Visit historic sites in New Madrid

A drive south on Interstate 55 can lead you to a stop in New Madrid, along the Mississippi River.

Here's a few places to see:

Hunter-Dawson House

This mansion, the Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site, illustrates the grand lifestyle once enjoyed by one of Southeast Missouri's wealthy families during the late 1800s.

William and Amanda Hunter ran successful family enterprises in the thriving Mississippi River town, including a dry goods store and a floating store used to peddle goods to other towns. In 1859, they began planning their home, which took nearly a year to complete. William died before the house was complete, but Amanda and her seven children moved into the house in 1860-61. Upon Amanda's death in 1876, the Hunter's youngest daughter, Ella, and her husband William Dawson, a Missouri and U.S. legislator, moved into the house. Descendants of the Hunter family occupied the house until 1958.

The city of New Madrid purchased the 15-room mansion in 1966 and donated it to the state a year later. Today, visitors can take guided tours of the home, which is restored to the 1860-1880 period and features nine fireplaces. Most of the original furnishings purchased by Amanda Hunter remain, including a large collection of Mitchell and Rammelsberg furniture.

New Madrid Museum

Located in an old downtown saloon, this unique museum maintains the history of this river town from the Mississippian period up through the early 20th century. Native American artifacts and displays bring to life the pre-Columbian culture of the area.

New Madrid shares its name with a fault and the town was nearest the epi-center of the famous, or infamous, earthquake of 1812. Iben Browning predicted an earthquake in the 1990s.

To get to New Madrid: Take Interstate 55 south to exit 49. From the exit ramp, follow the road south into town.

Send your suggestions or ideas to Bill Coomer at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0699 or e-mail him at bcoomer@semissourian.com.