25 years ago: Dec. 11, 1982

Fifteen Missouri counties, including Cape Girardeau, are declared disaster areas by President Reagan, clearing the way for residents, business owners and farmers to receive financial assistance; most have been ravaged by flooding, but some were hit early in the month by freak tornadoes.

GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Wayne County officials, backed by a circuit judge's order, commandeer Missouri Highway Department equipment for use in clearing roads in the flood-ravaged county.

50 years ago: Dec. 11, 1957

Postmaster Ted Regenhardt announces that bids for remodeling and repairing the Cape Girardeau post office from roof to basement, at a cost expected to be well in excess of $100,000, will be opened Dec. 27 in Kansas City.

Sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, the annual dinner honoring adult leaders of the 4-H clubs in Cape Girardeau County was held last night at Schneider's on Good Hope Street; receiving 10-year emblems were Mrs. Paul Myers of Oak Ridge, Mrs. Ernest Schuette of the Roberts community and Fred Wachter of Pocahontas.

75 years ago: Dec. 11, 1932

Teachers College dean R.S. Douglass, a member of the board of deacons of First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, has started writing a history of Baptists in Missouri; the book will deal with the history of the denomination starting with the establishment of the first Baptist church in the state, Old Bethel, just west of Cape Girardeau.

Setting a pace equal to a mid-season performance, the College High hoop team swamped Roosevelt High of St. Louis last night at Houck Field House 31-10; high scorers for the locals were Joe McDonald and Louis Seabaugh, both with eight points.

100 years ago: Dec. 11, 1907

North Main Street, which recently was covered with macadam to make it passable for wagons, is receiving a coating of chat in order to make it passable for pedestrians; there are no sidewalks on either side of the street for the greater part of the way.

Manning Kimmel and one of the Meyer brothers went over to Illinois yesterday and bought 115 head of fine hogs for Meyer Bros.' meat market.

-- Sharon K. Sanders