DRIVE TIME

When the $978 purchase request for gunpowder came through the business office at Southeast Missouri State University, "we had a lot of questions to answer," admits Frank Nickell.

Nickell is the director of the Center for Regional History, and all that gunpowder, of course, was meant for the 250 Civil War re-enactors who will trade salvos Saturday and Sunday near Burfordville.

The Civil War encampment, to be located behind the Little Ole Opry, will host demonstrations at 9 and 10 a.m., continuing at 1 p.m. both days. It is one of the highlights of this weekend's third annual Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive.

The 131-mile drive, coordinated by the center, is a tour of the magical mysteries nestled all about more than a dozen towns and villages in Southeast Missouri.

The towns along the route include Cape Girardeau, Fruitland, Pocahontas, Altenburg, Frohna, Uniontown, Apple Creek, Biehle, Sedgewickville, Patton, Marble Hill, Burfordville, Jackson, Marquand, Old Appleton and Brazeau.

Many of these communities have planned special events, such as the kettle beef supper at 3 p.m. Sunday in Pocahontas or the period costumes and lectures on Cape Girardeau Civil War history at Ford D in Cape Girardeau.

Sedgewickville has published a book about the town's history for the occasion. Marquand has coordinated the fire department's annual pig roast with the event.

Other locations welcoming visitors this weekend are the Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, Rocky Holler USA, Black Forest Villages and Trail of Tears State Park.

The tour program also lists many out-of-the-way side trips that can be taken to Yount's store near Patton for unsurpassed pies, for instance, or to the Tom Runnels Cat Ranch in Marble Hill.

The tour has grown considerably from comparably modest beginnings two years ago. More than 2,000 cars were counted coming through Burfordville during bad weather last year, and 3,000 people visited the Black Forest Villages north of Cape Girardeau.

"If the weather is good, we're hoping for 5,000 people this year," Nickell said.

Joining the list of towns this year is Brazeau, a community of about 60 people that is the oldest settlement in East Perry County. Scenic-drivers can tour the Brazeau Presbyterian Church and The Academy, a former school founded in 1855 and turned into a museum.

Also new this year is the opportunity to pan for real gold at Rocky Holler USA, a ranch which the tour guide says "is rapidly developing into a major tourist attraction."

Black Forest Villages also will host a Craftsfest both days. The Egypt Mills Antique Tractor Club also will be on hand.

The self-conducted drive has three entry points: the Biehle exit off Interstate-55, the Cape Girardeau waterfront and the junction of Missouri 51 and 34 at Marble Hill. Maps and booklets describing the points of interest along the tour and the activities will be handed out at each location.

Signs directing people along the tour and to side trips also will be erected Friday. Those who pass through the Biehle exit Saturday will see the Missouri Department of Tourism's "Wake Up to Missouri" hot air balloon.

Nickell says that convincing university accountants of the necessity of buying gunpowder was easy compared to actually purchasing enough gunpowder, bacon, beans and potatoes for 250 at the Civil War encampment.

Such a large quantity of explosives only can be purchased by someone with a federal firearms license. Fortunately, a St. Louis law enforcement officer who is one of the Civil War re-enactors offered to use his license, but the route was circuitous.

"We were buying gunpowder in St. Louis from a company in Mississippi, and it was being sent to Fredericktown (home of one of the re-enactment organizers) to be used in Burfordville," Nickell said.

Gunpowder is shipped in specially insulated 25-pound packages.

In a similar vein, the Zenon River Brigade will present a "living history encampment" of 1795 frontier life. The encampment, to be located at the Elks Lake just west of the Cape Girardeau County Park North, on County Road 619, will feature demonstrations of survival skills and honors Cape Girardeau founder Louis Lorimier.

In Cape Girardeau, the American Heritage Museum will hold its grand opening from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. The museum displays antique tractors, threshers, buggies, steam engines and other farm equipment.

A special event will be antique and modified antique tractor pulls.

The museum is located at the junction of I-55 and Airport Road south of the city.