831 North Street

831 North street 01-010-2014I parked in front of this house at 831 North Street when I took the pictures of 347 North Pacific Street for another story. The house looked like it must have been something Back in the Day, so I banged off two record shots of it.

Here are some stories from The Missourian about the families who lived there over the years. Most of them are briefs. If they were longer than that, I included a link.

  • December 24, 1941 – Among students home for the Missouri School of Mines at Rolla for the Christmas and New Year holidays are Alvin G. Haas, a senior in mechanical engineering, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Haas, 821 Themis Street; Eddie Vandeven, a junior in electrical engineering, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin H. Vandeven, 831 North street; and John Leming, a freshman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. E. Leming, 300 North Pacific street. [Editor’s note: “William” was always spelled “Wm.” in Missourian style. So far as I know, that’s the only name that was routinely abbreviated.]
  • August 13, 1943 – At a meeting of a pinochle club with Mrs. Edwin H. Vandeven, 831 North street, Thursday afternoon, awards among the members were won by Mrs. John Knaup, Mrs. F.X. Roth and Mrs. Leslie J. Eagle, with Miss Lillian Nenninger receiving a guest prize. At an extra table of guests, including Mrs. John A. Vandeven, Mrs. John Nenninger, Mrs. Wm. Nenninger and Mrs. Joe Francis, awards went to Mrs. John Vandeven and Mrs. Wm. Nenninger.
  • October 27, 1947Mr. and Mrs. James Kearney, 831 North street, are the parents of a son, born at 3:50 o’clock Saturday afternoon at St. Francis Hospital. The child is the fourth in the family and fourth son. Mr. Kearney is associated with the Markham and Brown Construction Company.

Eight residences share $80 prize

  • December 28, 1948 – Eight Cape Girardeau residences, entrants in the annual outdoor Christmas lighting contest sponsored by the Retail Merchants Association will share in the $80 prize money following ratings by three out-of-town judges Monday night. For the section north of Broadway, first prize for the most artistic display was won by Mrs. James Kearney and sons, 831 North street.
  • April 13, 1949Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Rueseler, 820 Merriwether street, have purchased the James Kearney home at 831 North street and expect to take occupancy of it within the next two or three weeks. Their daughter, Miss Ruth Rueseler, a student at the University of Missouri in Columbia, will be here to spend the summer vacation with her parents in their new home.
  • January 28, 1950 – In the midyear commencement class Wednesday at the University of Missouri wil be Miss Ruth Ruesler who is to be graduated with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and who, on Feb. 6, will become a faculty member at Franklin School. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert P. Ruesler, 831 North street who will go to Columbia Tuesday to attend the ceremonies. The Ruselers now have with them for a weekend visit another daughter, Mrs. C.E. Burgett and her small daughter, Margaret Ruth, and young son, Mark Douglas, of Columbia.

Crystal shower and dessert bridge

  • August 28, 1950 – For Miss Ruth Rueseler, fiancee of Charles Knote of Cape Girardeau and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Rueseler, 832 North street, Miss Rosemary Craig and her mother, Mrs. John Craig, honored the bride-elect Saturday afternoon at a crystal shower and dessert bridge.
  • February 16, 1951 – Numerous parties have been given in honor of Miss Ruth Gene Leming, fiancee of William Lewis Tucker of Jackson…. Mrs. A.P. Rueseler and her daughter, Mrs. Charles Knote, were hostesses at the Rueseler home, 831 North street, as friends greeted Miss Leming at a crystal shower.
  • December 30, 1967 – Miss Judy Carole Edwards and Ronald Charles Rueseler were united in marriage last Saturday afternoon at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in a double ring ceremony performed by the Rev. Thomas N. Bass. …The former Miss Edwards is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Edwards of Kennett. Mr. Rueseler is the grandson of Mrs. Albert P. Rueseler, 831 North street.

Turn Right to Downtown

General Sign for Cape DowntownThis General Sign Company invitation to “Stop ‘n Shop – Turn Right Foot of Bridge to Downtown Cape Giardeau takes us back to the day when Main Street was THE shopping area for the region. The photo is part of the collection Terry Hopkins loaned me from his dad’s job at General Sign Company.

The sign must have been located in East Cape since that’s the only place a “Turn Right” would make sense.

See the smokestacks?

General Sign for Cape DowntownWhen the picture is blown up, you can see two smokestacks off to the right, one of them puffing black smoke.

The cement plant would have been way off to the left, so these stacks must belong to the shoe factory and the power plant north of it. I’m not sure what the white building off to the far right would be. Click on the photos to make them larger.

Here’s what they would have found

Cape Downtown Aerial Photo from the 1960sIf our shopper had turned right, this is what they would have encountered. Follow this link to see other downtown stories. Here is a collection of links to stories about Main Street businesses and buildings.

Cairo: Turn Out the Lights

Cairo 07-25-2014I think of the old cliche, “Will the last person leaving Cairo, please turn out the lights.”

This was shot July 25, 2014, through an opening in yet one more building being torn down in Cairo. Click on the photos to make them larger.

Didn’t look bad in 2012

Cairo 11-13-2012The building didn’t look too bad from the front in November 2012.

Appearances are deceiving

Cairo 11-13-2012Like with so much in Cairo, a second glance tells a vastly different story. The walls were getting ready to cave in, and part of the roof had already collapsed.

It’s all over

Cairo 07-25-2014There wasn’t much left by the summer of 2014.

Some bricks being salvaged

Cairo 07-25-2014I saw bricks stacked on pallets, so maybe the building will reborn somewhere else. I’m always happy to see things being recycled.

Speaking of recycling, I’ve photographed Cairo since the 1960s. Here are some older stories and photos.

Capaha Pavilion Update

Capaha Park Pool old site 01-25-2015There have been a bunch of posts on Facebook recently talking about the old Capaha Park pool. On top of that, I’ve been documenting the slow progress of the pavilion being built on the hill overlooking where the pool used to be.

Buddy Terry Hopkins is back in Cape for a visit, and he sent me photos of what the site looks like today. Terry’s one of those glass-half-full kind of guys, so he added the comment, “Looks like in the future, kids will still be able to enjoy this spot.”

Not quite the same

Capaha Park Pool old site 01-25-2015Being a half-empty kind of guy, I replied, “Not quite the same.”

What stays the same?

Capaha Park Pool old site 01-25-2015Terry doesn’t take the bait, “No, it’s not the same, but what in this world stays the same? A new generation and new memories from the same old place,” he replied.

At least Dinky survived

Capaha Park Pool old site 01-25-2015I’m sure kids will have some fond memories, but I can’t see many of them spending all day hanging around a pavilion like we did the swimming pool.

When your parents dropped you off in the morning to go swimming, they had a reasonable expectation that you were going to be safe, watched over by trained lifeguards in a controlled environment.

When they picked you up at the end of the swimming day, you’d be pruney, reeking of chlorine, starving and ready for bed.

But, looking on the bright side, Dinky, the train, is still there for more generations to climb on.