Wakonda State Park
Encyclopedia
Wakonda State Park is a state park
in the US state
of Missouri consisting of 1053.87 acre (4.3 km²) near La Grange
in Lewis County.
word meaning something consecrated or spiritual, was established by the Missouri State Park Board in 1960 on 273 acres transferred from the Missouri Highway Commission. The area is one of the few remaining sand prairie areas to be found along the central and northern Mississippi River. During the Ice Age, glacial movement left large deposits of high quality gravel and sand. Beginning in 1924 the Missouri Highway Commission contracted with private companies to remove the large gravel deposits for use in road surfacing materials. The gravel was very deep, requiring open-pit mining
techniques which eventually led to the creation of the six lakes that dot the Wakonda park landscape. By the 1980s some 26 million tons of sand and gravel had been removed from the area. Additional land purchases by the state, including a final 777 acre tract in 1992, created the parks current dimensions.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in the US state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Missouri consisting of 1053.87 acre (4.3 km²) near La Grange
La Grange, Missouri
La Grange is a city in Lewis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,000 at the 2000 census. Since the 2000 census the population has been dwindling. It is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Police Scandal:...
in Lewis County.
History
Wakonda, an Osage IndianOsage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
word meaning something consecrated or spiritual, was established by the Missouri State Park Board in 1960 on 273 acres transferred from the Missouri Highway Commission. The area is one of the few remaining sand prairie areas to be found along the central and northern Mississippi River. During the Ice Age, glacial movement left large deposits of high quality gravel and sand. Beginning in 1924 the Missouri Highway Commission contracted with private companies to remove the large gravel deposits for use in road surfacing materials. The gravel was very deep, requiring open-pit mining
Open-pit mining
Open-pit mining or opencast mining refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow....
techniques which eventually led to the creation of the six lakes that dot the Wakonda park landscape. By the 1980s some 26 million tons of sand and gravel had been removed from the area. Additional land purchases by the state, including a final 777 acre tract in 1992, created the parks current dimensions.
Features
- Camping - Eighty-six campsites are available year-round. Seasonal services (April 15-October 31) include modern restrooms, showers, a laundry, water, andsewer dump station for RVs. A mix of basic, electric, and sewer/electric/water campsites are present. Four recreational vehicles are available for rental as well.
- Boating - Five of Wakonda's six lakes allow boating. Agate and Wakonda lakes allow boats with outboard motors of ten horsepower or less. Quartz, Granite, and Boulder lakes allow only electric trolling motors. No boating is allowed on Jasper Lake. John Boat and canoe rentals are available in season.
- Fishing - largemouth Bass, crappie, walleye, bluegill, and catfish are the most common species found. No trot lines, bank lines, or jug lines are allowed. Contact the park office for further fishing restrictions and catch limits.
- Swimming - At 20,000 square feet, Lake Wakonda offers the Missouri State Park systems largest natural sand beach. A showerhouse and restroom facility are available. No lifeguards are provided so swimming is at your own risk.