The Historic Preservation Commission encourages and engages in activities pertaining to the preservation of the City’s historic resources. The Commission is responsible for establishing and maintaining an inventory of surveys on historic properties as required by City ordinance and State law. The Commission also makes recommendations on nominations for Local Historic District and Local Historic Landmark designations. The Commission reviews Certificate of Appropriateness requests for compliance with the City’s design criteria. The Commission also serves in an advisory capacity on matters pertaining to historic properties, such as National Register applications, planning and zoning applications, public projects, grants, and code amendments. In addition to the above duties, the Historic Preservation Commission engages in a number of programs that educate the community about the value of historic properties and historic preservation. These programs are listed below.

Historic Preservation Month Walking Tour

Each May, in honor of Historic Preservation Month, the Historic Preservation Commission hosts a walking tour in one of Cape Girardeau's historic districts.

Master Preservation Plan

The Master Preservation Plan was prepared in 1999 by Thomason & Associates under the direction of the Historic Preservation Commission. The plan provides a thorough examination of historic structures in the community and offers recommendations on future preservation activities.

Endangered Buildings List

In 2012, the Historic Preservation Commission released its first Endangered Buildings List. The purpose of the list is to identify properties in the City which, in the opinion of the Commission, are worthy of preservation but are at risk due to physical damage and/or long term vacancy. The goal of the list is to raise awareness of these buildings in the hopes that they may be saved.

DOWNLOAD NOMINATION FORM

2024 Endangered Buildings List
2023 Endangered Buildings List
2022 Endangered Buildings List
2021 Endangered Buildings List
2020 Endangered Buildings List
2019 Endangered Buildings List
2018 Endangered Buildings List
2017 Endangered Buildings List
2016 Endangered Buildings List
2015 Endangered Buildings List
2014 Endangered Buildings List
2013 Endangered Buildings List


Cape Girardeau's Original Treasures

Original Treasures is a yard sign program that recognizes historic buildings that have been preserved. To be eligible for Original Treasures, a building must be at least 50 years old, feature a unique architectural design or represent a vernacular style, and has been maintained in a manner that retains its architectural integrity.

The first Original Treasure property of 2024 is the Indie House at 605 Broadway.

605 Broadway, also known as the Indie House, was built in 1891 for William Coerver. This house is a part of the Broadway Historic District and was built in the Queen Anne Style. The building is clad in red brick which has been laid in the common bond with Flemish headers. Its beautiful, hipped roof is made of decorative tiles and is quite irregular, which is a defining feature of many Queen Anne-style buildings.

The façade of the building also stands out for its asymmetrical nature, which is another common theme of the Queen Anne style. The Indie House retains its original porch, along with many of its original sash windows and arched brickwork. The building was built on a sandstone foundation.

William Coerver was the original owner of the Indie House and was a druggist in Cape Girardeau for over 50 years. He also served as mayor for two non-consecutive terms between the years 1885-1901 and 1905-1907. In 1916, the house was purchased by Dr. G.B. Schulz. Dr. Schulz and his wife Alice, who was a registered nurse, operated a private hospital known as the Schulz Surgical Hospital out of their home from 1923 to 1927. This small hospital housed 14 beds and treated 840 patients during its four years of operation. The Schulz Surgical Hospital was closed after the opening of Southeast Missouri Hospital in 1928.

Since then, the Indie House has been occupied as a private residence, a photography business, and a coffee shop. Now it is the home of The Indie House Creative Spaces, which offers collaborative retail spaces.

The second Original Treasure property of 2024 is 1427 William.

1427 William Street is a fantastic example of an American Four-Square house. This house was built in 1904-1906 by Oscar Hirsch's (founder of Hirsch Radio which later became KFVS-12) aunt and uncle. The American Four-Square was meant as a reaction to mass-produced and ornate elements of other popular architectural styles of this time such as Victorian or Queen Anne. An American Four-Square was supposed to be more "honest" and handcrafted.

Cape Girardeau has many American Four-Square buildings, and 1427 William is an excellent example of one. The hallmarks of the style include a square, boxy design, two-and-one-half stories high, usually with four large, boxy rooms to a floor (except for the attic floor, which typically has only one or two rooms), a central dormer, and a front porch with a decorative entrance.



Meeting Schedule

Meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers and are typically preceded by a work session.

Staff Liaison

Ryan Shrimplin
City Planner
Planning Services - City Hall
44 N Lorimier Street
Cape Girardeau, MO  63701
573-339-6327 Phone
[email protected]

  • Contact Info
  • 44 Lorimier Street Cape Girardeau, MO  63701
  • Telephone 573.339.6327
  • Email [email protected]