Frederick W. and Mary Karau Pott House

Frederick W and Mary Karau House 10-31-2009There is a striking two-story white house at the corner of Themis and Pacific across from Trinity Lutheran School that I’ve always wondered about. I paused on a Halloween afternoon’s bike ride in 2009 long enough to pop off a couple of frames.

It turns out there’s a world of information about it in its National Register of Historic Places registration form. If you are a fan of architectural detail, it’s worth a read.

History of Pott house

Frederick W. Pott was born in Prussia in 1839. He and his parents came to Cape Girardeau in 1854. Father and son joined the Union Army when the Civil War began, and Frederick was captured in the Battle of Shilo. After the war, he found employment in the milling industry. He married Mary (or Maria) Karau in 1865. They eventually had 11 children.

In 1877, he built Planters Mill at the foot of Main Street. Within four years, he owned the mill free and clear. The coming of the railroad to Cape Girardeau kicked off a boom, and around 1885 the Potts commissioned the building of this house at 826 Themis Street for their growing family. By 1888, Pott had increased the capacity of Planters Mill from an initial daily output of 80 barrels of floor to 200 and employed at least 10 men.

Disaster stuck when a fire swept through the mill on March 27, 1909. Pott’s insurance only partially covered the loss of the mill, elevator, warehouse and a large quantity of wheat, flour and bran that had been stored on the premises. The total loss was estimated at $50,000. He died the next year, in 1910.

Became office for doctors

Aerial photos of Trinity Lutheran School neighborhood 11-06-2010The house remained in the family until 1938, when it was sold to D.W. Hope, a Cape physician. According to the historic places register application, professional offices were developed in the building after it was acquired by Dr. Hope, listings in city directories from 1942-1973 indicate. The H-R-S Company was formed by Dr. Hope and three other doctors: A.J. Rasche, Frank W. Hall and Mitchell H. Shelby.

The next owner was James McHaney, who sold the property to Steven and Emily Mellies on April 28, 1995.

The house is the white building at the top center of this November 2010 aerial photograph. Trinity Lutheran School is in the center.

 

Was This the Sani-Cream / Henny Penny?

Sani-CreamI’ve been scratching my head over this building. I remember shooting a freelance job there in the ’60s, but I haven’t found the negatives yet. I could have sworn it was the Henny Penny at that time.

Fellow blogger and Missourian photographer Fred Lynch published a Frony photo when the railroad tracks in front of the Sani-Cream were being repaired. If this is the same building, a peaked roof and cupola were added later.

I vaguely remember having a curb-delivered pizza there on a date.

The 1968 City Directory lists the Sani-Cream as being at 1015 Independence. It says Andrew J. and Mrs. Bertha Ahrens as the owners.

By 1979, Century 21 Real Estate Company was listed at 1017 Independence. The difference might be which part of the building is considered the entrance.

Am I thinking of the right place or am I all wet?

Not Enough Words

Ken - Mary Steinhoff 10-18-2007I usually start with a picture, then wrap some words around it. This time, though, I have an endless supply of pictures and not enough words to express how I feel about Mary Welch Steinhoff. So, on this Mother’s Day, here’s a small sample of Mother with her family.

Every picture I ran across led me to another, and there are scores that I remembered and couldn’t lay my hands on quickly. Mother sure has packed a lot of livin’ into her 91 years.

Mary Welch Steinhoff, my Mother

Click on any photo to make it larger,then click on the sides to move through the gallery.

Cheri Pind

Cheri Pind c 1965A couple of Cheri Pind portraits were on the roll with Tom Holt and his grilling extravaganza. I mostly knew Cheri as a cheerleader, which put her in a whole other social league. Since I didn’t exactly know them, I sort of categorized them.

Anne Buchanan had a classic beauty. Joni Tickel was the All American Girl Next Door who could look good even in those hideous gym uniforms.

Cherie had a twinkle in her eye that always said, “Go ahead and dare me.”

Sassy then, sassy now

Cheri Pind c 1965

Her bio in the Class of 1965 20th Reunion captured her sassy spirit. “Cherie does not work and never will, if she can help it.”

“My hair was beautiful”

Class of 1965 Senior Party May 15 1965

“Let me state that I thought my hair was beautiful in high school, but since, I have heard talk about it,” the bio continued.

Here is a photo from the Class of ’65 Senior Banquet. The Missourian’s caption read, “Miss Cheri Pind just realizes that she is the one being described in the class prophesy being read by Chuck Dockins and Steve Seabaugh at the Senior Banquet Tuesday night in the Central High School cafeteria. Jim Stone, background, seems relatively unimpressed.”

Cheerleading skirt not too short

Central High School Cheerleaders collect money for March of Dimes 1963

“I have terrific memories of high school and classmates, and I did not think my cheerleading skirt was too short!” she said.

As a male, I would have to agree with Cheri.

Cheri was the second from the left in this photo of the cheerleaders collecting for the March of Dimes in 1963. Norma Waggoner is, alas, keeping us from being able to judge the length of Cheri’s skirt.

Dancin’ in the parking lot

Teen dance in bank lot 8-21-64 2Cheri was one of the dancers to set the floor of the Teen Age Club on Spanish bouncing so much a city inspector shut the place down. Dancin’ feet gotta dance, so the action was moved to the bank parking lot at the corner of Main and Broadway.

Miss Pind is the girl facing the camera in the middle. She shows up in other photos of the parking lot dance.