Annual scenic drive draws thousands to Southeast Missouri

If Linda Penzel is right, the 19th annual Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive was a hit. She sat on the front porch Sunday and counted at least 3,000 visitors to Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, started by her in-laws in 1963.

"One family came Saturday and spent four hours here," she said. Sunday's visitors came from as far west as Springfield, Mo., and as far east as Indiana.

The drive, a combined booster effort by Southeast Missouri's rural communities, is aimed at starting a summer tourism buzz. Highlights included the Graham's Country Store in Leopold, Mo.; the Concordia Log College of Altenburg, Mo., which is on the National Register of Historic Places; Massey Log House and the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History, just two of 10 stops in Marble Hill, Mo.; the Commerce, Mo., museum; most of Southeast Missouri's wineries; and several sites in Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Scott City.

As Penzel watched the stream of traffic from her Oak Ridge porch, Marty Schuessler was busy at St. John's Lutheran Church in Pocahontas.

Using his father-in-law's recipe and five huge iron kettles, including one brought from Germany by Schuessler's great-great grandfather, he prepared the annual kettle-cooked beef supper with the help of son Chad, nephew Justin Petzoldt, Bill Costello, Dennis Koeberl and Gary Ludwig.

They used large wooden paddles to stir the beef, scrubbed empty kettles, and chopped hickory or cherry wood for the outdoor fires.

Jerry Petzoldt helped direct traffic, which was brisk. He said the tour helps the church draw as many as 700 annual visitors.

Kathy Leimbach, Jerry Schreiner, Gaye Puchbauer and Brian Meyer have organized the dinner for nearly 20 years.

Meyer's daughter Nicole, who this year earned a promotion from dishwasher to carry-out tent worker, told a visitor her father made the mashed potatoes.

"He tries hard not to make them too thick or too thin," she said.

Cheyenne Goss said she was glad to trade cutting desserts for carry-out work. She recommended the maple nut cake to those who asked.

Friends Mary Crites and Pat McClard, both of Jackson, said the annual supper is "the best around."

Rowland Julian and Lucy Fowler said they planned to attend the dinner, but spent part of Sunday afternoon visiting the Glenn House in Cape Girardeau.

"I've never been here before," said Fowler, a Pocahontas native.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

388-3646

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