New Life for Lorimier Apartments

Lorimier Apartments 04-01-2016A reader sent me good news the other day: the old Lorimier Apartments across from Indian Park at Lorimier and William are being worked on.

When I photographed them in July of last year, I figured they would keep deteriorating until they fell in.

Laura Simon wandered around

Lorimier Apartments 04-01-2016There was nobody around to ask permission to go onto the property when I drove by, but Missourian photographer Laura Simon spent some time documenting the place if you want to wander over to see her gallery.

Bridget Brown reported that Jason Coalter and Dustin Richardson of Centurion Development are doing the renovations. What’s interesting is that Bridget wrote the apartments were built in 1925, but I found Missourian stories mentioning the place as far back as June 7, 1919.

Lorimier Apartments

Lorimier Apartments 06-17-2015I’ve always been curious about the Lorimier Apartments, at the corner of Lorimier and William, across from Indian Park.

The earliest mention I of them I could find in The Missourian archives was a June 7, 1919, story that W.L. (Doby) Timbs was suing the city of Cape Girardeau for constructing what he said was a sewer line that was too small that caused flooding in the vicinity of the Lorimier apartments.

Sold to John Sackman for $15,000

March 25, 1921 – “One of the most important realty transactions of the new year in this city was reported today in the announcement of the sale of the Lorimier Apartments, corner of Lorimier and William Streets, to John Sackman. The consideration “$15,000 and other consideration,” the announcement says.

Leon Heisserer of Benton was the owner of the Lorimier apartments and the bungalow at the south…. The property has a frontage of 117 feet on Lorimier and 60 feet on William Street. The deal was made by the Ben Vinyard Realty company.”

Sold in November for $24,000

November 21, 1921 – “Two important real estate deals were consummated in Cape Girardeau on Saturday.

“The Lorimier Apartments … was sold by John T. Sackman to H.F. Dossett, a farmer living on the Rock Levee road, six miles from the city. The consideration was $24,000.

“Two hundred acres of land on the Rock Levee road, near Ramsey Creek, six miles from Cape Girardeau, were sold by H.F. Dossett to John Sackman for $28,000. The Cape Girardeau Real Estate Company, W.D. Deevers, agent, handled both transactions.

“Mr. Dossett stated today that he would rent the apartments as has been the custom. Mr. Sackman will build a fine house and barn on the farm, he intimated today. The farm will be rented out, he said.”

A more interesting Page One headline in that day’s paper read, “Malden Maids Ride With Cape Boys and School Fires Them.” Some high school girls got into big trouble when the city slickers “blew into” town.

Mrs. French and son travel

April 17, 1923Mrs. R.R. French and little son, Paul, of Lorimier Apartments are visiting relatives in St. Louis. They are expected to return here next Sunday. (In other big news of the day, “Mrs. W.H. Jacobs and Mrs. C.W. Kinsey motored to Jackson this morning to spend the day with Mrs. Jacobs’ parents.”)

October 3, 1923 – Mrs. R.R. French and little son, Paul, of Lorimier Apartments, left on the noon train today for Senath to visit relatives for about two weeks.

Bartels’ home damaged by fire

December 12, 1935 – “A gasket, blowing out on the intake of the city $10,500 two-year-old fire truck, handicapped firemen in fighting a blaze which badly damaged the dwelling of Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Bartels, 227 North Middle street.” The Bartels moved into Lorimier Apartments until their home could be repaired.

“Mr. Bartels, owner of Bartels Merc. Co., 735 Broadway, was at his store and Mrs. Bartels was attending a matinee at the Fox Broadway Theater. Miss Alma Enderle, who is employed at the home, was the only person there and was not aware of the fire until warned by neighbors.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preservation Homework: Parks and Buildings

This is a continuation of the links I’m posting to help students in a SEMO Historical Preservation class. They’ve been given a list of Cape landmarks to research. It turns out I’ve written about most of them, so I’m going to give them a some background information about some of the parks and random buildings they’re looking for. I posted churches and cemeteries yesterday.

I’m doing a presentation to the class on April 8 where I will tell the students what I do and why I do it. After that, I’ll talk about how I do it. I hope I can get across there is no better way to find out things than to knock on doors and talk with people like I’m doing with The Last Generation project. I won’t swear that I get all the facts right, but you readers do a good job of setting me straight when I’ve miss the mark.

Cape Rock Overlook Park

Old Bridge Overlook Park

 Cape Girardeau City Hall

Indian Park

Indian Park 04-16-2011Louis Lorimier and his Indian cohorts, battling the Americans, captured Daniel Boone.

Houck Field House

KFVS TV Studio/Tower on Broadway

Mark Steinhoff, KFVS-TV cameraman in studio c 1967This story has lots of links about KFVS

Fort D Park

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, Cape Air flight CGI - STL, Lambert Airport

 

 

Are You a Toadstool or a Mushroom?

Mushrooms - Indian Park 07-07-2013Mother and I were headed from Point A to Point B when I looked over at Indian Park and did an immediate U-turn. When you  can see mushroom/toadstools 75 feet away at 25 mph., it’s worth a second look.

Baseball to softball size

Mushrooms - Indian Park 07-07-2013These four guys were located together near a shade tree. There was at least one other one roughly 30 feet away. The smallest was about the size of a baseball; the biggest one was softball size. They had the general color and shape of a near-perfectly toasted marshmallow.

I’m surprised to have lived this long. I didn’t want to press my luck by nibbling on a mushroom/toadstool.

I hope I don’t get in trouble with Wife Lila for venturing into topics she normally covers in her gardening blog.