Frank Nickell

It seems like Almost Yesterday that the community of Bunker celebrated its centennial history. Founded by Sylvanus J. Bunker in 1907, the small community paid tribute to its founders and its history with a weekend commemoration in June of 2007.

It seems like Almost Yesterday when the community of Greenville, Missouri experienced a disastrous flood. The event was the most extensive flood in the history of the small town on the St. Francis River, and caused such destruction that it permanently altered the region.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that the Cape Girardeau Writers' Guild was organized. The date was October 30, 1943, and the meeting was called by Dr. Earl A. Collins, a long-time professor of history at Southeast Missouri State College.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that the Puxico, Missouri basketball team achieved state and national recognition. Their story is told in Matt Chaney’s 1994 publication, My Name is Mr. Ryan, and it is a remarkable story.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois experienced an unusually hot and dry summer. The year was 1867 and rainfall remained scarce well into the autumn. Temperatures were high, humidity low, and the landscape turned brown and crunchy.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that Kelvin “Earthquake” Anderson burst on the football scene at Southeast Missouri State University. The date was September 5, 1992 and the opponent was rival Murray State University.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that the last of the unplanned and unscheduled steamboat races occurred on the Mississippi.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that the territory Americans know as Texas began – from its origins in Southeast Missouri.

It seems like Almost Yesterday that the landscape of Cape Girardeau featured a number of special places where residents could relax and enjoy a pleasant change of scenery. In the middle of the nineteenth century Franck’s Gardens on the hill along Jackson Road, now Broadway, was such a place.

It seems like almost yesterday that one of the great legends of Southeast Missouri was born.