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Visitors Guide to the
Attractions
of the Mississippi River Meets the Ohio River Region
of
the Middle Mississippi River Valley |
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Perry County, Missouri
Perry County is a county that typifies rural Missouri. The history of
early Missouri can be explored at such locations as the Lutheran
Heritage Center, St. Mary's of the Barrens, and the Saxon Lutheran
Memorial. Tower Rock Conservation Area provides a viewing platform that
offers a scenic view of Tower Rock, a small landmark limestone noted by
early explorers such as Marquette and Joliet and the Corps of Discovery.
A day trip through Perry County in autumn will reward visitors with
plenty of splashes of color amidst the rolling farmland. |
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Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Visitors to Cape Girardeau County will find an abundance of
attractions of all varieties. The city of Cape Girardeau itself boasts a
number of historical and cultural museums including the Crisp Museum,
Cape River Heritage Museum, the Glenn House, and Lorimier's Trading
Post. Bollinger Mill State Historic Site near Jackson is unusual in that
it features both a workable mill and a covered bridge, side by side. The
Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center showcases the rich cultural
history and diverse natural resources of Southeast Missouri. Trail of
Tears State Park offers camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, backpacking,
primitive camping and equestrian pursuits. |
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Scott County, Missouri
Culture history and nature can all be found in Scott County. The
Sikeston Depot was revitalized and became the Sikeston Historical and
Cultural Center containing a historic museum and an art gallery.
Sikeston offers a driving tour of more than 24 magnificent homes
constructed during the early 1900s. Just outside of Sikeston is the
Southeast Missouri Agriculture Museum, which boasts the state´s largest
collection of antique farm machinery. The General Watkins Conservation
Area contains a forest type more closely resembling Appalachian than
Missouri forests. |
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Mississippi County, Missouri
Missouri starts to take on a Deep South flavor in Mississippi
County. The Moore House and a museum dedicated to former Governor Warren
E. Hearnes can be found in the town of Charleston. The past can be
explored by seeing what the region looked like before being drained for
farmland at Big Oak Tree State Park or by visiting the site of a
prehistoric Native American village at Towosahgy State Historic Site.
Visitors can ride the river by crossing the Mississippi River to
Kentucky on the Dorena-Hickman Ferry. |
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Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky consists of the three rural counties of
Ballard, Carlisle, and Fulton. Visitors to this region can explore
history at the Carlisle County History Museum and the Barlow House
Museum. Columbus-Belmont State Park, on the bluffs overlooking the
Mississippi River, was the site of a Confederate fortification built
during the Civil War. Today the park features a Civil War Museum, hiking
trails, picnicking and camping opportunities. The Fort Jefferson
Memorial Cross is a 95-foot memorial that stands high upon a bluff at
the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers that was the site of a
18th-century fort. Wickliffe Mounds is the archaeological site of a
prehistoric Native American village of the Mississippian mound builders.
Visitors can ride the river by crossing the Mississippi River to
Missouri on the Dorena-Hickman Ferry. |
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Jackson County, Illinois
The Shawnee National Forest also dominates Jackson County and
the geological landscape provides a wealth of gems for visitors to
choose from. Giant City State Park with its unique Makanda sandstone
features is one of Illinois’ most popular parks and offers hiking,
picnicking, hunting and fishing, rock climbing and rappelling, horseback
riding, camping, and lodging. Hikers and wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy
the Ponoma Natural Bridge and Little Grand Canyon areas. Jackson
County’s three main lakes attract anglers because of their excellent
fishing opportunities. History can be found at the General John A. Logan
Museum in Murphysboro and the Mississippi River Museum in Grand Tower. A
good view of Tower Rock, a small landmark limestone noted by early
explorers such as Marquette and Joliet and the Corps of Discovery, also
can be found at Grand Tower. |
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Union County, Illinois
The Shawnee National Forest dominates Union County and provides
visitors with a number of places to get in touch with nature including
LaRue-Pine Hills Research Natural Area, Trail of Tears State Forest, and
the Union County State Fish & Wildlife Area. The Bald Knob Cross of
Peace sits atop Bald Knob Mountain, the highest point in Southern
Illinois that offers wonderful scenic views, particularly in the fall.
History can be explored at Lincoln Memorial Park in Jonesboro, the site
on e of the 1859 Lincoln Douglas debates or at the Union County Museum
in Cobden. |
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Alexander County, Illinois
Alexander County is the southernmost county in Illinois and is
the site of the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The
rivers played a major role in the history of Alexander County and these
aspects can be explored at the Cairo Custom House Museum and Magnolia
Manor. Horseshoe Lake State Fish
& Wildlife Area contains a 2,400 acre shallow oxbow lake which reminds
visitors of the Deep South with its abundance of bald cypress, tupelo
gum, swamp cottonwood trees, and wild lotus. |
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For Travelers Heading Up River |
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French
Colonial Country
Down river of St. Louis and the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway
area is French Colonial Country. This five county area
was heavily influenced by the French fur traders who inhabited the region
from 1700 to 1840. Attractions include the town of Ste. Genevieve with the
largest concentration of French Colonial architecture in North America,
Forts de Chartre and Kaskaskia in Randolph County, and the Cahokia complex
in St. Clair County. |
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