Van Meter State Park

Van Meter State Park
Missouri State Park
Missouri tribe fort at the park
Country United States
State Missouri
County Saline
Elevation 663 ft (202 m) [1]
Coordinates 39°15′53″N 93°16′05″W / 39.26472°N 93.26806°W / 39.26472; -93.26806Coordinates: 39°15′53″N 93°16′05″W / 39.26472°N 93.26806°W / 39.26472; -93.26806 [1]
Area 1,104.63 acres (447 ha) [2]
Established 1932 [3]
Management Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Location in Missouri
Website: Van Meter State Park

Van Meter State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area on the Missouri River in Saline County, Missouri. The state park consists of 1,105 acres (447 ha) of hills, ravines, fresh water marsh, fens, and bottomland and upland forests in an area known as "the Pinnacles." The park has several archaeological sites, a cultural center, and facilities for camping, hiking, and fishing. It is managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.[4]

History

The park and surrounding lands were once the home of the Native American tribe known to French settlers as “Oumessourit,” or Missouri Indians. Signs of the land's first occupants include the remnants of a Native American village, known as Utz Site,[5] a sizeable earthworks named Old Fort,[6] and a mound field. Utz Site and Old Fort are included in the National Register of Historic Places.[7][8]

The Civilian Conservation Corps was active in the park from 1934 to 1935. The large shelter house and the small shelter house in the Walnut Grove that survive from that era have also been added to the National Register of Historic Places.[9][10][11]

Activities and amenities

The area's native history is interpreted in the park's cultural center through exhibits and murals.[12] Park recreational activities include camping, hiking, and fishing on an 18-acre (7.3 ha) lake.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Van Meter State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "Missouri State Park Advisory Board Annual Report 2008". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  3. ↑ "State Park Land Acquisition Summary". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Van Meter State Park". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Description of Uzt site and finds". December 18, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Old Fort - Van Meter State Park". Waymarking. Groundspeak, Inc. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Utz Site". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Old Fort". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  9. ↑ "ECW Architecture in Missouri State Parks 1933-1942 Thematic Resources" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Van Meter State Park Combination Building". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Van Meter State Park Shelter Building". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Missouri's American Indian Cultural Center". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
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