TRAFFIC REPORTED HEAVY ON PARTS OF SCENIC TOUR

The Black Forest, north of Cape Girardeau, and Tom Runnels' Cat Ranch at Marble Hill were big attractions during the first day of the Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive, which will conclude today.

"Things didn't get started until late Saturday morning," said a spokesman from the Black Forest, "but, we finished the day with more than 700 visitors."

Featured at Black Forest, the site of two replica 1870s vintage villages New Hanover and Arnsberg are many crafts and demonstrations, including wood carving, handmade leather items, and an antique tractor display.

Runnels, an artist from Marble Hill, didn't keep a count on visitors to his Cat Ranch, so called because of bobcats that used to roam that area. He said, though, that people were there all day.

"We have a guest book here, and it's almost full," said Runnels late Saturday. "And a lot of people didn't come into the cabin to sign the register."

Several of Runnels' sculptures are found along the road, from the entrance to the Cat Ranch to his cabin.

The Black Forest, the Cat Ranch, and many other attractions along the 131-mile drive through scenic villages of Southeast Missouri are looking forward to the second day of the event today.

Cape Girardeau, the south entry of the tour, and Biehle, located about 25 miles north of Cape Girardeau along Interstate 55, and the north entry to the drive, did not get the traffic sponsors had hoped for.

"We had people here," said Rhonda Buchheit, a coordinator at Biehle. "But, it's not what we expected. If the weather is good, things could pick up (Sunday). And, we feel this event will grow in future years."

Evelyn Boardman of Cape Girardeau agrees.

"We had a lot of people," Boardman, one of the coordinators for the Cape Girardeau activities. "But, the count was less than we expected."

Boardman said the early morning rain may have been responsible for the light turnout of activities, which were centered in the downtown area of Cape Girardeau.

"We did have good turnouts for a historical drama play which was presented at the Riverview Banquet Center, at the corner of Main and Broadway," said Boardman. "We're hoping for a big turnout in downtown Cape Girardeau (Sunday)."

An antique, arts and crafts show is also being held in the Riverview Banquet Center. Vi Keys, with a wide assortment of old sheet music, and artist Mark Farmer, with ink drawings of historic landmarks in Southeast Missouri, will be on hand.

Other points of interest in the downtown area include old St. Vincent's Church, the Glenn House; River Heritage Museum, the Southeast Missourian Murals, and Courthouse Park.

The play, "Young Louis Lorimier," was written and directed by Roseanna Beth Whitlow, an instructor of English composition at Southeast Missouri State University, and was presented four times Saturday and will be presented at 2 and 3 p.m. today.

The play reflects an imaginary journey into the 1770s to a clearing in the woods where young Louis meets Charlotte Pemanpiah, a little Shawnee princess who later becomes his bride.

Amy AJ Bess, a Jackson High senior, plays Charlotte, and Daniel Byron, a Southeast Missouri State University student, is Louis Lorimier. Other members of the cast include Beth Derickson of Jackson High School and Christopher Young and Kenny Ownby, both university students.

The two-day scenic drive takes visitors through the Saxon Hills to Altenburg, Frohna and Wittenberg, site of an 1839 German migration and settlement; Trail of Tears State Park and Museum, which commemorates the tragic relocation of the Cherokee Indians; to Uniontown, Biehle, Sedgewickville, Patton and Marble Hill. Members of living history groups are presenting a Civil War encampment east of Marble Hill on Highway 34.

The tour continues to Bollinger Mill, a working mill; to Jackson, home of historic houses and working steam train; and to Cape Girardeau. Side trips include Penzel's Azalea Farm, the Black Forest, and Tower Rock.

Maps of the tour are available at each of the entry sites downtown Cape Girardeau, Biehle and Marble Hill.