Altenburg brings together the history of Concordia Log Cabin College, the Lutheran heritage of Trinity Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum, and traditional cooking. Another reason to visit is the annual East Perry Community Fair, held in September. These themes are quite distinct: historic institutions and buildings, a hands-on culinary experience, and a September event featuring competitions and entertainment. If you’re looking for a place to stay in Altenburg, you can plan your visit around whether history, food, or the fair is the main draw.

Lutheran History in Altenburg

Concordia Log Cabin College in Altenburg was the first college and seminary in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod’s educational system. The preserved building stands in the churchyard of Trinity Lutheran Church. The Altenburg Theses were adopted following a historic debate held at Log Cabin College on April 15 and 16, 1841; they are considered a milestone in the history of Lutheranism in Missouri. This connection between an educational institution and a historic debate makes Altenburg a tangible point of reference for this regional church history.

On November 21, 1978, Concordia Log Cabin College was added to the National Register of Historic Places. On a broader regional scale, the Perry County Lutheran Historical Society documents, preserves, and interprets the history of German Lutheran immigration to Perry County, Missouri, in 1839. This countywide perspective complements the local history with the broader context in which Lutheran immigration is researched and shared.

Museum and Trinity Lutheran Church

The first permanent building of Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg was dedicated in 1845 and today serves as a gallery for historical artifacts at the Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum. The museum includes a Main Exhibits Gallery, a visitor center, a research library, and the 1845 First Church Building Gallery. Together, these spaces showcase both the history of the church building and other areas for exhibits and research.

The museum experience can also include a tour of Trinity Lutheran Church. If you’d like to include this tour, make arrangements before your trip.

Crafts and Cooking Traditions

A spinning weasel is on display in the Christiane Loeber Cabin—a device used to measure a skein of yarn 80 yards long. This object adds a tool and its practical function in crafts to the story of the institutions.

At the German Lunch, participants learn to spread cooked cheese on homemade bread. Descendants of the Saxon immigrants of 1839 share family recipes and the cooking traditions of their grandparents and great-grandparents. Arrangements may need to be made in advance for this experience.

East Perry Community Fair in September

The East Perry Community Fair is a different, calendar-dependent highlight. It takes place every year in September at the fairgrounds in Altenburg, on the third Friday and Saturday after Labor Day. The program includes 4-H exhibits, livestock judging, and arts and crafts, as well as truck and tractor competitions. There are also mule jumping, a horse show, rides, local food, and live entertainment. The program ranges from agriculture and crafts to showcases and fairground activities. If the fair is a reason for your trip, check the date for the relevant year in advance.

Discover more destinations: Cape Girardeau

For the broader travel overview: Cape Girardeau County.