Showcasing the scenery

Submitted photo

The pink blossoms of this dogwood are at their peak. Visitors to Southeast Missouri should see the blooms at their best during the annual scenic drive April 26 and 27.

By Laura Johnston * Southeast Missourian

Drive the back roads through Southeast Missouri and you'll see historic churches, restored farmhouses and open fields on rolling hills. In the spring, the scenery is full of flowering azaleas, dogwoods and other ornamentals and trees in bloom. And the last weekend in April is when those flowers and trees can be seen at their peak.

For the past 13 years, the Center for Regional History at Southeast Missouri State University has been helping to promote the Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive.

Events are planned from Perryville to Commerce April 26 to 27.

The scenic drive weekend is a chance to visit some of the rural communities to see what they have to offer visitors, said Dr. Frank Nickell, director of the regional history center.

"It's a chance to get out and take a leisurely drive on the back roads and see Southeast Missouri at its very best," he said. If you like small, rural towns that have history behind them, Nickell says this is the weekend to visit Southeast Missouri, where you can see churches, cemeteries and restaurants.

And along the route, you can enjoy shopping for crafts and antiques, be entertained with folk music and concerts, and tour some historic places.

Small communities like Brazeau in Perry County and Commerce in Scott County "will put on their best faces and show what they have and make it enticing to visitors," he said.

The azaleas and dogwoods in Charleston should draw a crowd of visitors, as will Penzel's farm near Oak Ridge.

The Dogwood-Azalea Festival has its roots in a garden club visit to Natchez, Miss. The story is that garden club members visited Natchez in the 1950s and were captivated by the color in the azaleas there. Hoping to bring some of those vibrant hues home, they began working to plant varieties that would grow in Southeast Missouri.

Thirty-five years later, the festival is one of the most popular in the area. Between 6,000 and 8,000 people are expected to visit during the weekend, and events range from crowning a festival queen to plant sales and a walking tour of historic sites.

"The dogwoods are gorgeous, and the azaleas are just beginning to pop," said Lisa Hillhouse with the Charleston Chamber of Commerce.

Charleston is doing exactly what Nickell had hoped when he first began planning for the scenic drive.

"I wanted to call attention to the historic and scenic dimensions of this region," he said.

By coordinating a drive in the region, the small communities can benefit as much as the larger ones.

Brazeau -- with a population of about 50, give or take a few -- doesn't have a big tourism council, Nickell said. But the four women who plan the events might have as many as 2,500 people stop to see the museum, tour the church and historic home, and enjoy the day.

Visitors to New Hamburg, a new stop on the tour this year, can enjoy a bologna burger at Schindler's Tavern before driving to Commerce for a view of the river.

"In one day you can catch a wide variety of communities," Nickell said. "You'll find a lot of things to eat and do and see a lot of history."

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126

Scenic drive stopsAltenburg

This town includes historic churches, a museum and Tower Rock on the Mississippi River. Concordia Log College/Seminary is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Call (573) 824-5542 for information.Brazeau

Historic town and church settled in 1797. Winery and craft store open. The sites are open for tours and meals will be served throughout the weekend. For information, call (573) 824-5630.Burfordville

Bollinger Mill Historic Site. For information, call 243-4591.Cape Girardeau

Call 335-1631 for events and activities. Trail of Tears State Park, with a scenic overlook on the Mississippi River. Call 334-1711 for information.Charleston

Dogwood-Azalea Festival begins Thursday and runs through Sunday evening. Events range from plant sales to historic home tours and art shows, as well as an air show Saturday and Sunday. Call Charleston Chamber of Commerce at (573) 683-6509 for information. Commerce

Museum, winery and shops are open. Call 264-3900 for museum information. River Ridge Winery will feature live music from 2 to 6 p.m. Call 264-3712 for details.Frohna

Saxon Lutheran Memorial is listed on National Register of Historic Places and will feature bread baked in outdoor oven. Concordia Lutheran Church and school will be open. Call (573) 824-5404 for details.Jackson

Arts council gallery open with crafts demonstration, shops and memorials downtown. Call 243-8131 for gallery information or 243-9040. Marble Hill

Bollinger County Museum of Natural History features dinosaur fossils. Call (573) 238-1174. Cat Ranch Art Guild will have art and craft show. Massey Log House will be open, as are shops and restaurants. Call (573) 238-2750 for log house information.Oak Ridge

Pinecrest Azalea Farm has azaleas, rhododendrons and holly with more than 2,000 plants in all. The farm is open during daylight hours only. Maps are available at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce. Call 382-0762 or 270-9777 for details. Old Appleton

Pottery shop open for antique shoppers. The historic bridge, built in 1876, is still on its original foundation. Pocahontas

Historic town and churches will offers supper on Sunday. The Apple Creek Presbyterian Church will have a gaslight service and hymn sing Sunday at 7 p.m. For information, call (573) 833-6910.Scott City

German-style lunch served at Eisleben Lutheran Church and visitors can see a railroad caboose, Civil War exhibit and hear a folk music concert. For information call 264-3187.