PERRYVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A rural Missouri county along the Mississippi River is gearing up for visitors who will arrive next August in search of the best viewing of what some are calling the Great American Eclipse.

The Aug. 21, 2017, event will be the first total solar eclipse to be seen from the mainland U.S. in nearly four decades, visible over 12 states.

Promoters in Perry County, 80 miles south of St. Louis, say their locale is the best because it will offer one of the longest views of the total eclipse.

The eclipse will be total in some locations for less than 30 seconds. The Southeast Missourian reports that Perry County will have a view for 2 minutes and 40.1 seconds, among the longest anywhere.