Cape River Heritage Museum to honor Houck, Hirsch

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Louis Houck's arrival to Cape Girardeau, and Oscar Hirsch -- founder of KFVS Radio and TV -- the Cape River Heritage Museum is hosting a public reception featuring several new exhibits at 5 p.m. April 12.

The detailed work of volunteer curator and co-director Charlotte Slinkard can be seen throughout the front room of the museum that is "all about Girardeau," director Margaret Ford said Wednesday.

Slinkard's attention to detail travels to the museum's lower level, which houses a sizable tribute to the 50th anniversary of KFVS12's presence in Cape Girardeau, and a tribute to Houck.

More than 40 vintage radios -- along with other vintage media equipment -- are on loan to the museum for the new exhibit celebrating Hirsch, Ford said.

One of the featured items is a hefty, "top-of-the-line" microphone once used for on-air radio broadcasts around the 1920s, inscribed with "KFVS," Ford said.

"When you think about it, there's not that many artifacts to celebrate about the Hirsch family; it's mostly papers," Ford said as she pointed to a poster listing the chronology of Hirsch's media career. "We thought that would tie in because actually he started building radios."

According to Ford, Hirsch first built a composite radio transmitter in 1925, secured a radio license and established KFVS Radio station, first broadcasting from the home of his parents, Christian and Christina Hirsch, at 318 S. Frederick St. in Cape Girardeau.

The radio station moved to the Himmelberger-Harrison Office Building, Marquette Hotel and finally Hirsch Tower at 324 Broadway. It was followed by the creation of KFVS Television Station in 1954.

"It's kind of important to know how your TV station came to be," Ford said.

Houck's namesake in Cape Girardeau also is a prominent piece of Cape Girardeau's background.

Slinkard has refreshed the present exhibit of Houck to reflect more details from his time period, according to Ford.

On April 21, 1869, Houck -- an attorney, originally from Illinois -- arrived in Cape Girardeau. Shortly after, he authored a three-volume "History of Missouri" in 1908 and a two-volume "Spanish Regime in Missouri" in 1909, she said.

Houck was responsible for routing railroads into Cape Girardeau by organizing the Cape Girardeau Railway Company in 1880. He also served on the Southeast Missouri State Teachers College Board of Regents.

The museum is open noon to 4 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, beginning April 12. Admittance is free.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632