.

Airboater frolicking

This guy was running up and down the river below Cape Rock.

Twin Tree Park cut off

Water was over the road just south of Cape Rock and at Juden Creek, cutting off access to Twin Tree Park.

Good fishing

Flocks of wading birds enjoyed fishing in the flooded fields around Dutchtown.

June 13, 2015June 13, 2015

Cape Splash Adds Big New Slide

Summer has hit Cape hard. We’ve been in the 90s the past few days, and I’m already hearing the people who complained about the cold winter wishing it would come back. I’ve been watching stuff happening on the northeast side of Cape Splash for several weeks.

(You might remember that this is just about where I thought the Heisler Heifer Highway came out.)

Five flumes

The Missourian reports that what I’m seeing is a new slide with five flumes: a three-lane mat racer this is 319 feet long and has a 30-foot-tall tower; a 265-foot partially enclosed free-fall slide, and a 259-foot triple-drop slide. The story says that the cost of the project, including a contingency allowance, is $1.27 million.

The first thing that strikes me (other than the cost) is the amount of hot concrete there is to walk on. Wife Lila, who just did her first mile swim of the year, says that white concrete isn’t hot.

I defer to her wisdom (we’ve been married since 1969, so I’ve gotten good at that), because I rarely walk around outside barefoot. I stepped on a bee when I was about two years old and came to the conclusion that shoes were invented for a reason.

Looks like a chain gang

After shooting the first two photos, I wondered what the heck those folks were doing? They appeared to be walking back in forth with grim determination. They looked like older folks, but didn’t care enough to walk back to the car for a longer telephoto lens to confirm that (you DID hear me say the temps were in the 90s, right?).

Since there was no splashing or frivolity going on, I could only conclude they were walking in water as a Good For You Exercise, not for fun.

Click on the photo to maker it larger to see if you agree.

Other water parks

Long before Cape even thought about a water park, my kids slid down the Lickitysplit Water slide halfway between Cape and Jackson. Of course, even before that, we had Hubble Creek in the Jackson City Park to frolic in.

June 6, 2015

Kage School Over the Years

Southeast Missouri State University, which claims to have a historic preservation program but tears down local landmarks, should take a lesson from guys like Chad Hartle and Rick Hetzel.

Chad turned the old Central High School on Pacific Street into attractive housing for senior citizens.

Rick rescued the historic Kage School from collapse and has made it into a guest cottage for daily, weekly or monthly rental. You can get more information on the property’s website.

The May 10 grand opening attracted hundreds, including some students who attended the school three-quarters of a century earlier. Savanna Maue covered the opening for The Missourian.

I first photographed Kage School in 1966, the year it closed. After the turn of the century (it’s always cool when I can say that), I was drawn back to the building time and time again. To be honest, I was afraid that every visit would be the last one before the brick building collapsed from neglect.

Here’s what it looked like during the grand opening and through the years. Click on any image to make it larger, then use your arrow keys to move through the galleries.

1966 before school closed

The school had a fascinating history. It was unusual because of its racial and economic diversity. Enrollment included white children from well-established families, the district’s African-American students from as far back as 1889 or earlier and children from the County Poor Farm. The original school was built in 1880 for $1,200 (changes and additions bumped that up to $1,600).

You can read more of the Kage School history here.

Initials scratched in the walls

I never noticed the initials and names scratched in the walls until Brother Mark pointed them out to me. Here are some examples, plus some photos showing the condition of the school. I pointed out when these were taken in 2010 that “the bricks in the chimney are beginning to crumble and there are cracks above a window on the southeast side. If anyone is going to step up to preserve this historic building, they’d better do it soon.”

2013 before renovations

When I checked out the school in the fall of 2013, the back door was standing open. Since the property wasn’t posted, I took that to mean that I was invited inside to look around. Time, termites and gravity had not been kind, but parts of it were in good shape.

What I found particularly interesting was what was left behind. You’ll see some of the objects – like the green dishes, pencil sharpener, light fixtures and some of the books in the renovated school.

A work in progress

By the spring of 2014, Rick Hetzel had purchased the property from Keith Deimund, who had attended the school about 75 years ago. He launched an army of workmen to repair almost every part of the building, while leaving as much of it intact as possible.

The pine floors were refinished and reinstalled. The original windows were replaced with energy-efficient glass, and foundation stones under the floor were used to create a flower bed out front. Even a baby squirrel discovered by workers Justin Wissmann and Wes Langston was relocated.

Justin Wissmann – Kage School 04-02-2014

Headed for the finish line

When I went back in the fall of 2014, most of the exterior work had finished and walls were starting to go up. Hetzel had the exterior walls sprayed with an insulation that had a high R-value and provided a good moisture barrier

Workers found a wooden block capping one of the interior columns that had the initials of the contractors who built the original school, including the date 1880. I wonder if they ever expected anyone to find it?

June 1, 2015March 5, 2021

135,000 Cigarettes Worth How Much?

I was curious about a big brick building at the southwest corner of William and South Main (or Water Street, depending on how you look at it). It has an “old” look to it, and an intriguing set of doors marked 101, 103, 105 and 109. (Click on the photos to make them larger.)

My first stop was the search box in The Southeast Missourian.

Almost the Discovery Playhouse

In 2007, there was a bunch of buzz that the Discovery Playhouse was going to locate there after moving from West Park Mall. Whether or not they actually moved in, I don’t know. The Playhouse is currently in the old Walther Furniture Store and Funeral Home at 502 Broadway.

The 1968 City Directory assigned Biederman Furniture Company warehouse to the 101 address, with no mention of the other bays.

In 1979, 101 was listed as vacant, and Murakami Auto Service was in Bay 103.

The Great Snow Storm Cigarette Burglary

The most interesting story was in the January 14, 1931, Southeast Missourian: “Taking advantage of the cover afforded by a blinding snowstorm, burglars Tuesday night broke into and looted the Goddard Grocer Co. building at 101 William street, of 135,000 cigarettes.”

What’s the value of 135,000 smokes?

The cigarettes were valued at about $900. Thirteen cases of Lucky Strike and Camel brands of cigarettes were taken, and about 5,000 cigarettes of miscellaneous brands were missing, the story said.

Sam’s Club in Cape is selling a carton of 200 Camel cigarettes for $43.25. That would make the 1931 haul worth about $29,193 today.

Goddard Grocer Co. was a favorite shopping spot for burglars. It was hit at least 10 times in a few years. Approximately the same amount of cigarettes were taken in a break-in on January 25, 1930. Three men who broke into Goddard Grocer, Buckner-Ragsdale Clothing Store and Kinder Drug Store on that night were sent to prison for terms ranging from four to six years.