8 Activities For Kids This Fall in 

Downtown Cape Girardeau

1. Discovery Playhouse

Written by Southeast Missouri State University Student Guest Blogger Laura Williams

This blog series is presented through a partnership between the Historic Preservation Commission of Cape Girardeau, the Historic Preservation Program at Southeast Missouri State University, and Old Town Cape.



       When Cape Girardeau County residents visit the Tax Assessors Office, located behind the Court of Common Pleas at 44 N. Lorimier St., they probably do not realize they are also visiting the original Cape Girardeau Carnegie Library. In 1914, shortly after the City opened its first public library in the Ellingood Building on the corner of Spanish and Themis, new conversations began about how to best fund and construct a bigger and more accessible building that would be able to accommodate the needs of the quickly growing town. Ideas became more substantial plans in 1916 when the Women’s Council of Clubs was the recipient of a $20,000 construction pledge from the Carnegie group for a new library building.  After WWI temporarily interrupted progress, the Women’s Council was able to retake the torch, and in 1921 the Carnegie Corporation reaffirmed its financial support for the project through a $25,000 donation, with the stipulation that the citizens must contribute the remaining $5,000 needed for the project. The residents of Cape Girardeau did more than just affirm their support for a new library building, but also proved their enthusiasm by raising $11,000, more than twice the necessary amount. 

            The original structure, finished in 1922, was one of the last libraries funded by the Carnegie Corporation. Costing $30,000 to construct, the Collegiate Gothic Style building features a flat roof with a limestone cornice line and window surround and red brick laid in the English bond pattern. In 1959, a new foyer designed by prolific architect and Cape Girardeau native John Boardman, was added onto the main entry, significantly altering the physical appearance. This addition had a much more modern architectural style, with a distinctive and prominent curved wall, made from rough-cut ashlar limestone. As the needs of the community continued to grow, the Public Library moved to its current location on Clark St. in 1980 and Cape Girardeau County took over the old building for offices.

            The old Carnegie Library building served the City of Cape Girardeau as a vital source of information and a repository for educational materials for almost 60 years and continues to serve the public’s needs today.

 Written by Guest Blogger Alyssa Phares, Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau and President of the Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission

This blog series is presented through a partnership between the Historic Preservation Commission of Cape Girardeau, the Historic Preservation Program at Southeast Missouri State University, and Old Town Cape.

Located at 805 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, the Broadway Theatre, a National Register of Historic Places property, stands vacant. The Broadway Theatre is significant in that it has contributed to Cape Girardeau’s entertainment and recreational history. The Broadway Theatre is the older of the two remaining historic theatres in Cape Girardeau and is the only surviving one from the silent film and vaudeville eras.

Some would say I am theatre obsessed. But really, it is this theatre that has me wrapped around its finger. I believe strongly in the power of historic preservation and community development. Community theatres provide and still provide a sense of place, a reason to interact socially and in the past they served as a recreational center for members and visitors. The Broadway Theatre was a part of Cape Girardeau’s community fabric from the time it was built in 1921 until it closed its doors for the first time in 1960. During its heyday the Broadway theatre offered a wide variety of entertainments such as style reviews, operettas, concerts, and various community organization activities.

Restoration of the historic Broadway Theatre would be a worthy and fitting project downtown revitalization project in Cape Girardeau. The potential value of a restored Broadway Theatre to Cape Girardeau’s social and cultural scene also cannot be overlooked. As in decades past the theatre could once again become the place to meet friends and be seen out in the community. A vibrant restored theatre brings a bit of big city feel to the smaller community.

 Patrons of the theatre could take their business to the Broadway Corridor for dining, shopping and leisurely strolls before and after events. The theatre could complement the recently built River Campus facility at Southeast Missouri State University and become a draw for heritage tourism.  Picture a lit-up marquee on a tree-lined Broadway avenue, pulsing with light, advertising the interesting events taking place within. It is for all of these reasons that This Place Matters to Cape Girardeau.

           Many of Cape Girardeau’s historic commercial buildings have housed various businesses. This coming and going of businesses is a natural part of a community’s evolution, adding layers to our cultural story. The building at 1127 Broadway is one such example. Currently, the building is home to the sports bar D’Ladiums, but it has also been a drug store, a grill, and a soda fountain.

            The building was originally constructed in 1929, and opened in 1930 as Dormeyer Pharmacy. In September of 1929, the Southeast Missourian reported that, “Plans are being made for construction of a large, modern Spanish-type drug store building on Broadway, just east of Henderson Avenue; Dormeyer Pharmacies is having one-story structure built of light-colored brick; in addition to prescription department, building will contain booths for seating 120 people and complete luncheon service will be offered.” To the right of the front entrance is a distinctive arched doorway. Now closed, this previously led down a set of stairs to the basement of the building. Originally, a soda fountain called “The Cellar” operated there, later being renamed “The Dungeon” and “The Marine Room.” According to the 1942 Cape Girardeau City Directory, Dormeyer Pharmacy, Crescent Cleaners, and USPO Station No 3 were all located at 1127 Broadway. In 1945, the directory lists Matthews Drug Store at that address, but from 1949-1955 it lists Evans Pharmacy. From 1956-1958 the address description was a simple and self- explanatory, “Vacant”.  

The building’s history took a sharp turn, when In October of 1959, the now legendary Jerry “Big Dog” Priest opened a pool hall called Paladium. Located directly across from the University’s Houck Field House, Paladium quickly became a pre/post game tradition for SEMO students. Priest was an excellent pool player and became quite the local legend. Priest started serving hot dogs, chili, and beer on tap. Many people have fond memories of “Big Dog” and the bar. Competitive pool was, and remains, a mainstay activity.  In 2004, the Dirnberger Investment Company bought the building and renamed the bar and pool hall D’Ladium’s but kept the atmosphere that everyone had come to love. 

Since 1974   the memorable and charismatic Jerry Beaver (known as Beaver or the Captain) has managed Pladium/D’Ladium’s. He also has a starring role in most patrons’ memories. You can usually find him directing the bar from his vintage barbershop chair. A cartoon Beaver with an outstretched beer is featured prominently on the exterior sign.  He has literally become a living mascot. The phrase, “The Pard Welcomes You” is featured on the sign and on memorabilia for sale inside. Jerry explained that this is a saying he came up with to greet his best friends. He said that a “Pard” is really just a word he coined for buddy or good friend. Although the story of D’ladiums is a legend in itself, without the historic building it calls home, many fond memories would not have happened.

Fall is a beautiful time to get outside and enjoy all that the season has to offer. Whether you prefer to get out in nature, or to stay in the city explore the shops and attractions downtown, now is the time to get out of the house before winter weather makes it difficult.

With the leaves changing and a cool breeze blowing through almost every sunny day, fall is also a great time to take photos or get portraits. Family portraits for Christmas cards and photo albums look great when surrounded by bright fall colors and seniors in almost every high school choose this time to get their senior photos done.

Downtown Cape Girardeau is host to a multitude of fantastic photographers who specialize in everything from weddings to newborns, meeting any needs you may have for photos this fall. These photographers take photos in beautiful and scenic locations all around the cape area.

Katie Blattel, of Katie Blattel Photography at 221 Independence St., specializes in newborns and high school seniors. Throughout her career she’s done almost every kind of photography there is, but she says that newborns and seniors will always be her favorites. She enjoys doing newborn sessions in her studio, judging which props and backdrops would fit best with each child’s personality and look. When she photographs seniors, she likes to take them outside into more natural settings. With her high school senior sessions, she decides which locations and setting, urban or rural, to use based on the clients preferences, personalities and style. Though there are many fantastic places in the area to take portrait photos, Blattel says that her favorite is the yellow doors at Port Cape, which add the perfect pop of color to any senior photo.

Shannon Duggan Photography, located at 42 N. Main St., mostly sticks to wedding and engagement photos and portraits of high school seniors; however, she likes to build a relationship with her clients and many of them return for anniversary photos, newborn sessions, and family portraits. Duggan will meet her clients in her office space, which she shares with Annie-Em’s At Home, but prefers to get outside and utilize natural light for her shoots. Annie-Em’s At Home does a lot of styling for Duggan’s shoots, providing furniture and props to give a unique style and feel to every session. Although she travels all over the Midwest for wedding shoots, Duggan says that she loves working in Cape Girardeau because it offers, as she says, the best of both worlds. It has beautiful locations both in the city and on the backroads just outside city limits, perfect for capturing the mood for any shoot. She can take a photo of groomsmen on certain streets downtown for an edgier city look, then drive a few minutes outside of the city to a beautiful backroad location to give a bride a softer, more natural styled photo.  Her favorite location in downtown Cape to take portrait clients is an ivy covered wall at Annie Laurie’s Antiques, which offers a beautiful and unique backdrop for any occasion.

As the anniversary of the dedication of the Mississippi River Tales Mural continues to approach, we want to give another peak into what this landmark means to panel sponsor Kent Zickfield of Zickfield's Jewelry & Gifts. Kent paid tribute to his father's legacy by sponsoring the section from 1880 titled 'The Coming of the Railroad'.

"My dad, William August Zickfield, started what would eventually become our family business, Zickfield’s Jewelry & Gifts, in 1939, right here along this river. He was an integral part of the downtown business scene for many years. Making it through the initial startup phase back in the early 1940’s, during the height of World War II and on the heels of the great depression, was quite a feat. He knew downtown Cape Girardeau was where he needed to be.

"Upon his passing while I was still in college, I took the business reins and, along with my mother, started the family tradition. Many of the main business principles my dad taught me are still in practice at Zickfield’s today. As my kids are becoming more involved and I see their vision and passion for what our family has built, it makes me incredibly proud.

"When this opportunity arose to sponsor a portion of the floodwall mural, it seemed the perfect tribute to my dad for the many contributions he gave to downtown.  I chose this section because the conductor that’s prominently featured along the right side of the mural is holding a pocket watch, an iconic symbol of this time period and an accessory we’ve helped supply since our store’s inception. It was also the prefect location. In the old days, downtown merchants could purchase a spot in the parking lot at the corner of Water and Themis Streets. My dad’s spot was in the very front corner; the corner that almost directly faces this section of the flood wall. This mural captures the history of our community, a history that runs deep within the Zickfield family. I couldn’t think of a better tribute."

This post was co-written by guest blogger Kent Zickfield and Christa Zickfield, Old Town Cape Project Manager.

As crazy as it is to believe, it has already been almost 10 years since we dedicated the Mississippi River Tales Mural. This landmark attracts people from around the area who are interested in art, the river, our history and heritage, and serves as a landmark for our downtown. A celebration coordinated by the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau and Old Town Cape is set for Thursday, July 30, at 2pm to commemorate the anniversary and celebrate everything it has brought to the community. This event is open to the public, so please plan to join us.

Did you know there are 25 panels that make up this mural? Each section depicts a significant event in Cape Girardeau's history, dating back to 900's when the Native Americans explored our area. To help cover the monumental cost of planning for and creating this masterpiece, sponsorships of each panel were offered to the public. Our community rallied around this effort and all 25 were sponsored.

Jim and Teresa Maurer stepped up to the plate when the sponsorship opportunity presented itself. Their sponsored section depicts a scene from the flood of 1927. Read below to find out why they decided to invest in this project and what the mural means to them.

"We wanted to be a part of it, and the sponsorship of a downtown mural seemed a very fitting opportunity. Apparently the rest of the community agreed because there were only a few panels left by the time we decided to definitely participate. But what a commemoration of an event that shaped our community – The Big Flood of 1927.

"We love the details that helped make up this section. From the flapper dresses and period-specific vehicle, to the marking of the actual water level with the fish swimming at the bottom. It’s such a historic moment of our past that’s beautifully captured, this was the prefect section.

"We often drive down Water Street and observe people studying the panels, and I am again reminded of the unique history - told in the panels on the flood wall - that Cape Girardeau has given us. We have the origins, growth, successes and heartaches of the history of Cape Girardeau told in pictorial fashion all along the flood wall. The wall is a legacy to all the people who have lived, are living and who will be living in Cape Girardeau."

This post was co-written by guest blogger Teresa Maurer and Christa Zickfield, Old Town Cape Project Manager.

It's officially summer, which means it's Mississippi Riverboat Season! Talk about Americana at its finest - beautiful, majestic riverboats docking in our picturesque downtown with calliope music drifting through the breeze. We've welcomed these vessels to our downtown for decades now and, for some, heading to the water to take in the excitement has become a tradition.

For the majority of recent history, two riverboats, the American Queen and the Queen of the Mississippi, have made downtown a stop along their journey. New for 2015, we now have an additional boat to welcome as American Eagle has joined in the route for the first time.

According to American Cruise Lines, 'The brand new American Eagle has design elements reminiscent of an earlier time on the river coupled with a surprising assortment of modern luxuries. Spacious staterooms, fine furnishings, and private balconies are among the welcoming features which make the American Eagle comparable to your favorite world class hotels. Much like its sister ship, the Queen of the Mississippi, this new boat will raise the standard for river cruising in the United States.'

'Queen of the Mississippi delivers an experience unlike any other riverboat. Launched in 2012 and modeled after traditional Victorian-style riverboats of the late 1800s, she was the first paddlewheeler built for the Mississippi River in nearly 20 years. Queen of the Mississippi offers passengers modern amenities and comforts including large staterooms with private balconies, hotel-style bathrooms, complimentary room service, WiFi, and more,' highlights American Cruise Lines.

'Transporting guests back in time in the most elegant fashion, the experience aboard Queen of the Mississippi is a seamless blend of old and new. Beneath her historic décor, gleaming woodwork and brass fixtures is a framework of modern cruise ship technology that provides passengers with the most comfortable and upscale vacation imaginable on the Mississippi River.'


The American Queen Steamboat Company is incredibly proud of its star ship, the American Queen. Being the largest steamboat ever built, they've packed quite an experience inside this floating fortress. 'Although filled with today’s modern amenities, her rooms and accommodations display all the opulence of the American Victorian era. Glistening woodwork, fresh flowers and antiques adorn her interior spaces. While on board, you can select a volume from the vast collection in the Mark Twain Gallery, the boat’s library. Or enjoy a sing-along in the Main Deck Lounge, and then tap your toes to a lavish show in the two-deck-tall Grand Saloon, the most elegant showplace on the river.'

Check out the following schedule and see when you can be a part of the excitement.

July 2nd	American Queen	8am-5pm	Cancelled due to high water
July 6th	American Queen	8am-5pm	Cancelled due to high water
July 15th	Queen of the Mississippi	9:15am-noon	Cancelled due to high water
July 17th	American Queen	10am-5pm	Cancelled due to high water
July 19th	Queen of the Mississippi	9:15am-noon	Cancelled due to high water
July 30th	Queen of the Mississippi	9:15am-noon
July 31	American Queen	Noon-5pm
Aug 18th	American  Eagle	9am-noon
Sept 14th	Queen of the Mississippi	9:15am-noon
Sept 23rd	Queen of the Mississippi	2:15pm
Oct 14th	American Queen	8am-1pm

Please note this schedule is tentative and determined by the weather, river levels and currents. We will try to keep you updated as information changes and becomes available. 

Stacy Dohogne-Lane, Public Relations Director for the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, has worked closely with the riverboat companies for several years. When the opportunity presented itself last year for her to board one of these beautiful boats, she couldn't pass it up. "I love looking out at our bend of the Mississippi River, and watching the river change throughout the year as it rises and falls," Stacy commented. "It isn't everyday you get to see Cape Girardeau from the river and not the other way around! The American Queen was in town at the end of July last year and I had some business to attend to with the folks on board, so I jumped at the chance to snap a few pictures of our river city from a different perspective."

These riverboats are a part of the eclectic canvas that makes up our downtown culture and just one of the many reasons we're one of the greatest downtowns in the nation. Check out Stacy's photos below, we know you'll enjoy them, and plan to head downtown throughout the summer to catch one of the dockings. See you soon!

This post was written by guest blogger, Alyssa Basler, Intern at Old Town Cape.

Southeast Missouri State University will celebrate its second annual community River Campus Summer Arts Festival this Saturday, June 20. “Seussical” the musical will be capping the day with a performance at 7:30pm. Last year’s festival had a record attendance with more than 1,200. This year’s event will feature live music, dance, visual art displays, theatrical performances, an art walk, magic, hands-on family-friendly art expression activities, museum exhibitions, and Plein Art Painting. The festival is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free and open to all ages.

The music line-up has grown extensively since last year. The entertainment will run continually throughout the day featuring the Suzuki players, magician Rob Huff, Mr. Saxophone, Steve Schaffner, Jazz Trio 440’s, the Jerry Ford Combo and Barefoot on Sunday. Children’s activities will be available all day as well, including face painting and hands on activities in the kids’ art tent. The Avenue of Art competition will be back again with a new special category for creating Dr. Seuss art. Additionally, artists of all ages can participate in creating chalk art, with Craig Thomas composing a piece for the festival. Art booths will include demonstrations and art for sale. Ceramics students will demonstrate their craft, and printmaking students will offer a workshop. Students from the Southeast Department of Art and multiple professional artists will have art booths available. In the southwest parking lot, the Southeast Explorer mobile museum will showcase a United States history exhibit and the River City Rodders will display antique and hot rod cars. Bart Williams of the Southeast Department of Theatre and Dance, will present a stage combat exhibition of Quarterstaff fighting outdoors in the Seminary Quad. The River City Players will perform “Sleuth” by Anthony Shaffer.  There will be numerous dance and theater performances, demonstrations, and workshops throughout the day. See SEMO's website for more information.

The all-day event will close with a performance of “Seussical” the musical at 7:30 p.m. in the Wendy Kurka Rust Flexible Theatre. “Seussical” is a musical comedy based on numerous Dr. Seuss books. The musical is written by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.  It is a comedy that will be enjoyed by the entire family. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the River Campus Box Office, located in the Cultural Arts Center, 518 S. Fountain St., weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,  calling (573) 651-2265 or by visiting www.RiverCampusEvents.com. Additional performances will include June 18-19, 25- 27 at 7:30 p.m., 2 p.m. matinees on June 21, 27 and 28, and a special 10 a.m. performance on June 26.  Get tickets now, seats are filling up quickly!

We, at Old Town Cape, are happy to get the opportunity to work with Southeast Missouri State University campuses on events such as this one. It is partnerships like these that help further opportunities for the University and Downtown and offer a variety of activities for the community to take part in.

This post was written by guest blogger, Alyssa Basler, intern at Old Town Cape.

Lots of times when people think of 'Old Town Cape' they think of our Executive Director, Marla, and Kevin and Christa, the 'staff'. Little do many people realize though, that we have an arsenal of committees and volunteers who guide our actions, back our opinions and oversee what goes on in and around our 131-block district. At the helm of our organization is Donna Denson - the President of our Board of Directors who oversees one of the greatest downtowns in the nation (what a title!).

Originally from Festus, Mo, Donna came to Cape to attend Southeast Missouri State University. After graduating with a degree in mass communications, she worked in sales at Southwestern Bell (now AT&T) and was then recruited by the Southeast Missourian. A career with this company that began in 1991, she was ecstatic to have the opportunity to work for the local paper. Little did she know that 24 years later she would still be making a difference in and around the community while serving as the Advertising Director for this cornerstone operation.

When figuring out where and what community organizations to be involved in, downtown and Old Town Cape was an obvious choice. In her early days at the Missourian, she worked with several downtown businesses on their marketing (Tipoff magazine, for example), so it was a natural fit to attend the Downtown Merchants Association (DMA) meeting and become involved. 'I still remember our barbecue on the riverfront when the merchants association & Old Town Cape became one,' Donna reminisced. The years have gone by quickly and my has there been a lot of change in our area.

To someone so vested in our area, her response to 'What is your favorite part of downtown?' didn't come as a surprise. 'I don’t know if I can pick a favorite,' she exclaimed! 'I love the riverfront, our shops & restaurants - all that Old Town Cape has to offer.' One specific spot she treasures as a quiet place to sit and decompress is the top of the courthouse steps. The beautiful view of the river and our charming Main Street area, it's just what she needs to rejuvenate and refocus. (We couldn't agree more!)

Downtown isn't perfect; there will always be room for improvement. And if Donna could change just one thing about downtown, it would be to change the opinions of the few cynics who only focus on a couple of empty buildings, some litter or other issue in downtown and don’t see and appreciate the improvements that have been made, over time, in Old Town Cape. 'You can’t truly appreciate how far we’ve come if you haven’t contributed in some way,' she commented. 'Each of us can make a difference. So if you aren’t already, get involved and help us build the future Old Town Cape!'

Donna is proud of the impact Old Town Cape is making in our district and throughout the community.

This organization has created a unified vision for our downtown and works hard every day to make sure Downtown Cape Girardeau is an inviting area for people to live, work and play. While our work is never done, we can all take pride in being designated a Great American Main Street Community. ' How awesome is that!'

Enough business, let's get to know Donna personally. Guys beware, the following sounds like something straight out of a chick-flick. Donna met her husband Phil during college when he moved into the apartment next to her. She literally married the boy next door! Boy moves in next door, notices the pretty neighbor, rustles up enough courage to ask her out and the rest is history. See, we told you it was just like the movies! 'Phil is the love of my life,' she gushed, 'and my best friend.' They have 3 grown daughters and 4 grandchildren who, of course, 'are the cutest, smartest and most-talented kids on the planet!' ;) We're pretty sure every grandma is allowed to make that judgement!

Something about Donna that you may not know is she is one of 8 children in her family. Wow! 'We were poor, it was loud, it was cramped, but it was great!'

Old Town Cape is incredibly fortunate to have Donna on our leadership team, as an involved downtown business woman and a friend. We are confident that downtown is headed in the right direction because of the guidance and support she offers. Organizations say this all the time, but at Old Town Cape we truly believe we have the best support system around!

Summing up her downtown sentiments, 'A thriving and vibrant downtown is healthy for our entire community. The downtown is the heart of Cape and a timeless treasure for us to enjoy – come be a part of it!'

This post was co-written by Donna Denson, Old Town Cape Board of Directors President, and Christa Zickfield, Old Town Cape Project Manager.