Scenic Drive this weekend features 21 stops, 13 towns

The 27th annual Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive is Saturday and Sunday and features 21 stops in 13 towns in Southeast Missouri.

Organizer Estelee Wood said the venues are mostly the same this year, but several have different events than they've had previously.

"The Lutheran church in Pocahontas is doing dulcimer music earlier in the afternoon, then a piano and organ concert, rather than a quilt show as they've done in the past," Wood said.

The entire tour is self-guided, Wood said.

"People can go to places they want to go and spend as much time as they want," she said. "Nothing's scheduled or coordinated where they have to follow someone."

Wood said several sites have plenty of food along the way, as well.

"This is a family and friends event; they can get together and enjoy the drive, visit some historical sites," Wood said.

"We sometimes take the sites for granted, and this is a good time to appreciate them," she said.

"It's amazing the stories these people can tell you, show you things their grandfather built -- they're proud of it. I want to extend that to anybody halfway interested."

The sites are listed alphabetically by town.

Altenburg

• Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum, 75 Church St.

Brazeau

• Brazeau Historical Society
• Hemman Winery, 13022 Route C

Burfordville

• Bollinger Mill State Historic Site, 113 Bollinger Mill Road

Cape Girardeau

• Conservation Nature Center, 2289 County Park Drive
• Trail of Tears State Park, 429 Moccasin Springs Road

Farrar

• Eggers & Co. General Store Bed & Breakfast, 19 Perry County Road 328

Friedheim

• Apple Creek Vineyard and Winery, 1930 County Road 401

Jackson

• Cape Girardeau County History Center, 102 S. High St.
• St. Louis Iron Mountain Railroad, at U.S. 61 and Highway 25

Marble Hill

• Bollinger County Museum of Natural History, 207 Mayfield Drive
• Massey Log House, Mill Street
• Whippoorwill Lake, 570 County Road 522

Oak Ridge

• Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, 799 Torre Lane

Old Appleton

• Historic bridge

Patton

• Lawn Mower Racing, junction of highways 51 and 72, begins 6 p.m.

Pocahontas

• Historic town and churches
• The Pie Safe, 146 Pocahontas Main St.
• St. John Lutheran Church, 158 Little St.: Saturday only, 1 p.m., The Front Porch Players dulcimer music; 3 p.m., piano and organ music by Tim Morgan

Uniontown

• Country Store Emporium, 12155 U.S. 61
• Wash House, 87 Perry County Road 531

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630