25 years ago: Sept. 16, 1985

Fire yesterday destroyed the Whitewater Grocery Store, the lone general store in that community; firefighters from four area departments prevented any further damage to surrounding structures and fuel storage areas in battling the blaze for nearly three hours.

The River Heritage Museum has received a piece of the past from the Cape Special Road District; a stone four-mile marker from Bloomfield Road was recently placed in the museum garden.

50 years ago: Sept. 16, 1960

Fairgoers yesterday set a new one-day attendance record for the 105-year-old SEMO District Fair; Ben Kight, superintendent of the gates, reports a total of attendance of 18,203; this evening's features will be the Blue Grass Shows and Trans World Daredevils.

Giboney Houck, an attorney and descendant of one of the pioneer families of Cape Girardeau, dies at a local hospital; Houck, 82, was the son of Louis and Mary Hunter Giboney Houck.

75 years ago: Sept. 16, 1935

Permits are issued by city engineer John R. Walther for the construction of two commercial buildings, one to house a mattress factory and another to be occupied by a dry cleaning establishment; Campbell Mattress Co. will build a one-story brick structure at 6 S. Hanover St., while Mrs. Ruth B. Ely, owner of Valet Cleaning, will build a one-story brick building at the southwest corner of Sprigg and Mason streets for her business.

The first Works Progress Administration project for the district will be started Wednesday at Sikeston, Mo., when 30 workers will be employed on a water main extension job.

100 years ago: Sept. 16, 1910

Superintendent Joel T. Nunn, John L. Miller and Manning Kimmel got back from the Festus, Mo., fair last night, where they went to do some missionary work for the Cape Girardeau fair association; Nunn reports they secured some fine exhibits, including about 30 horses, a lot of cattle, hogs and sheep.

C.A. Cook, who has been in charge of the Riverview Hotel here while awaiting the completion of his new hotel in Sikeston, Mo., will shortly throw open the doors of his new place; the new hostelry, the Hotel Marshall, is a fine three-story brick building, modernly equipped and luxuriously furnished.

-- Sharon K. Sanders