Revisiting Highway 61 on a spring weekend

As winter finally gives way to spring, roads clearing and icicles melting away to reveal the soft green glow of buds on branches, two words come to mind: Road trip.

For my money, the most satisfying road trips bypass the fast-but-featureless interstates in favor of their ancestors, the two-lane highways that roll gently over the land, demanding a lighter touch on the gas pedal and a little more respect for the topography.

Perryville, Mo. (Laura Simon)

In Southeast Missouri, one highway I never tire of revisiting is U.S. 61, the Blues Highway.

Close to home, I think of Highway 61 as the best way to get from Cape Girardeau to Jackson, where hunger often leads me into Wib's Drive-In for a mince sandwich and a fried pie.

North of Jackson, 61 passes Old Appleton's restored 1879 Pratt truss bridge and winds its way up to Perryville, Mo., where in early May, travelers can take a short detour off the old highway to see the annual procession at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

The historic Old Appleton bridge (Laura Simon)

Another intriguing side trip lies in the middle of the Mississippi River to the east of St. Mary, Mo.: Kaskaskia Island, home to Illinois' first capital.

Between St. Mary and Ste. Genevieve, Mo., a statue of the Virgin Mary perches on a bluff overlooking the river above a sign imploring, "MARY PROTECT US."

On warm spring weekends, the south beckons, and I can't resist a drive down 61 into the Bootheel.

Next to Highway 61 in Sikeston, Mo., a fiberglass rooster stands sentinel outside Jay's Fried Chicken, where an all-you-can-eat buffet offers the best Sunday dinner this side of Grandma's house.

Heading south, the landscape becomes decidedly rural, but the shoulders of the old road are sprinkled with remnants of its heyday.

Some have seen better days, such as the remnants of a long-abandoned gas station near Marston, Mo., while some remain vibrant, such as Billy's Steakhouse in Portageville, Mo., memorable as much for its enormous collection of neon signs as for its juicy steaks.

Ste. Genevieve, Mo. (Laura Simon)

One of the most iconic images of the entire trip lies about 35 miles south of Portageville, where a concrete arch spans the highway at the Arkansas state line.

On a bright afternoon, the 1924 structure makes a picturesque end to a pleasant trip down Southeast Missouri's share of the Blues Highway.

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About Emily

Emily Priddy covers crime and courts for the Southeast Missourian. She spends most of her spare time driving two-lane highways in search of roadside kitsch.