The scenic route

Driving to St. Louis? Take the scenic route.

Cape Girardeau residents spend an awful lot of time driving to St. Louis and back on Interstate 55. It's the same pavement, the same scenery, the same exits and the same construction barrels every time, over and over.

U.S. 61, however, provides a nice laid-back alternative when you have a little extra time and don't feel like dealing with yet another tailgater riding your bumper on the interstate. The I-55 interchanges at Brewer, Mo., (exit 135) and south of Crystal City, Mo., (exit 170) provide convenient access to the old highway for taking a scenic detour.

You'll find a few gems sparkling in the summer heat and not even have to leave the air conditioning.

From Brewer, take U.S. 61 north for a mile to the junction with Route NN, and then turn left and continue for about four miles until you reach Perry County Road 840 on the left. A short distance down the hill on County Road 840, you will see something quite surprising on your right as you cross the bridge over South Fork Saline Creek.

Many of the historic bridges along U.S. 61 have been replaced, but Establishment Bridge near Bloomsdale, Mo., still stands as the longest truss bridge on U.S. 61 in Southeast Missouri. (James Baughn)

These are the ruins of the four-story Old Burnt Mill, constructed in 1800. The mill is on private property, and the whole thing looks a little unstable (especially with the fallen trees), so it's best to stay on the bridge.

The old road between Ste. Genevieve, Mo., and the lead mines at Mine La Motte, Mo., forded the creek here. This road, called Three Notch Road, was the first road in Missouri, dating back to 1711. It's possible to follow some of the route using modern-day roads.

Back on U.S. 61, continue north to reach the town of St. Mary, Mo. Along the way, you'll pass through the area devastated by last year's deadly tornado. Closer to St. Mary, near the intersection with Route Z, keep your eyes peeled for large sinkholes on both sides of the road.

In St. Mary, as U.S. 61 makes a sharp turn to the left, veer right on 2nd Street. Cross the steel truss bridge, and bear left at the next intersection on Perry County Road 950. After about a mile, the road climbs a steep hill in a deep cut.

When I last visited, a tree had fallen over the road, forming a "natural arch." The banks on either side of the road are so tall that it was possible to drive under the tree without a second thought.

I've heard rumors that this road is haunted and while I don't put much credence in these stories, this is certainly a spooky place. Looking at the map, this road may have formed part of the original route between St. Mary and Perryville, Mo. Wagon and car traffic over the years has eroded the hill, creating the deep cut.

At the top of the hill, you can find a place to turn around, or you can continue to Route H and take that back to St. Mary.

Before the 1880s, St. Mary had a riverfront view of the Mississippi River. Those days ended when a flood caused the river to shift its course to the eastern side of Kaskaskia Island, Ill.

St. Mary still fronts the old slough of the river, which continues to mark the boundary between Missouri and Illinois. Route U provides access to Kaskaskia, a part of Randolph County, Ill., but completely cut off from the rest of the state.

The old town of Kaskaskia was the capital of Illinois from 1809 to 1820, an ironic situation now that Kaskaskia is on the "wrong" side of the river.

North of St. Mary, U.S. 61 crosses Saline Creek on a recently constructed bridge. On the left side of the bridge sits an old stone bridge pier.

Farther upstream, but out of sight, was the location of the Saline Creek Salt Works. This salt spring played a critical role in the history of Ste. Genevieve, providing much needed salt to the early settlers. The actual site of the salt works is privately owned.

According to the tourist brochures, Ste. Genevieve features the "largest concentration of French Colonial architecture in North America." Ste. Genevieve has plenty of well known historic sites, but a lesser-known spot in town is Valle Spring, located next to Route M a few blocks south of the intersection with Highway 61. Sometimes the spring isn't running, but it still features an interesting rock formation within a nice park.

West and north of Ste. Genevieve, the hills along Highway 61 become more rugged and scenic. Approaching Bloomsdale, Mo., the highway crosses a large steel truss bridge over Establishment Creek.

Many of the historic bridges along U.S. 61 have been replaced. This bridge is scheduled for replacement in the next couple years; until then, it stands as the longest truss bridge on U.S. 61 in Southeast Missouri.

Just north of Bloomsdale, a vintage roadside park features a scenic overlook above the interstate and a large valley, but it is best viewed in winter when the trees do not obstruct the view. A few more miles north, Highway 61 passes the entrance to Holcim's Ste. Genevieve plant, destined to be one of the world's largest cement plants.

U.S. 61 eventually meets the interstate near the town of Selma, Mo., at Exit 170. From here the scenery quickly gives way to the sprawl at Crystal City and beyond, so this is a good place to end the side trip, return to the interstate and get back to the city.

jbaughn@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 212