1947 Map of Altenburg

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a dramatic divide through this 1947 landscape, separating the flat bottomlands of Jackson County, Illinois, from the dissected uplands of Perry County, Missouri. Along the western bluffs, German-Lutheran heritage is evident in the proximity of Altenburg, Frohna, and the riverfront settlement of Wittenberg. These communities contrast with the agrarian lowlands of the Fountain Bluff area, where the Neunert community and various river landings like Brunkhorst Landing once served as vital commerce points. The topography reveals a complex network of drainage, from the winding Brazeau Creek to the industrial presence of a Power Plant near the river’s edge. This survey documents a transitional era where traditional river landings and rural schools like Union Sch and Ridge Sch remained central to local life even as modern infrastructure began to alter the river valley.