Old Appleton Bridge is a historic Pratt Truss Iron Bridge located at Old Appleton, Cape Girardeau County and Perry County, Missouri. It was built in 1879, and consists of a wrought iron, pin-connected, Pratt through truss main span. It rests on limestone block masonry piers. The total length of the bridge is 161 feet. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. Efforts to get this piece of history added to the National Register of Historic Places was many years in the making. Nominations for the bridges date all the way back to 1982 but the original nomination was not submitted. In December of 1982, heavy rains sent a flash flood down Apple Creek, pushing the bridge into the water. It would take several years to finally restore the bridge. Another flash flood in 1986 … [Read more...] about “Bridges are a monument to progress.” -Joseph Straus
Pathway 2 The Promiseland
Embark on a customized tour featuring heroic immigration stories and the Faiths that saved them. Travel throughout Perry County's beautiful countryside visiting these remarkable houses of worship built by our earliest pioneers. Hear their diverse accounts of immigration, see their humble beginnings, understand their quests for religious freedom and new beginnings. Travel with these brave pioneers and experience this culturally rich and unique tour of faith in the heartland, in Perry County, Missouri. Lutheran Heritage Museum & Log Cabin 75 Church Street, Altenburg, Missouri In 1838, 700 Saxon Germans left their homes, farms, businesses and all they knew behind to embark on a dangerous sea voyage to America. See where they found their land of opportunity, rebuilt their lives and … [Read more...] about Pathway 2 The Promiseland
Tower Rock, it is surrounded by a raw and wild beauty
One Sunday afternoon, my group wanted to get outside and soak up the sun. It was one of those glorious winter’s days when the sun was shining and makes you think spring is on the way! We decided we wanted to go the backroads from our house to Tower Rock. So we piled in our rig and hit the county roads to get there. We got there during the “golden hour” in photographer terms, which is the hour before the sun sets. During this time, I find something magically happens with the light in my photographs. Although, Tower Rock is awe inspiring in any light! When I think of Tower Rock, I always think of the Jim Watkin’s quote: “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” I think back to all of the history this magnificent rock could tell us if it could … [Read more...] about Tower Rock, it is surrounded by a raw and wild beauty
Year End Review: 2018
We have been working so hard, we wanted to share some really big accomplishments for the Perry County Tourism office during 2018. We wanted to make it short and sweet… but let’s face it the list is LONG! Check them out! Earned two awards from the Missouri Department of Tourism! Innovator Award :: awarded to Perry County Heritage Tourism by the Missouri Division of Tourism at the 2018 Governor's Conference on Tourism. Perryville and Perry County's efforts during the Great American Eclipse were recognized with this year's Innovator award. What a great way to celebrate Perryville and Perry County's significance on this event and the impact we have made locally and around the world. Rising Star Award :: awarded to Trish Erzfeld, Perry County Tourism Director by the Missouri Division of … [Read more...] about Year End Review: 2018
Die Kleine Schule (The Little School)
Concordia Lutheran Church of Frohna, Missouri built the Little School in 1898. It was a day school where the children of the parish were taught "reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic" as well as religion. For the most part, children in the primary grades were taught in this building. Prior to the construction of this school, a number of other buildings were used by the congregation. One of these was the log cabin dwelling on the Bergt farm which is now a part of the Saxon Lutheran Memorial located just a short distance north and east of the Little School on Saxon Memorial Drive. The Rev. Christian H. Loeber taught school in this log cabin in 1850 and 1851. This building is one of the oldest existing buildings used as a parish day school in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod. From 1851-1854 … [Read more...] about Die Kleine Schule (The Little School)
Perry County Courthouse
The greatest need of Perry County, when it was created from the Ste. Genevieve District in 1821 was a courthouse. Although there were a few small areas where groups of people lived, there were no towns in the county where a courthouse could be built. Bernard Layton gave the county 51 acres of his 640-acre Spanish Land Grant for that purpose. The land was to be laid out in lots and sold to raise money to build the first Perry County Courthouse. In the meantime, the Perry County Court met four times a year in the home of Bede Moore, a two-story log building about one and a half miles north of Perryville to conduct county business. In 1825, a contract was made for the first courthouse. Funding for the $1,486.25 project came from the sale of 55 lots from the property deeded to the county by … [Read more...] about Perry County Courthouse
Hill of Peace- Friedenberg Lutheran Church history
Recently, several Perry County Historical Society members have been asking about Friedenberg Cemetery in Perry County, Missouri which inspired the director of our Genealogical Research Library and Archive Center, to pursue reprinting Chapter 11 - Peace Lutheran Cemetery - cemetery plat and lists from an out of print Friedenberg book. The Perry County Historical Society has been granted copyright permission from Rev. Dr. Daniel Harmelink, Executive Director of Concordia Historical Institute, to reproduce portions of the book "Friedenberg Remembrances: A Story of Peace, Faith and Life" by Friedenberg Lutheran Historical Society Book Committee, Copyright 1998 by Martin P. Oswald. If you are of Bavarian German Lutheran descent from Perry County, Missouri, you are likely related to this … [Read more...] about Hill of Peace- Friedenberg Lutheran Church history
The Dirt on Menfro
Perry County was organized May 21, 1821 and named after the naval war hero of 1812, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. But it was before that when some of our earliest settlers were already laying down farming roots in Perry County soil. Levi Wiggins was one of many people to request a land grant in Perry County’s Bios Brule Bottoms. On November 30, 1803, by his agent; Robert Anderson, he claimed a one-mile square of land, 640 acres situated on the Mississippi River at the mouth of the Cape St. Come Creek. Wiggins’ sworn to have inhabited and cultivated the land since 1801 by Daniel Thorn and continued to work the property until 1804. Part of the one square mile of land Levi Wiggins owned was referred to as land grant #1328 which eventually became known as the Town of Menfro. The Bois Brule … [Read more...] about The Dirt on Menfro
Churches are the ‘heartbeat’ of every community
As the season of church picnics draw to a close again with the ending of summer I would like for everyone to stop and remember the communities centered around these churches. All the communities within Perry County at one time or another boasted stores, schools, mills and proud residents. But the churches were and are the heartbeat of every community. It was because of the local church that neighbors could meet, socialize and bond into not only a family of faith but a town of support. Every year the “church picnic” was no doubt the social event of the summer for each and every congregation. With a home cooked meal, music and games for the children the day was spent with family, friends and neighbors. Then there was the coveted make shift store commonly known as the “fancy stand.” Handmade … [Read more...] about Churches are the ‘heartbeat’ of every community
