1948 Map of Altenburg

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a dynamic border between Perry County and Jackson County in this 1940s topography. On the Missouri side, the German-heritage settlements of Altenburg, Frohna, and Wittenberg anchor the landscape, connected by a network of winding roads and rugged hollows like Boone Hill Hollow and Sawmill Hollow. The riverbanks are marked by historic points such as Star Landing, Leimbach Landing, and Brunkhorst Landing, reflecting a river-based commerce that operated alongside the St Louis San Francisco railroad. Across the water in Illinois, the distinctive Fountain Bluff rises near the community of Neunert, while the Illinois Central line serves the town of Grand Tower. This era captures a rural interior still dotted with one-room institutions like Union Sch and Ridge Sch, and navigation landmarks like the prominent Tower Rock and the Backbone limestone ridge.