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.

           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.

As the Celebration of the Anniversary of the Dedication of the Mississippi River Tales Mural continues to approach, we want to give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what it was like getting this project off the ground and running. We chatted with local artist and original mural committee member, Don Greenwood, to learn more about that process.

"Back when the River Tales Mural planning committee was being formed, I got a call from Tim Blattner, the startup leader, asking if I would be interested in joining the group and helping bring this project to fruition. As the only artist in the mix, I was excited for the opportunity to share my insights because my input was going to be completely different than that of an engineer, a downtown stakeholder, a community member; I was looking at this as an opportunity to have a large-scale canvas that could serve as a community landmark for many years to come. As an artist, that’s exciting.

"Not long after planning started and we knew this project was going to get off the ground, I was asked to pull together an initial concept. What did I think it should look like? What was going to be meaningful for downtown and what would be representative of our community?

"The wall is so big and, at the time, almost looked like a prison wall, so I wanted to brighten it up. My initial sketch included four stone archways that served as windows to the river. What was on the other side of the wall is what would be depicted, with the addition of seasonal changes. One section would portray the river in the winter, one in the spring, one in the summer and one for fall. I took the idea to our committee and they were on board.

"Now that the initial design idea was fermenting, it was time to figure out who would be able to carry out this process. One person can’t do it alone; it takes a team. Our initial call for artists reaped in about 25 submissions. As a committee, we were able to initially par the list down to 17 seemingly qualified candidates. Years of research into each of these artists/companies styles, previous works and really figuring out if they would be a fit for this project, allowed us to narrow the selection field to three. These final groups were brought to Cape, each for three days, to experience our community, see the flood wall and the area they could be working in, and provide a final concept and estimate for the project.

"One company flew in two executives from New York; they brought their power team. However, neither of those individuals was an artist. So when we had questions specific to the design and how it could be carried out, they were unable to provide any answers. At that point, a red flag was raised. We weren’t comfortable going with a company whose artists we didn’t know and didn’t know if they were a good fit for our community. Group #2 came armed with an incredibly detailed, intricate design plan complete with etched marble, scroll work and fancy frills. While it seemed they produced fantastic work, it didn’t fit with our Southeast Missouri, heartland feel.

"The last artist to visit was Tom Melvin, from Chicago, Il. It was almost like something out of the movies when two characters meet and they just know they’ve found the one – we had that experience with Tom. His personality, style and vision for the mural were exactly what we were looking for. He understood where we’ve come from and what all it’s taken to get to where we were at that time.

"A few of us traveled to Chicago to learn more about him and his team. I stayed at Tom’s home while the other guys stayed with some of his friends; we almost felt like family. As we walked with him in their busy streets, locals would shout ‘Hey, Tom!’ and give him handshakes. There, in the windy city where we blended in with the rest of the hustle and bustle, Tom was well-known. He was experiencing in Chicago what we felt when we walked the streets of Cape Girardeau, where we knew our neighbors and ran into familiar faces quite frequently. Another link that he isn’t that different from us, he was relatable and personable.

"A collection of photographs lined the walls in one of his bathrooms. After closely examining them, I realized they were all images of Tom’s work; some were of him actually creating pieces. One really stuck out to me. Tom was hanging onto the edge of some scaffolding with one paintbrush in his mouth and another in his hand, working precariously to finish up a large piece. It was fantastic! After traveling around the city checking out Tom’s work and really getting to know him, our decision became more and more concrete that this was the right guy for the job.

"Upon settling on a contract, Tom took my initial concept and ran with it. He did a fantastic job of meticulously depicting our history and captured the essences of each time period so beautifully. The months he and his team spent creating in downtown were a true joy to experience.

"I love how great this mural turned out. It was a pleasure helping bring this to our community and I look forward to the many more years of joy it brings to Cape Girardeau."

To learn more about this project and to meet some of the original artists and planners, plan to attend the Mural Celebration sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau and Old Town Cape, on Thursday, July 30, at 2pm in the parking lot at the corner of Water and Themis Streets. Help us celebrate this beautiful downtown landmark!

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

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.

April showers bring May flowers - and flooding. Our Mighty Mississippi River is full right now. Flood stage here in downtown is 32 feet. The projected crest, which is the highest level the river is projected to reach, is 43 feet. Unfortunately, for heartland residents this is nothing new.

1937
The flood of 1937 caused $20 million in damage, the equivalent of more than $300 million in today's dollars. Thousands of people were left homeless and displaced for months, some forever. Tent cities, areas of high ground where people congregated to seek shelter, popped up across the area. For the first time since its construction in the early 1930's, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decided it was necessary to open the Birds Point Levee and help alleviate flooding pressure along the river. Cleanup throughout the Southeast Missouri area lasted for years and historians refer to this event as one of the greatest natural disasters in the country's history.

 1943
Like the major flood six years prior, the flood of 1943 was huge. The Mississippi crested at 42.4 feet in May of that year; 10.4 feet above flood stage. Just like before, thousands were displaced from their homes, WWII efforts were disrupted and livelihoods were ruined. In response to the widespread devastation, Congress passed the Flood Control Act in 1944 authorizing numerous flood control and water development projects to aid in the management of these efforts down the road.

1993
Crazy events culminated in the Flood of '93 because our area really didn't receive that much rain. Snow melt combined with an excessive amount of rain to the north caused our waters to rise excessively. The river first crept above above flood stage on March 7 and remained above this level for 126 consecutive days. Sandbaggers and pumps worked tirelessly for weeks trying to keep water out of our area. The entire affected area included the states of: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois. Approximately fifty flood deaths occurred and damages approached the $15 billion mark.

Our immediate forecast is iffy on the chance of rain. We'll just have to wait and see what Mother Nature decides to pass our way.
Photos courtesy of Chris Shivelbine, Southeast Missourian and UMSL

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.

This post is written by guest blogger, Lindsey Lotz, a Historic Preservation student at Southeast Missouri State University.

Did you know that May is National Historic Preservation month? As a student at Southeast Missouri State University studying Historic Preservation, I have long felt that there is a need for a piece that could be displayed in buildings downtown that would provide people who stroll by with information about the history and preservation of the building. So, I decided to take upon a project that would fill this need by creating posters for 120 Broadway, 121 Broadway, 19 North Spanish and 7-19 South Spanish. I chose these four buildings because they each have a varied history and have all served many different functions in the past.

For example, the building located at 120 Broadway is now home to Sweet Designs Boutique, but it originally sat on land owned by Louis Lorimer, who gave it to his daughter in his will. At the start, it was a single family hose, and for sometime it was home to Fred Kage, three time mayor of Cape Girardeau, who purchased it in 1886 for a mere $1,332. In approximately 1930, the house was renovated into a two family apartment and remained in that setup until 1972 when it became an office for SaveWay Oil Company. Local ledged suggests that the house was at one time sold for 300 gallons of whiskey.

Directly across from the former Kage House (120 Broadway) is what used to be Keys Music Store at 121 Broadway. Until recently, information about the architect was unknown, but new information points to J.B. Legg as the architect of the three story red brick building. Legg is famous for his work featured in the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, MO but also for the creation of Academic Hall and the copper dome that has become the symbol of Southeast Missouri State University. Today, the building is owned by Mike Rust and will soon be occupied by a microbrewery and a furniture store.

Built in 1941 by C.A. Juden, the building at 19 North Spanish was at one time an A&P Grocery Store. In fact, it was so large that it actually closed the other two A&P locations in Cape Girardeau at that time. The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company drastically changed the way people shopped back in the day by introducing a new supermarket model. Before the shoppers would go into a grocery store, they would hand their list to a clerk and the clerk would retrieve the items and sometimes would even help the customer carry the groceries home. A&P's vision behind this model was for the store to be fully self-service. Today, Brick Street Gallery Antiques is housed in this building.

7-19 South Spanish is located next to the parking lot that houses the Cape Riverfront Market on Saturday mornings between May and October. The Klostermann Block was built in 1905 by Louis F. Klostermann, a German immigrant who settled in Cape Girardeau after serving in the Civil War, who became a prominent business man with his store known as the "Bee" store. The Klostermann Block was built next to the "Bee" store and was used as a rental space. One of the most stunning features of the building is its pressed metal façade that was created by the Mesker Brother's company in St. Louis. Kelsen Gallery and Celebrations Downtown occupies the space today.

The research that I have done in order to create the posters has taught me so much about the history of downtown Cape. I couldn't have done it without the help of Old Town Cape, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Dr. Steven Hoffman. Keep an eye out for the posters that will go on display in May!

This post was contributed to by Steven Amrhein, Intern at Old Town Cape.

Visitors to downtown Cape Girardeau will be in for a treat when they tour the Glenn House this summer that is currently undergoing a renovation process. The Glenn House, established in 1883, sees over 2,000 guests annually, with 75% of those coming from out of town. This past week we were invited to look behind the scenes on what work is being done to the house in order to sustain it for public tours and events in the future. Tom Grantham, president of The Historical Associate of Greater Cape Girardeau, was kind enough to walk us through the process and give us a tour of the house to make it realistic.

The Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau kicked off a Capital Campaign in 2013 with a list of repairs that were needed in order to keep the 130 year old house in good condition for the next 130 years. The campaign was designed as a way to raise money over the next 3 to 4 years while fixing things along the way including the front porch that was redone in early 2013 and projects that still need to be completed in the future - wash house walls, second floor porch, exterior paint and tuck-pointing, etc.

So, back in November, Tom and his wife, Donna, began the next project as part of the campaign which involved renovating three of the upstairs bedrooms and the hallway. The work got off to somewhat of a rocky start, though, as they began the three month search (that they only thought would take a couple of weeks!) for wallpaper to match the authentic Victorian colors and patterns that were present in the bedrooms. They began by looking through hundreds of books at local vendors, but had no luck. Then, the search moved online and they brought in Mary Ann Kellerman of the Kellerman Foundation for Historic Preservation with hopes that she would have some expertise to share and insight on where they could find the wallpaper. By working together, the three of them finally came across an online retailer, Bradbury & Bradbury Wallpaper, that sells patterns from the 1800s.

Once the wallpaper hunt was over, they began the physical labor. On January 10, Teen Challenge assisted in moving the furniture out of the bedrooms to the first floor. It then took a week just to strip the wallpaper and they found some interesting messages on the walls behind the old wallpaper when doing so (pictures below)! A few days later, the plaster process began and lasted approximately two weeks before volunteers began priming and painting. Once the wallpaper arrived, they began applying it but it took a week to completely only one room - talk about intricate work! Tom is still awaiting the arrival of wallpaper for the third bedroom, but in the meantime Teen Challenge has begun moving furniture back upstairs into the two completed bedrooms and hallway.

When asked about the amount of help from the community in this process, Tom explained that "Some volunteers have a background in history, but most simply have a passion for sharing heritage and the integrity of the house. We are extremely thankful for their work and are always looking for more people to get involved."

While leaving the elegant house, we noticed names engraved in bricks that lined the arbor pathway back to the carriage house. We inquired about this with Tom and he explained that the bricks are just one of the unprecedented ways for people to support the Glenn House. However, they can also give through estate planning, an annual membership, hosting private events, and taking group tours. If you are interested in helping, visit their website or send an email to info@glennhouse.org. We strongly encourage you to take a tour of the renovated hours - you're sure to be in awe, we certainly were!