Cape Girardeau History and Photos

November 30, 2010October 27, 2011

Bollinger Mill Historic Site

Burfordville has a historical two-fer: the Bollinger Mill Historic Site and the Burfordville Covered Bridge. I’ll post photos of the bridge tomorrow.

The Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites website says three mills have been located at this site over the last 200 years.Union forces burned the mill to keep flour and meal out of Rebel hands during the Civil War. Only the foundation remained.

Solomon R. Burford, for whom the town is named, rebuilt the mill in 1867 upon the original foundation. His initials are still visible on a wall inside the front door.

Tours of mill available

We just missed being able to tour the mill and watch corn being ground into meal by water power. During the winter season – November through March, tours are given by appointment only.

The Vandivort family, relatives of George F. Bollinger, bought the mill in 1953 and turned it over to the Cape Girardeau County Historical Society in 1961 which, in turn, donated it to the state park system in 1967.

You can see the hours at the website.

Dam creates water source

A dam holds back water that is diverted through a sluice gate into the mill. The dam was originally built of logs, but it was rebuilt in stone in 1824. The limestone foundation and dam still exist.

Sluice gate

Water enters the mill through this gate and passes through a water turbine.

Favorite place for photographs

The Mill and covered bridge are favorite photo stops for tourists. I met folks there from around the area, California and Texas (Florida, too, if you count me).

Despite that, I can’t think of any memorable photos I ever took at the park. I guess it always felt too “touristy” for my taste.

Bollinger Mill Photo Gallery

Click on any photo to select it, then click on the left or right side of the image to move through the gallery. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to see photos of the Burfordville Covered Bridge.

November 28, 2010

Jackson Skating Rink

A Missourian news brief from Aug. 17, 1950, announced, “Elmer Seabaugh and Fred W. Wilferth, his son-in-law, both of Cape Girardeau, will build a roller rink at Jackson, and expect to start the building shortly.

“It will be 110 by 50 feet and will be largely frame. The floor will be made of maple. The hall will be near the west edge of Jackson Highway 61. The Elfrank company will erect the building.

“The rink owners have ordered equipment, including 150 pairs of skates. Mr. Seabaugh plans to move to Jackson, but Mr. Wilferth, principal of Washington School, expects to stay here.”

Woody and Jean Seabaugh

Woodrow “Woody” Seabaugh and his wife, Jean bought the rink in 1954 and ran it until 1983.

In 1960, the rink was renamed the Roll-O-Fun, but I never heard it called that. Cliff Wilson bought it in 1983 and named it the Jackson Skating Center. The Missourian’s Sam Blackwell did a long piece on the rink in 1998.

Roller rink became local landmark

The skating rink quickly became a landmark to refer to in planning and zoning stories: “… condemnations discussed involved the sewer trunk line and lateral district running from near the skating rink to near Farmington Road and Route D….”

All of the area skating rinks showed up in accident reports for broken bones and sprains. A Mar. 31, 1975, Jackson brief said that the Jackson Citizen’s Band Radio Club was planning a skating party. I hope that’s the kind of “Breaker, Breaker!” they encountered and not the first aid kind.

Skating rink for sale – $75,000

A real estate ad in 1975 offered a “SKATING RINK in small community. Join the kids and share their fun! $75,000” It was listed by a Jackson reality company, but it didn’t say if it was the Jackson skating rink that was for sale. Another ad in the Apr. 5, 1978, Missourian listed under “investment properties, 2 acres with skating rink” for $89,900. Again, it doesn’t say where it is.

No longer a skating rink

I couldn’t find a story that told when the building stopped being a skating rink. It looks like it’s occupied by a sign shop and a flea market these days.

Fred Wilferth was CHS principal

I was surprised to read that Central High School’s principal, Fred W. Wilferth, had been involved in the roller skating business. This is the way I remember him: sort of solemn, steady, firm but fair. When he was holding that mike, I wonder if he ever felt tempted to holler, “ALL SKATE!” or invite everyone down to do the Hokey Pokey? Of course, I never expected office secretary Helen Ketterer to cut loose at a wrestling match, either.

November 26, 2010March 9, 2015

New Steinhoff Tradition

I wrote about a utility pole near Perkins that has become a shoe magnet. Mother mentioned that she’d like to add a shoe to it. In fact, she mentioned it several times, just in case I didn’t get the hint the first time.

The Tulsa Clan consisting of Brother David, Sis-in-Law Diane and Niece Amy came to Cape to meet up with Brother Mark at Mother’s for Turkey Day.

I had to leave town, but Mark said he’d establish the New Steinhoff Family Tradition of adding shoes to the utility pole (dubbed tree, because it sounds better).

They ended up at the Perkins Shoe Tree

You can tell from this photo that there is some measure of confusion. Bro David is thinking, “Perkins? THIS is Perkins? I thought we were going to a pancake house.”

Amy, a veteran Black Friday shopper is looking around for a mall. “This isn’t a Shoe Tree like they have in Dallas next to Neiman-Marcus.”

Mark prepping the shoes

They should have had a clue that something unusual was going to happen when Mark told them to bring old shoes and then started drilling holes in them.

Red Door Antiques added shoe

Mark, an antique hunter, stopped in at Red Door Antiques in Delta along the way. While chatting with owner Ellie Cook, he let slip the Steinhoff Family mission.

Ellie said she had heard of the Perkins Shoe Tree (pole), but had never seen it. She contributed a shoe to the project.

Madeline DeJournett, chronicler of all that passes as news in Advance and its environs, said she was going to show up shoe in hand to meet the group, but begged off at the last minute because of family obligations.

Mark said he would leave an empty screw in the pole waiting for her. Do NOT read this as him saying that Madeline has a screw loose.

Collection of shoes

Note the red washers in six of the seven shoes. Mark thought it would be nice if it would be possible to identify the family shoes and which year they were put up.

Red is 2010.

I’m not sure if that is to reflect the Red State shift in the 2010 elections or if red was the paint that was handy.

The shoe without a red washer is Ellie Cook’s.

Legend identifies shoes

Mark decided that there should be a color-coded legend to go with the red washers. Cape represents Mother; St. Louis is Mark; Tulsa was David, Diane and Amy. Madeline isn’t family, but she’s from Advance, so he was going to make her an honorary Steinhoff for the occasion. (Then she didn’t show. Real family trumps honorary family any day.)

Memorial shoes

Here’s a look at some of the shoes and the legend. We sure hope nobody from Perkins takes offense at us interlopers taking up space on their pole. If it turns out that it’s illegal to tack shoes on utility poles, I want to point out that I was in Florida while all of this was going on.

The culprits

Here are the shoe tackers at the scene: Amy, Mother, Diane and David. Mark, who wanted to avoid being documented at the scene, didn’t take into account his shadow at the bottom of the photo.

Wife Lila is headed back for a visit in December. Mother mentioned that she was going to swing back to check on the shoes on her way to Advance before Christmas, so I bet she could be persuaded to show Lila where to tack a spare shoe.

Thanks to Mark and Amy for the photos

November 25, 2010November 28, 2010

Adam and Carly’s for TGiving

Son Adam and Wife Carly invited us over for a Thanksgiving mini-feast with their friends Eric and Laura.

I never was any good at studio photography. I particularly avoided taking food pictures as much as possible. I didn’t have the patience to arrange everything just so.

So, these photos didn’t have any fancy lighting or placement. What I saw is what I shot.

Steam poured out of turkey

The electric knife was a Christmas present to Lila from her father nearly 40 years ago. It’s a little balky, but it’ll still slice turkey.

The bird was soaked in brine overnight, then put on the grill until the internal temperature reached 170 degrees (based on a wireless probe Adam kept monitoring).

It was unbelievably moist, based on some pieces I snatched up before they fell on the floor.

Green beans

The meal was both tasty AND colorful. Lila tells me this green bean dish by Carly contained shallots, bacon, almonds and balsamic vinegar.

When Adam saw this picture, he was distressed by the odd green bean at the bottom of the frame. It offended his sense of order.

Sweet potatoes and marshmallows

Lila does not eat this, but makes it because it’s a Steinhoff family tradition. I whined last year when she “forgot” to make it. She calls it candy, not food. It contains sweet potatoes, crushed pineapple, brown sugar and a topping of melted, toasted miniature marshmallows.

Yeast rolls and cranberry relish

Lila provided the yeast rolls and cranberry relish. The relish is made of raw cranberries, oranges, cinnamon and sugar.

NY-style cheesecake

This was Carly’s first attempt at New York-style cheesecake. It was served naked (the cheesecake, not the server) with a topping of homemade whipped cream on the side.

If this is really her first cheesecake, she should retire now. I don’t think it’s possible to make one any better.

Recipes are available

If you’re interested in how to make any of this stuff, let me know and I’ll pass your request on to the cooks.

You can be assured that the information won’t come directly from me. My recipe book is the stack of carry-out menus under the kitchen telephone.