Visitors Guide to Attractions
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.
General Watkins Conservation Area
Benton, MO
The General Watkins Conservation Area contains a forest type more closely resembling Appalachian than Missouri forests. The area has five defined primitive campsites and two picnic facilities. The area offers fishing opportunities on 9 lakes, one with a boat ramp. Hunting opportunities include deer, quail, and turkey. There are two hiking trails - the 1.5 mile Cemetery Ridge Trail and the 1 mile Schlosser Loop Trail.
Sikeston Depot Museum
Sikeston, Missouri
Built as the Iron Mountain Railroad Train Depot in 1916, Sikeston Depot became a museum and cultural center in 2000. The Depot features dozens of permanent and rotating exhibits depicting the area's history and art. The Depot was built in 1916 by the Iron Mountain. Soon after the building was constructed, the line was acquired by the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. The Depot was closed as a railroad facility in 1985. Concerned citizens met to discuss revitalized the Depot and in 2000 it reopened as the Sikeston Historical and Cultural Center. The renovated facility contains a historic museum section recounting the most important aspects of area culture, an exhibition hall where rotating and traveling exhibits are displayed, and an art gallery.
Southeast Missouri Agricultural Museum
Miner, Missouri
The Southeast Missouri Agriculture Museum boasts the state´s largest collection of antique farm machinery. Located behind Granny’s Antiques is a 250’ by 100’ foot museum with more than 6,000 pieces of machinery most of which are capable of performing their original tasks. The indoor display contains many items that date back to the 1800´s and includes tractors, combines, wagons and more. On the grounds are buildings of historical interest including two Missouri log cabins (circa 1880), one wooden railroad caboose, one relocated railroad depot, and a reconstructed 1920’s service station.
Tywappity Bottom Interpretive Marker
Commerce, Missouri
A marker in the small river town of Commerce interprets the visit of Lewis and Clark to the area known as Tywappity Bottom on November 22, 1803.
Tywappity Community Lake
Chaffee, Missouri
Tywappity Community Lake consists of 147 acres of woodland and 37 acres of surface water. A large grassy area near the lake has a pavilion, four picnic tables and two BBQ grills. Outdoor activities include bird watching and hiking along the 2.5 mile Tywappity Trail. The lake has good populations of bass, catfish, crappie, and sunfish. There is a concrete boat ramp with an adjacent floating courtesy dock with a fish cleaning station.
Nearby Attractions
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.
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.
For Travelers Heading Up the River
French Colonial Country
Up river of the Meeting the Ohio River region 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.
For Travelers Heading Down the River
The Upper Delta of the Mississippi River
The cypress swamps associated with the southern Mississippi can be experienced at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge and Reelfoot Lake. New Madrid’s riverfront district has several interesting museums and historical sites. Although inland, the high country along Crowley's Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway is actually the natural western boundary of the Mississippi and features a number of state parks.
