Lake of the Ozarks
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Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri ___________
Driving Directions
From Quincy, take I-172 south for 15 miles to US 36. Go southwest
on US 36 for 7 miles to Hannibal, Missouri. Go south on US 61 for 10 miles
to New London and State Ro
ute
19. Follow State Route 19 going southwest for 27 miles to US 54. Continue
on US 54 heading southwest for 106 miles to Bagnell Dam. Approximately
165 miles.
Calendar of Events
Check Funlake.com
for a list of area events or visit
Lake of the Ozarks.
History
Before the existence of the Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Indians inhabited the area drawn by the wealth of natural resources. Mild winters, ample wildlife, and natural cave shelters provided the Osage tribe with an ideal home in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. French explorers came to the region in the early 1700's and by 1825 the Osage tribe had moved to reservations in Kansas and Oklahoma.
Union Electric undertook a monumental engineering project, The Great
Osage River Project, in 1929 when it created Lake of the Ozarks in order
to supply electricity to a large part of Missouri. Construction of Bagnell
Dam began on August 6, 1929. The dam would create the world’s largest
man-made lake. To make way for the lake, 30,000 acres of timberland needed
to be cleared, 32 cemeteries were moved, and five towns were either displaced
or 
destroyed.
Since this project was the largest construction project in America and
took place during the Great Depression, workers flocked to the area for
jobs. Union Electric employed nearly 10,000 people who worked around the
clock seven days a week. The project was completed on May 30, 1931, when
the Lake of the Ozarks was opened to the public.
The lake covers more than 58,000 acres and measures 92 miles from Bagnell Dam to Truman Dam. There are more than 1,150 miles of shoreline that accommodate 150 marinas, 46 waterfront restaurants, and nearly 1,000 campground sites.
More than five million visitors come to the lake to enjoy its overwhelming beauty, unforgettable scenery, and wide variety of recreation activities. Water activities include boating, swimming, fishing, and even parasailing. Thick forests, rolling hills, and scenic bluffs create a nature lover’s paradise. The lake also hosts a nice selection of family activities such as golfing, birdwatching, go-karts, family amusement parks, shopping, and antiquing.
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