Cape Girardeau History and Photos

March 9, 2011

World War II Shared Sacrifices

I was looking in the June 11, 1943, Southeast Missourian for another story when my eye was drawn to a Phillips 66 ad headlined, “You are a Soldier in The Battle of Transportation.”

Gas headed to $4+ per gallon

The ad copy might not have caught my attention if I hadn’t seen two things in the last couple of days

Gas prices in the $3.89 range in West Palm Beach
A Missourian story about proposed bike lanes in Cape

Grant for 30-40 miles of bike lanes

A Missourian story Wednesday said that a $253,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health will pay for 30 to 40 miles of bike lanes along seven Cape streets, which officials said will provide a healthy connection to the city’s parks, schools and other recreational areas.

Sounds like a good idea, right? Especially after I wrote a piece praising Cape for looking at bike trails as transportation corridors, not just for recreation back in December

Who could be against that?

There’s a catch, though. “One thing could put the brakes on the project, however — negative public reaction to the proposal’s plan to convert five of the seven bike routes to no-parking streets.”

Well, it didn’t take long for the story to get 40 comments, many mocking the idea of bike lanes. Interestingly enough, I don’t think I saw a single comment about the no-parking issue. Most were of this ilk:

Who commutes by bike in Cape? Last time I rode one was when I was 15. Get a car! Bike lanes are lame.

Where’s THIS message?

Have you seen this World War II message delivered on TV, radio or print or by any politicians?

“Every bit of rubber and gasoline you save on the home front is a contribution to the combat needs of our fighting men on every battle front.

“You can help hasten the day of victory by confining your driving to a patriotic minimum. Use your car only for going to and from work …for needed shopping…for war-time activities like vegetable gardening…for travel to and from places without other transportation facilities.

“Remember, your Government asks you to do your part to prevent a transportation breakdown, asks you to care for your car–for your country.”

The concept of shared sacrifice for the common good just isn’t popular these days, I guess.

March 9, 2011

“Central Snaps” Pep Rally

The negative sleeve just says, “Central Snaps.” It looks like a pep rally of some kind.

Class of 65-66 cheerleaders

I recognize some of the cheerleaders as being in the Class of 65 and 66.

Robert Frank

A photographer named Robert Frank crisscrossed the country in 1955-56 to produce a photo book, The Americans. This photo reminds me a little bit of his style. It has lots of elements that appear to be disjointed, but are still tied together. Everyone in the picture is looking in a different direction, but they are all connected somehow.

It’s a photo I can appreciate now, but probably didn’t look at twice when I originally edited the film. Did I know what I was shooting or was it just a random shutter click?

Classes of 65 and 66 represented

Looks like majorettes Linda Maddux and Vicky Berry at the left and Mike Seabaugh and Don Sander in the convertible.

Stripes and polka dots

That’s an interesting contrast in clothing. I see some of the cars have CHS decals on them. I don’t recall having one stuck to the window of my family’s 1959 Buick LaSabre station wagon.

March 7, 2011March 7, 2011

Miss Cape Girardeau 1967

Miss Judy Mullins, a State College senior won the 1967 Miss Cape Girardeau title, The Missourian reported May 6, 1967.

Shoving modesty aside, I’ll have to mention the headline that ran directly beneath the Miss Cape piece: “Missourian Named Best Daily Newspaper in State.” Some kid named Kenneth L. Steinhoff won first places in News and Feature Photography, a second place in Sports Photography and two honorable mentions to help the paper score the points needed to capture the overall award.

Judy led from the very start

She was selected over 10 other contestants.

“Judges said Miss Mullins began gaining points at the very beginning during evening gown competition. They said her poise and posture came through strongly. Next, in swimsuit competition, Miss Mullins appearance again won her even more points, judges said. They judged her first in that.” [Where was I for the swimsuit competition?]

Did pantomime dance

“Following swimsuits, Miss Mullins did a pantomime [The Missourian spelled it “pantomine] dance in talent competition. And after becoming a finalist, she was questioned on her role in a recent College Theater production “Anything Goes.”

“‘Give us some idea of the work that went into that production,’ said Master of Ceremonies Jim Walling.

“Miss Mullins, whose measurements are 35-23-34, is the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Russell M. Mullins, Jr., Farmington.”

I like the sidelines

Very seldom did my favorite photos make the newspaper, which, for some silly idea, wanted “news” photos. I liked stuff like the folks watching from the curtains. If you were in tight with the contest officials, you might get tipped off who the winner was going to be so you could be in the right position.

I put coronations and weddings in the same class: these are things you do NOT want to screw up. Brides and queens aren’t forgiving if you botch their big day.

Official newspaper photo

Here’s the photo that ran in the paper.

Miss Judy Mullins of Farmington, the first Miss Cape Girardeau, accepts a bouquet of roses from John Heskett at her coronation Friday night in Academic Hall Auditorium at State College. Jim Walling, master of ceremonies, is at right. Miss Cape Girardeau candidates pictured are, from left, Miss Jean Siemers of Cape Girardeau, Miss Mary Ann Rice of Fredericktown, Miss Vickie Boren and Miss Tana Austin of Cape Girardeau.

The court

“First runner-up Miss Mary Ann Rice, a state college freshman, won the talent competition. The Fredericktown co-ed sang “One Kiss.” Miss Rice recently was selected Miss Beautiful in the 1967 Miss Beautiful-Ugly Man contest as State College. She is the daughter of B.G. Rice.

“Miss Vicki Boren, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Boren, 1747 Oakley, is a senior at Central High School. She sang a number from Central High’s recent production of ‘Bye Bye Birdie.’

“Miss Kathryn Slinkard is a freshman at State College. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Slinkard, she sang a French medley.”

Tana Austin was Miss Congeniality

“Miss Tana Austin not only was chosen for the queen court but was also selected as Miss Congeniality. The daughter of Mrs. Opal Austin is a sophomore at State college and sang in talent competition.

“Other contestants were Miss Linda Young, State College sophomore from Little Rock, Ark.; Miss Rosemary Young, Central High School senior; Miss Jean Siemers, State College freshman.

“The 5-foot, four-inch blonde from Farmington will now represent Cape Girardeau in the Miss Missouri Pageant at Springfield this summer.

“Miss Mullins won a $250 scholarship, $100 in cash, a complete wardrobe and an expense-paid trip to Springfield.”

How much longer do we have to stick around?

I can identify with the guys on the right side of the stage checking their watches.

Photo Gallery of Miss Cape Girardeau contest

Click on any picture to make it larger, then click on the left or right side of the image to move through the gallery.

March 6, 2011January 15, 2012

Old Trinity Lutheran Church Bell

I mentioned that my brother Mark, and I did the best we could to document the old Trinity Lutheran Church before it was torn down. I decided to run the photos over a period of time rather than dumping them all at once. These photos were taken of the bell in the bell tower in August of 1978. (I’ll deal with the clock later.) As always, click on any image to make it larger.

How’d the bell-ringer know when to ring?

He’d listen to the service on the radio shown here on the left.

Black and white was better

This is one of those cases where the photo worked better in black and white. Note how wavy the glass in the mirror is.

Bell striker looked like sledge hammer

The bell had a clapper hanging inside it like you normally see, but it also had something that looked like a sledge hammer that could serve as a striker. I’m sure someone will be able to explain when it was used.

Bell bought in 1866?

You never know who to believe. The bell has a date of 1867 on it. A Sept. 1, 1937, Missourian story quotes Theodore Bock, 84, 214 North Lorimier street, as saying that the bell was bought in 1866.

“Mr. Bock was a lad of 12, and was a pupil at the church’s school when the bell arrived. The church, then known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church, was on William Street, east of Frederick street. The first day the 5-foot bell was up, he recalls, it was rung all day by children and adults. Rev. Riedel was pastor at that time.

“The bell, when moved to the present Trinity Lutheran Church, Mr. Bock says, was placed above the clock. He states he does not know who did the work high in the air when the steeple was built, but said it might have been Mr. Fisher or Mr. Hoer, who were two of the No, 1 carpenters in Cape Girardeau in those days.”

Bell set by Bernard Bremermann

A Sept. 3, 1937 Missourian story said, “…it has been revealed that the late Bernard Bremermann, father of Mrs. Alvine Owens and Mrs. Rose B. Gordon, 324 North Ellis street, Herman Bremermann, 315 Broadway, and John H. Bremermann, 19 North Fountain St., placed the heavy bell high in the steeple where it is now.

Bremermann was a spectator, while those working at the steeple were wondering how to get the heavy bell up so high. Having been a sailor, Mr. Bremermann was schooled in climbing and volunteered to do the job. Mrs. Owens recalled that she was a child in grade school when her father came home telling of the incident. Mr. Bremermann was a merchant on Broadway. He had left home when he was 16 years old to go on a sailing vessel and had been a pilot on the Gulf of Mexico for years before coming here.”

Moved to new church

I wasn’t there to capture the setting of the bell at the new Trinity Lutheran Church like I was when the First Presbyterian Church bell was hung in 1965, but another Missourian photographer was.

The caption said “Lee Underwood and Ed Meinz of the Walter Brockmiller Construction Co., carefully lower a girder that will be attached to the crown of the Trinity Lutheran Church bell, which was hoisted Thursday into the tower of the church under construction at Themis and Frederick. Underwood and Meinz are standing in the tower shortly after the bell, part of the original Trinity Lutheran Church, was lowered into the tower by a crane.”

(Actually, The Missourian said it was lowered by a “crain” in the June 19, 1981, cutline. I guess that reporter hadn’t been around many construction jobs.)

Gallery of bell photos

Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left or right side of the image to move through the gallery.