Taking a Look At Missouri

The Lake of the Ozarks is located in central Missouri in the northern part of the Ozark Mountains. The impoundment of the Osage River and its tributaries created this large reservoir. The slow and lazy curves of the lake have earned it the nickname of “The Magic Dragon”. It is one of the largest man-made lakes dating from 1931. It has become a vacation destination and a place for winter sports.

When visiting you can explore the Ozarks, visit the Lake of the Ozarks State Park, or stop by Party Cove.

You can relax at the Lodge of Four Seasons and when you’re not boating on the lake you can even enjoy a round of golf.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park is located along the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks.

You can explore the running of Ha Ha Tonka Mansion which was built after the 18th-century European castles, There are 15 miles of hiking trails, caves, sinkholes, and natural bridges. You can choose to go boating, fishing, or swimming.

The Katy Trail State Park includes the Katy Trail that runs along 240 miles of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. It stretches along the railroad tracks and the Missouri River. It is the longest rails-to-trails trail in the country. It is enjoyed by hikers, joggers, bikers, and tourists. Parts of this trail are also parts of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the American Discovery Trail.

Hannibal is the town where literary giant Mark Twain was raised. The town has preserved his house and has museums to commemorate his life.

Take a look at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Garden, the Huckleberry Finn House, and the Thatcher House. You can follow along with his colorful characters and take the raft ride with Huck and Jim or explore the cave that Tom and Becky explored. During the summer there are free music concerts.

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is great for day trips and overnight stays with camping and cabin rentals, You can go hiking, biking, or fishing. You can bike on the canyon floor, take a tram tour or cattle drive. If you like you can ride a horse through the park.

St. Joseph or St. Joe is located in Buchanan County along the Missouri River. It was founded in 1843 by fur trader, Joseph Robidoux. During the Wild West days, it was the last supply point and rough frontier town. The town has seen the birth of the Pony Express, the death of infamous outlaw Jesse James, and in modern times is the birthplace of famous rapper, Eminem.

There is the Pony Express Museum and at the Heaton-Bowman Smith Funeral Home is a small museum dedicated to Jesse James. It displays the bullet hole from the final shot that killed the outlaw.

Take a look at the amazing Welch Spring Hospital ruins that once offered healing waters. They are located in Jadwin. In 1913 a doctor having found spring water that had healing properties built a hospital over the mouth of the cave, Welch Spring. Today such a hospital could be called a health spa. However, since access to the area surrounding the Current River was limited there were not too many patients or guests. The healing complex was abandoned.

Today the Current River is a popular place for canoe trips and camping.

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park which is just south of Columbia, Missouri has what is known as the Devil’s Icebox. It consists of wooden bridges and pathways. The reason it was given this name is that it stays a cool 56 degrees all year round. Visitors can explore the dark terrain underneath a natural rock bridge and explore Connor’s Cave. The Devil’s Icebox is a complex of caves that stretches for seven miles.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum is located in Mansfield. This features the concluding series of her life and is the place where she settled with Almanzo and their daughter rose. It is also the place where she wrote her Little House books. Here you can see Laura’s homes, the historic farmhouse and the Rock House on Rocky Ridge, and Laura’s Vegetable Garden created to honor her passion for gardening. In the museum, you can see Pa’s fiddle, manuscripts for the Little House books, Laura’s needlework, Almanzo’s tools, and other keepsakes. Another part of the museum is dedicated to Rose Wilder Lane, who became an American journalist, travel writer, novelist, and political theorist.

In the so-called wild goose capital of the world Sumner, Missouri you’ll find a huge goose called Maxie in the middle of a public park caught in mid-flight.

It was installed in 1976 and is made of fiberglass. Sumner sits along a migration path and sees a large number of around 100,000 wild geese land in the local lakes every year.

Pigs Aloft Museum in Linn is the only pig museum in the U.S. It contains one of the largest collections of pig items with more than 30,000 pieces. The museum has made its home in an 80-year-old barn. Visitors to the museum have added their pig items to this collection.

In addition to the museum the Where Pigs Fly Farm has more than 500 live animals. You can visit with the resident donkeys, horses, birds, cattle, and pigs. Annually the farm also rescues hundreds of cats.