2015 Map of Altenburg

About this map

Altenburg and Wittenberg anchor this segment of the Mississippi River valley, where the border between Missouri and Illinois follows the shifting course of the great waterway. The landscape is defined by the sharp contrast between the expansive Brazeau Bottoms and the prominent bluffs rising to the east, including the distinctive Fountain Bluff and the sheer outcropping of Tower Rock. This map documents a region deeply rooted in its Lutheran heritage, as evidenced by the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Frohna and Saint Pauls Lutheran Cemetery near the river. Along the Illinois bank, the land transitions from the low-lying fields protected by Levee Rd to the protected heights of the Shawnee National Forest. Notable geological landmarks like the Devils Bake Oven and Backbone Hill Ridge overlook the river near Grand Tower, marking a corridor where river navigation and rail transport have historically intersected with the rugged limestone geology of the river bluffs.