Welcome to Bennett Spring 2016

Welcome toWelcome to

More than just fi shing.More than just fi shing.Bennett SpringBBenneennetttt SSprinpringg

2015-2016 GUIDE TO BENNETT SPRING2015-2016 GUIDE TO BENNETT SPRING

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26248 Hwy 64A • Lebanon, MO 65536For Information or Reservations: (417)532-4307 or (800)334-6946

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PAGE 4 WELCOME TO BENNETT SPRING

Something for Everyone Bennett Spring State Park offers a little something for everyone in the family. ......................................... Page 5

Helping Mother NatureBSSP Hatchery staff spawn thousands of trout each year.......................................... Page 10

From Brice to BennettBennett Spring State Park is rich in history. It was once a milling community known as Brice.......................................... Page 13

Lebanon, MO: We're Just Up The RoadJust a few miles up the road, Lebanon, Mo., offers unique shopping and entertainment opportunities.........................................PAGE 20

Opening Day: Traditions March 1 opens the trout season. ......................................... Page 22

Another successful seasonDespite record-setting rain in the late spring and early summer, business owners around Bennett Spring called 2015 a pretty good year................................................ Page 27

INSIDE

WelcomeWelcometo Bennett to Bennett

SpringSpring

PAGE 5WELCOME TO BENNETT SPRING

The gem of the Ozarks, Bennett Spring and its surroundings offer something for everyone

Centuries ago, the “Eye of the Sacred One” fi rst drew the Osage Indians to its banks. The clear blue waters are now known as Bennett Spring, the centerpiece of one of Missouri’s oldest state parks.

Bennett Spring continues to entice nature lovers of every description. Situated in the Niangua River valley, the park offers many opportunities for trout fi shing, camping, hiking, bird watching, swimming and picnicking. Not only are the recreational options diverse and intriguing, but the scenery is enchanting and breathtaking — no matter what the season might be.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) completed many of the improvements and additions to the park during the 1930s. The rustic hiking trails carved out of the woods, the old stone bridge that arches over the waters of the spring, and the cozy park cabins welcoming weary fi shermen all resulted from their efforts. The serenity of the park, however, was perfect from the beginning.

A leisurely walk along the shaded Stream Trail reveals a stunning view of the clear spring waters. Fitness en-thusiasts can opt to brave the rigorous seven-mile hike to the Natural Tunnel, while less-determined hikers may tread the two-mile Savanna Ridge Trail, which winds through the woods and atop bluffs overlooking the picturesque Ozarks mountains.

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Nature walks guided by park naturalists at the Nature Inter-pretive Center guarantee an au-thentic outdoor experience. The nature center also houses exhib-its explaining the history of the spring and describing the natural environment of the park. A variety of free and interesting presenta-tions and programs are available throughout the year.

Bennett Spring’s most popular attraction is the fi shing. Although the rainbow trout is not native to Missouri, it has become the state’s most popular sport fi sh since its introduction to the area.

Until they are large enough to be released into the spring branch, the trout are raised at the recently renovated hatchery in the park. The regular trout season extends from the beginning of March to the end of October.

In November, the “catch-and-release” period begins and con-tinues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through February. Year-round the rainbow trout beckon fi sherman from the Midwest and beyond.

Although Bennett Spring State Park is most widely known for it’s fi shing, its other amenities are readily available to those living within a day’s drive. When local swimming pools become over-crowded, the park’s impressive swimming pool can serve as an ideal alternative. When dinner at the same old restaurants seems unappetizing, the park’s dining lodge can impress dinner guests with its “down home” cooking. When the town’s event calendar is less than full, Bennett Spring area outfitters can provide thrilling fl oat trips on the Niangua River.

A trip to the nearby state park is also inexpensive and fun.

Bennett Spring State Park is Lebanon’s very own Oz. Lebanon natives’ search for their hearts’ desire need not go any farther than their own backyard, Bennett Spring State Park. There truly is no place like home. ■


Trout Fest Trout Fest comes to comes to BennettBennett

A new event offers a good time at Bennett Spring State ParkFree fi shing, prizes, food

and seminars highlighted the Conservation Federa-tion of Missouri’s inaugural Trout Fest held at Bennet Spring State Park on a week-end in early June 2015.

Conservation Federation of Mis-souri (CFM) Executive Director Brandon Butler said he was pleased with the outcome of the event this year and is looking forward to Trout Fest 2016, which will be at Bennett Spring.

“It has worked really well. We tagged 100 trout per day to put in … (Saturday). Out of the 100 we put in, 35-to-40 came back, so I think it is a pretty good success rate,” Butler said.

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There was no cost to participate, so the prizes, such as fi shing equip-ment one wins during the weekend from catching those special trout, is an added bonus for coming down to Bennett to fish on Trout Fest weekend.

“We have some generous spon-sors — Rebel lures, Bass Pro Shops, Plano, and others donating prizes. You add the thrill of catching a fi sh to also getting some cool gear on top of it, and it sweetens the deal,” he said.

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made and built in — people are coming no matter what; we need to do a bet-ter job letting people who are here know what is going on.”

The Whistle Bridge was where Butler was directed to set up for this inaugural event. Things should change next year.

“We needed to be over in Zone 1 when you are coming down the hill, fi rst coming in to the park,” Butler said. “It will be signifi cantly better next year.”

A father-daughter duo took ad-vantage of the fee-less fi shing day in Missouri at this year’s Trout Fest, looking to hook into one of those sought-after tagged fish. Their spirits were still up even though they hadn’t caught one yet while fi shing in Zone 2 near the Whistle Bridge.

Randy Eads and his daughter, Maddy (age 7). from Lone Jack, Mo., came down in a party of around 15. Some of the kids from his group caught a few tagged fi sh on Saturday, but Maddy was still fi shing for one. Eads also said he took one of his two older kids to the spring earlier Sunday morning, and one of them caught the limit in just one hour.

“I caught just one fi sh,” he said. “There has been so much going on here (at Trout Fest), it has been hard to keep up with all of it,” he said.

The weekend’s event showcased important

people in the fi elds of con-servation and angling. One of those has been fi shing for trout in Mis-souri for a long time.

Jim Washabaugh, CFM board of directors member, was on hand giving a seminar on fi shing basics at the park. He is originally from the St. Louis area but now resides in Jefferson City.

“I have been fi shing here for six decades, and in 60 minutes I have been trying to teach people the basics. When you go from (fi shing) for bass and catfi sh, there are some other things you need to do (for trout) to be successful.”

Washabaugh believes experience can be the cruelest teacher, and at Trout Fest he was offering some expert tips so others can get on the fast track to enjoying trout fi shing at the spring.

“You must be a little bit success-ful when you attempt to catch fi sh,” he said.

Trout fi shing basics are all people need to hook into trout, according to Washabaugh. He also emphasizes to people that they don’t need a boat or a big investment to enjoy angling at Bennett and other fi shing parks. He also is impressed with the overall setting of the park.


Butler also said the conservation workers tagging those fi sh tried to get a range of fi sh sizes.

“This is the fi rst year, so we have started small. There will be (a second year),” he said. “Now that we have documentation of this fi rst-year’s success, it will be easier to bring in other groups in the future.”

The food aspect of the event was successful, according to Butler. The CFM Grill served barbecue from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Looking to the future, Butler is already thinking of how to make it even more successful as the CFM starts thinking about year two of Trout Fest.

“We have to do better on some things too,” he said. “We have to do a better job of letting people know what is going on, not necessarily getting people to come, because the crowd (at Bennett) are already

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“I don’t know of any other place that is this family friendly as these parks with trout in them (are),” he said. “These parks offer something for everybody.”

The CFM is the organization that originally started the conservation commission and conservation de-partment in Missouri, according to Washabaugh.

“A bunch of people came together in the 1930s and said, ‘Hey, look, we don’t have any deer or any turkeys, anything anymore,” he said. Since then, the CFM and the Missouri Department of Conservation have spearheaded many initiatives to pro-mote conservation making Missouri a model for most other states in the nation concerning stewardship over the natural resources, according to Washabaugh.

Scott Pauly was also in attendance as a seminar speaker for the week-end event.

“I did a seminar (Saturday) af-ternoon with about 20 people in at-tendance,” he said. With as beautiful a day as Saturday presented, Pauly wasn’t offended. “If it were me I would rather be in the stream than sitting in the seminar too.”

In his seminar “Trout Fishing Across Missouri,” Pauly informed the visitors on many other places across the state to catch fi sh.

“We have four other trout parks in Missouri and other locations as well as some of the different rivers and stream fi shing opportunities across the state,” Pauly said. ■

Help fi ght 'rock snot!'From the Missouri Departmentof Conservation

Rock snot. Sounds a lot worse than “Didymosphenia gemi-nate,” doesn’t it? This invasive alga is also commonly known as “didymo,” but no matter what you call it, it's gaining footholds in streams worldwide, including some of the most revered trout waters on Earth. The infestation nearest to Missouri is in the White River just south of the Missouri-Arkansas border.DIDYMO IS BAD NEWS FOR

ANGLERSThe jury is still out concerning

didymo’s possible ecological ef-fects. But rock snot is defi nitely bad news for anglers. Stringy alga threads catch on all types of hooks, from dry fl ies to crank-baits, making fishing nearly impossible.

Please help us keep didymo out of Missouri.

WHEN FISHING: COMPLY WITH THE POROUS-SOLED

WADER BAN AND WASH YOUR WADERS

Don't wear porous-soled wad-ers when fi shing in trout parks, trout streams, Lake Taneycomo and buffer areas. Learn more about the porous-soled wader ban.

Treat your porous-soled waders to avoid spreading didymo in Mis-souri.

Use wader-washing stations when fi shing at your favorite Mis-souri trout park.AT HOME: CHECK AND CLEAN

YOUR GEARCheck all gear and equipment af-

ter use and remove any visible algae. If you notice algae on your equip-ment at a later time, do not dispose of the algae by putting it down a drain. Dispose of it in the trash.

Clean all equipment with a 2 per-cent household bleach solution, 5 per-cent saltwater solution, or dishwash-ing detergent. Allow all equipment to stay in contact with the solution for at least three minutes. Soak all soft items, such as felt-soled waders and life jackets, in the solution for at least 20 minutes. ■

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Legend has it a can of fry trout dumped into the waters of Bennett Spring thrived, making the stream a trout stream.

However, because conditions aren't favorable for trout to spawn naturally in the cool waters of the spring-fed stream, the Missouri De-partment of Conservation and the staff of the Bennett Spring State Park Trout Hatchery help out.

Spawning season at the hatchery typically begins in the fall, nor-mally in late August, and continues through the end of October.

Females are checked to see if their eggs are ripe for fertilization. The eggs are only ripe inside the females for about a week, so it is important that they are harvested promptly. Eggs that are overripe are stripped from the female and not used, and the fi sh are then released back into the hatchery’s pools for the next year’s spawn. Males, however, are used multiple times throughout the spawning season.

A single drop of milt — fi sh semen — can fertilize about 10,000 eggs.

On spawn day, hatchery staff mem-bers bring male fi sh into the hatchery building, where the milt is collected. Fish are sexed in the fall, and male and female brood stock are kept separate, simply for convenience, during the spawning process. The brood stock is typically between 2 and 6 years of age.

The hatchery keeps about 3,000 fe-males and between 500 and 600 males. The brood stock is eventually turned into the stream as lunkers.

Hatchery technicians gets quickly to work, dipping the male fi sh from the holding pool and placing them into a smaller tank where the fi sh are sedated. The Tricaine mesylate that is added to the smaller tank quickly calms the fi sh, allowing hatchery staff to handle the lunkers without stress as the milt is collected.

Where do all the fish come from?

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The Tricaine mesylate, also known as MS-222, quickly wears off after the fi sh are returned to fresh water, which is pumped continuously through the hatch-ery from the spring’s flowing stream.

Seasoned spawning veterans Jesse Huntley (15 years) and Ger-ald Hendricks (32 years) make the milt collection look easy as they maneuver their hands around the fi sh to harvest the milt, which is transferred from the fi sh into the test tubes.

It doesn’t take long for the crew to collect milt from 60 males. The tubes are then placed into a refrig-erator, but not for long.

Hatchery staff then move in a group of females to begin checking and gathering eggs. The females, like the males, are transferred to smaller tank and sedated. On a spawn day, eggs are collected from about 250 fe-males.

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The four-man crew adds a fi fth member as one person checks the eggs before the ripe females are taken to a drying station, then to a collection area.

Assistant Hatchery Manager Mike Perry and resource techni-cian Brandon Goss explained that the females are dried because if the collected eggs are exposed to water, they are only fertile for about 30 seconds. The bellies of the male fi sh are also dried prior to collection.

Spawning in the wild, Perry said, requires the males to be at the female’s nest immediately upon the female’s release, or the eggs simply turn into food for other fi sh.

With the assistance of a small injection of air into the females, the eggs are collected from the females and caught in a net, then trans-ferred into a smaller holding bowl. Once the bowl is full, a saltwater solution is added as two test tubes of milt are poured in. The eggs and milt are then mixed by hand.

“Fertilization is almost instan-taneous,” Goss explains as he stirs the eggs, milt and water. “They are fertilized within about 30 sec-onds.”

After an hour in a distilled water

bath, the eggs are then moved into a large tube to await hatching. The tube simulates the movement of a current in a stream.

The eggs remain moving in the tubes for about 21 days. Exactly when the tiny fi sh emerge from their shells depends on the tem-perature of the water. Each tube has about 67,000 eggs, and after about 10 days the eyes of the fi sh begin to be seen. Not every egg will produce a trout. Actually, only about 15 to 20 percent of the eggs collected turn into sac fry, which Perry said is much higher than

the survival rate of those trout spawned in a stream.

“We’re looking at about 450,000 to 500,000 fi sh from this spawn,” Perry said.

After hatching, the sac fry are moved into troughs, where they will remain under the watchful eye of staff through the “fl oat up” stage and until they are about 3 inches long.

Perry and Goss explained that the staff carefully watches for signs of disease and deformity. They also start feeding the fi sh when they are in the fl oat up stage.

“We start them on a really fi ne ground feed,” Perry said. “Once they get bigger, their feed gets big-ger.”

After about six months inside the hatchery, the trout are moved to the outdoor raceways, where most peo-ple see them swimming by, awaiting food from passersby. The fi sh are about 3 inches long when they are moved to the outdoor raceways.

It takes about 18 months to two years for fish hatched inside the walls of the hatchery to reach the stream. The average release size is about 12 inches.

Tours of the hatchery can be ar-ranged for groups by calling 417-532-4418. ■

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From Brice to BennettBennett Spring State Park is one of Missouri’s fi rst

and most popular state parks, attracting a growing number of tourists every year.

The third largest natural spring in the state of Mis-souri pumps one million gallons of water each and every day. Anglers from around the nation wade in the spring’s waters in search of lunker-sized trout, and those looking for adventures in camping and

canoeing come in droves each year, but there was once a time when Bennett Spring State Park was simply known as Brice, Mo.

During the 1920s, when America was enjoying prosperity following World War I, Bennett Spring (then known as Brice) was one of many areas con-sidered by state planners to be preserved as a state park.

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A Dec. 12, 1924, article in the Laclede County Republican news-paper stated that Lebanon Cham-ber of Commerce President O.A. Mayfi eld requested that the state consider Bennett Spring as a park site. It said the fi rst parcel of land, 8 1/2 acres that belonged to Josie Bennett Smith, would become a part of Bennett Spring State Park. The land was purchased from Mrs. Smith on Dec. 27, 1924.

Several weeks later, another con-tract was signed between William Sherman Bennett, Mrs. Smith’s brother, and the state for the sale of 565.33 acres. Of that land, 427 acres can be traced as belonging to James Brice, who settled there in 1837. The land where today’s park store, offi ce, dining lodge and hatchery buildings stand once belonged to the Bennett family.

James Brice fi rst came here while traveling in Missouri from Illinois in search of productive land and a healthful climate. He decided to stay at the beautiful spring area, which reportedly teemed with wildlife. Elk, deer, wild turkeys and buffalo, even panthers, were said to drink from the enormous spring.

Brice homesteaded 160 acres, which included the spring, and eventually homesteaded addition-al acreage that included all of the land and the spring branch area.

He built the fi rst mill in the vi-cinity where early farmers brought their corn for grinding. The mill

eventually was washed away dur-ing a violent rainstorm and fl ood. Brice, the fi rst permanent settler in the Bennett Spring area, died in 1855 and is buried in the Bennett Cemetery.

The Bennett family later settled at the spring area on land known as the Elmer Conn farm, site of the present Sand Spring Resort. The enterprising Peter Bennett built a mill at the spring outlet and Niangua River, which also was washed away in a rainstorm and fl ood. Bennett built a second mill, known as Bennett’s Mill, during the Civil War years. It be-came a center for tradesmen and farmers. The mill was too small to accommodate the increase in business, so Bennett built a third mill and included a card-

ing machine that prepared wool for the spinning wheel. He also built a sawmill in one section of the mill.

As business continued to grow, Bennett decided to con-struct a three-story building, and he purchased equipment for it in St. Louis. Since the railroad track went only to Rolla, Ben-nett and his employees had to meet the train there and haul the equipment to Brice in ox-driven wagons — a slow process over the rocky fords of that time.

Peter Bennett married Anna Brice, the daughter of home-steader James Brice. After Brice’s death, Peter and Anna inherited the property.

When Peter Bennett died in 1882, his son, William Sherman Bennett, continued to run the mill. Bennett’s daughter, Josie Bennett Smith, operated a hotel at Brice for many years.

The Bennett Mill was destroyed by fi re in 1895. Dr. John B. and Freeman Atchley built the last mill at Brice. Others who operated the mill in later years were J.E. Kelly, Mr. Runge and B.J. Usery. The mill stood as a landmark at Bennett Spring for sightseers and trades-men alike.

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The Civilian Conservation Corps, which worked in the area during the 1930s, improved the mill. However, it later was de-stroyed by fire. The CCC also constructed a log dam, foot trails, a new bridge and many other build-ings at the park.

The spring valley already had become a popular camping site in the late 1800s as area farmers waited their turns at the mill. Ac-cording to a Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) bro-chure, campers would fi sh, hunt or visit with local townspeople to pass the time.

By the turn of the century, rec-reation was gaining in importance at Brice. According to the DNR brochure, in 1900 the Missouri fish commissioner introduced 40,000 mountain trout into the spring, and a privately owned fi sh hatchery was built in 1923, the year before the state bought the spring and some of the surrounding area for a state park.

The Brice Post Offi ce was origi-nally built as a log building on the riverbank and named after James Brice. In later years, it was located in a general store operated by William Sherman Bennett and his wife, Louie. The name of the post offi ce was changed to Bennett

Spring in 1939 and fi nally was dis-continued in 1965. Arlie Bramwell was the last postmaster at Bennett Spring.

It was reported that in the early 1900s that William Sherman Ben-nett had a number of cans of young trout emptied into the spring. The trout thrived in the cold waters, attracting many fi shermen.

Brice was the location where famed author Harold Bell Wright completed work on his classic novel, “The Shepherd of the Hills.’’

Wright also wrote “The Calling of Dan Matthews,’’ while he lived in Lebanon. In that book, Wright’s “Gordon’s Mill’’ actually was Bennett’s Mill.

Today, one off the oldest original buildings at Bennett Spring in the Bennett Spring Church of God, organized in 1917 through the infl uence of William Sherman and Louie Boles Bennett, who donated land for the church site. In the 1950s, stone veneer was applied over the wooden structure. ▼ ▼

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It is the only origi-nal building that was in old Brice.

“Aunt Louie’’ Ben-nett was pastor of the church for many years. Today, Bennett Spring Church of God is a very active church and is visited by many fishermen staying at the park each trout season.

In 1933, the Ci-vilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Project Ad-ministration (WPA) were two new pro-grams implemented by the U.S. govern-ment to put people to work during the Great De-pression. Much work was done at Bennett Spring starting in No-vember of that year. The crews’ first tasks were to build barracks for themselves. They built a new dam, a bridge, a dining lodge, six cabins, a store and post office building, shelters, houses, roads and trails. They also renovated the old Atchley Mill.

The men also constructed a second set of gravel-bottomed hatchery rearing pools and in 1935 built a new section onto the hatchery building. After the men left in 1938, they dismantled all but one of their barracks.

Through the years most of the development at the park has taken place outside of the park’s boundaries as provide individuals built cabins, hotels, campgrounds and many other businesses. In 1969, Arlie Bram-well sold his wood and stone cabins to the state. Ralph Usery’s cabins were razed. Splan’s Resort was once a very busy place there. Vogel’s Resort was acquired by the state in 1980.

In 1969, the Nature Interpre-tive Center opened at the park with George Kastler as the first naturalist, and in 1982 the park dedicated a new office and store building close to the dining

lodge on the site of the original Brice. Later the park’s Niangua entrance was renamed the Bramwell Entrance in honor of Arlie Bramwell.

A n a d d i t i o n a l 1,650 acres of land to the south of the cur-rent state boundary was purchased in November 1988 to provide watershed protection for Ben-nett Spring itself as well as the park area. Each year has brought more im-provements.

N o w, a t 3 , 2 1 6 acres, the state park that arose around Peter Bennett’s spring continues to delight all com-ers. ■

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Come to Lebanon to relive the his-tory of Route 66, the “Main Street of America."

Historic Route 66 brings travelers from throughout the world to Lebanon, eager to "get their kicks on Route 66." You can learn more about this era with a visit to The Route 66 Museum and Re-search Center, which has been featured in Best of the Midwest Travel Magazine. This fascinating 3,500-square-feet mu-seum is located in the Lebanon-Laclede County Library and has an extensive map collection and vignettes about the diners, gas stations, motels and com-munities built along Route 66. Come learn what travel was like in its heyday. Admission is absolutely free.

Set aside a nice chunk of time to ex-perience our shopping. Lebanon is home to the Shepherd Hills Factory Outlet, the world’s largest dealer of top-selling Case Knives. The huge store also offers so much more, including Ozark walnut bowls, Mikasa china and Denby pottery. There’s outstanding outlet shopping at The Mall, which of-fers jeans, shoes, housewares and other must-have items. Visit one o f o u r m a n y

family-owned antique shops and be sure to stop in at the Heartland Antique Mall, which has more than 250 dealers and 40,000 square feet of antiques, a Russell Stover Candy Outlet, cheese outlet and crafts mall.

The Kenneth E. Cowan Civic Center is the pride of Lebanon, a state-of-the-art, multipurpose facility with a 46,000-square foot exhibition hall, meet-ing rooms, a 675-seat theater, outdoor arena and grand foyer. This facility has been home to diverse events such as rodeos, trade shows, concerts, demoli-tion derbies, banquets, fairs, plays and weddings.

In addition, we are extremely excited that NASCAR short-track racing has returned to the I-44 Speedway with rac-ing every weekend from April through September. You can also be sure to catch some mudslinging fun at our premier

dirt track, Lebanon Midway Speedway. Golf is available at our GreatLife Golf and Fitness Center, a semi-private, 18-hole championship golf course located between Lebanon and Bennett Spring.

The kids will love spending time at the beautiful parks and the Boswell Aquatic Center or visiting Whirlwind Ranch, an alpaca ranch where you can purchase hand-knit items made of soft alpaca yarn.

Stay at a comfortable national chain hotel, a family-owned motel, a neon-lit Route 66 landmark or a charming bed and breakfast. Whatever lodging you choose, you can count on Lebanon’s fa-mous, friendly hospitality. You won’t go hungry when you visit. Whether you’re into Ozark barbecue, pizza, ethnic of-ferings, down-home comfort food or upscale cuisine, we have you covered.

Come experience Lebanon’s fun, friendliness, character and diversity. You’ll enjoy the visit and you’ll be glad you came.

For more information, please contact City of Leb-

anon Tourism D e p a r t m e n t toll free at (866) LEBANON, or visit the website at www.leba-nonmo.org.

Friendly people, friendly place


If trout fi shing isn't exactly what you and your family are looking for, there's still lots to do in the Bennett Spring area — including a leisurely trip down the peaceful Niangua River.

The Niangua River (pronounced “nigh-ang-wha”) is a 125-mile-long tributary of the Osage River in the Ozarks region of southern and cen-tral Missouri in the United States. Via the Osage and Missouri rivers it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.

The Niangua River is formed in Webster County by the confl uence of its short east and west forks, and flows generally northward through Dallas, Laclede and Cam-den counties, past Bennett Spring, Lake Niangua and Ha Ha Tonka state parks. It fl ows into the Osage River as an arm of the Lake of the Ozarks, which is formed by the Bagnell Dam on the Osage. As part of the lake it collects the Little Niangua River.

While the Niangua is toasted as one of the better fi shing rivers in the state, it also offers on-the-water adventures for all skill levels.

There are numerous locally-owned river outfi tters near Bennett Spring State Park that offer canoe, kayak, tube and raft rentals.

Floats can be all day, overnight or just a few hours, and outfi tters

can accommodate groups of any size.

Summer isn't the only season when outfitters launch boats. Many offer year-round river ad-ventures.

Need a place to stay? Look no further than the local campgrounds. They offer rough camping, cabins and RV hookups. The area also has a few top-notch motels for people to choose from.

After a trip down the river, many of the campgrounds offer a little "night life" to its guests with live music and other activities.

For those who like it a little

quieter in the evening, there are campgrounds that cater to you as well. ■

Take a leisurely ride on the river

HistoricHistoricRoute 66 InnRoute 66 Inn

1701 W. Elm, Lebanon1701 W. Elm, LebanonNext to Dowds Catfish & BBQNext to Dowds Catfish & BBQ

American Owned & Operated

•Cable with HBO

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•Weekly Rates

417-532-3128

Open 7 days A Week1760 W. Elm • Lebanon

(on Elm Street East of Exit 127 from I-44)

www.dowdscatfishandbbq.com27823 Marigold Drive • Lebanon, MO 65536417.532.2878 • www.riverwoodresortmo.com

Open Year Round!

on the banks of the Niangua River!


'This is the Sturgis of trout fi shing right here.'Chilly, snowy Opening Day affected attendance in 2015

Anglers from across the state and Midwest braved snow and ice-covered roads, 4 inches of snow and temperatures below freezing for the annual pilgrimage to Ben-nett Spring State Park on March 1, 2015, but the weather had a chilling effect on the expected turnout.

About 9,000 rainbow trout were stocked in the waters of the park in anticipation of 3,000 anglers, but by 6:30 a.m., less than 800 had purchased trout tags.

Honorary Whistle blower Chet Snyder, along with a group of about seven fi shing buddies, in-cluding his son Chuck, drove to Bennett from Grandview, Mo., just ahead of the winter weather that blanketed the area.

▼ ▼Continued on page 25

417-532-7128489 S. Jefferson, Lebanon, MO

Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-5:30pm •Sat. 9:00am-12:00pm

•Drive Thru•Delivery•Medical Supplies•Vitamins•Health & Beauty•All Major Insurance Accepted•Nursing Home Service•Computerized Prescription Service

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Unfortunately, his long-time friend, Tom Harber, was unable to make the trip. Harber was slated to close out Opening Day by firing off the closing siren.

Chuck Snyder, who spoke for his father due to his father's recent stroke, said nothing would have stopped the crew from coming to Bennett Spring on Opening Day.

“He had a grand mal seizure Tuesday, so we didn’t know if we were going to make it, but we did,” the younger Snyder said. “Tried and true, he’s here.”

Chet Snyder has been coming to Opening Day for more than 60 years, and said he has seen worse weather than this year.

“It must have been back in the 1980s when every-one had 2 inches of snow on their hats,” Chuck Sny-der said.

The group gets the same cabin at Bennett Spring State Park every year, and this Opening Day was no exception.

“We’ve stayed in cabin 27 since it was built,” Chuck Snyder said.

When asked if he was nervous about being the one to offi cially start the catch and keep season, Chet Snyder thought his appointed task would be pretty simple.

“I want it to be on time this year,” he said. “I don’t want it to be late.”

His fi shing companions, who were on hand for the Opening Day festivities, joked that when there were multiple dignitaries present for the opening si-ren, things always seemed

to be run a little late. For the Snyder family,

being at Bennett Spring is a tradition, and having the family patriarch beckon in the season was a big honor, Chuck Snyder said. But for Chet, it was much more.

“It’s the tradition,” he said.

Chuck Snyder actu-ally nominated his father for the honorary whistle blower honor and ex-plained that his father’s past has many chapters that include Bennett Spring State Park — as well as a few scars.

“In 1938 or so, that cut was sewed up by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps),” Chuck said as he pointed to a scar on his father’s forehead. “He fell out of his chair, and if you think about it, back in the 1930s, tires (on cars) weren’t very wide, and (going to) Lebanon was like going to Nebraska, so they sewed him up.”

For the Snyder fam-ily, there is no place they would rather be on March 1 than Bennett Spring State Park. On Opening Day, three generations of the family were on hand for Opening Day.

“As a matter of fact, when I hire on to a job, I just tell them not to ever expect me on March 1,” Chuck said.

He added that his fa-ther and their friends will travel to Bennett Spring during the spring and a summer months to take in a little fi shing, but March 1 is special.

“It’s like the Super Bowl for us when it comes to fishing,” Chuck Snyder said.

Continued from page 22

▼ ▼

For Reservations Call (417) 532-235625976 State Hwy 64A • Lebanon, MO

1/4 Mile from Trout Fishing, Dining Lodge, Fish Hatchery & Public Pool

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As the clock ticked down to 6:30 a.m., Chet and his crew checked their watches. They didn’t want him to be late.

Chet and Chuck Snyder were also carefully watching the time with anticipation, but it was perhaps trying to time when they would get to the stream themselves for some fi shing.

When asked if he planned to brave the snow and cold tempera-tures and wade into the waters of the spring, Chet Snyder simply said, “Oh, yeah.”

His favorite spot? Zone 2 .“Straight down from cabin 27,”

Chuck Snyder said. As 6:30 a.m. approached, Bennett

Spring Hatchery Manager Mike Mitchell presented Chet Snyder with the traditional No. 00001 tag.

As the “offi cial clock” approached the start time, the countdown to another season began.

“Ten, nine, eight,...” began the countdown. When the chant reached “one” an even bigger smile came across the face of Chet Snyder as he pushed the siren to start the 2015 season to a round of applause.

After a few handshakes and pats on the back, Chet Snyder and his del-egation headed out for their favorite spot, hoping — like other anglers — to land their dream lunker.

As the lines and fi shing stories continued to be tossed outside, Mitchell said the weather kept many anglers at home, but the start of the season was again a success for ev-eryone at the park, including those who were out at 3 a.m. or earlier, clearing snow from roads and park-ing areas.

“The weather was calling for frozen precipitation and hazardous conditions, so that played a part in the number that was here,” he said. “I know the (Bennett Spring State Park) store had several cancellations earlier this week. That’s part of it. It is March, and you never know what kind of weather you are going to have.”

Along the banks of Bennett Spring

State Park, anglers were pulling in their catches. The sounds of laughter and splashing fi sh echoed around the park, as well as a few “I lost him” phrases.

While Bennett Spring State Park is a Mecca of sorts for anglers look-ing to beat a little cabin fever, just as many spectators could be seen walking the banks, many of whom were snapping a few pictures to remember their trip.

One such person was David Mer-rell of Freberg, Ill. While he does en-joy fi shing at Bennett Spring, he was only a spectator on Opening Day.

“We just wanted to come see it,” he said. “We’ve got a place down here and we’ve been coming since 1989, something like that. I like to fl y fi sh, and Opening Day isn’t the best time to do that.”

Merrell said Bennett Spring ap-peals to him because it is a quiet place to get away to. Getting away is exactly what brought him to the park on March 1.

“We were going to get snow at home, so we thought we’d come down here and sit by the fi replace and watch it snow,” he said, adding that he might fi sh a little later this week.

He added that he likes to fish during the winter catch and release season and has done so in 15 degree below zero temperatures, so Open-ing Day’s weather was no big deal.

“If you’re going to do it, it doesn’t matter how cold it is,” he said.

For Kansas City, Mo., resident Marty Finley, Opening Day at Ben-nett Spring State Park is a bit of a homecoming.

His grandfather was among the CCC workers who helped build the

facilities at the park, including the historic bridge that sits below the dam.

“My family lived here from 1932 to 1941 in the CCC camp,” he said. “In 1941, my dad’s 8th birthday, the whole Finley clan left, so I don’t have any family ties here, but I try to come down for Opening Day when I can.”

Finley wasn’t armed with a fi sh-ing rod, but his enjoyment was simply standing on the bridge and watching the action. It also, he said, makes him feel a little closer to his family history.

“I like to stand on the bridge that my grandfather built,” he said. “I go to the old school and to the old homestead. Nothing is left anymore, but I know where they are at and I just mill around… I never met my grandfather. He died in 1960 and I was born in 1961, so I never got to meet him, but there is a picture of my father when he was really little. When he was like 70, he took another photo in the same area.”

Opening Day is actually the one day a year he plans to come to the park.

“Sometimes I can get away and ride my motorcycle down, but most of the time it is just for Opening Day,” he said.

While Finley doesn’t have any family remaining in the Bennett area, he did say he’s not surprised when he sees people he knows on Opening Day.

“I was in the dining lodge last night and I saw my old school teacher, Mr. Bradley,” he said. “If you like to fi sh, this is the place to be. This is the Sturgis of trout fi shing right here.” ■


As the 2015 fishing season wound down, visitors to the Ben-nett Spring area made up for the lost time of the spring and early summer when rain kept a lot of people away.

“I think the rain stopped a lot of people from coming,” said Sand Spring Resort owner Jack D. Glendenning in late September. “Maybe these guys are trying to make up now — for all the lost time. It’s hard to say, but it kind of feels like it’s a little busier than normal on the weekdays that we’re having right now. It’s been really gorgeous, and a lot of guys like to take advantage of that.”

When the year started, nobody thought the summer would be as wet as it turned out. From farmers to fishermen, their summer activi-ties were put on hold.

“If you look at the first part of the season, everything was look-

ing really good. It looked like a banner year until we got to about a week after Memorial Day and we started to get all of the rain. … Even the week after the Fourth of July, we had a situation where the river was flooded. We lost several days, Father’s Day, several days after the Fourth of July.

“But after that, I’m telling you, things picked up really nicely. We just didn’t have enough time. With school starting and Labor Day, you could definitely tell when that hit. But all in all, by far the season was great,” Glendenning said.

Sand Spring Resort was still pretty busy in late September. Floaters came in on the weekend, and fishermen are good for most days of the week.

Glendenning noted that the crowd that prefers to fish really picked back up.

Despite wet start, 2015 season deemed successful

▼ ▼Continued on page 32

23 Miles West on Hwy 64 Right on T Hwy 9 miles Left on E Hwy 1 mile on Left

• Seasonal Fresh Produce & Flowers

• Discounted Groceries• Deli Meat & Cheese

• Homemade Sandwiches• Bulk Spices • Bulk Candy

Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 8-5 pmFri. 8-6 pm • Sat. 8-5 pmNow Accepting Credit, Debit Cards & EBT

Meadowview Dutch Market

Discount & Surplus GroceriesPrices Subject to Stock on Hand417-993-3017

3

Welcome to Our Community

“God’s Gift To Us Is Life. What We

Do With It Is Our Gift To Him”

45

1

2

1

6

Experience Life in the “Past” Lane!

Directions: West on Hwy 64, 10 Miles past Bennett Spring Park.Turn right on Hwy T, then on YY to Store. Follow signs.

Open: 10:00am to 5:00pm

Closed Sunday

Books on Country Living &Mennonite Life and History

•Dry Goods •Gifts •Housewares•Kitchenwares •Handmade Toys•Handmade Soaps & Lotions•Candles & More•Homemade Ice Cream (Seasonal)The Leadmine

Restaurant is filled with good old-fashionedhome cooking, homemade breads, buns and pies. Open 11am-2:30pm Monday-Saturday. Closed January-February.

Wenger’s Greenhouse& Nursery

64 Hwy. to T Hwy. to School Rd.Just past Countryview Woodworks

• Annuals • Perennials• Bedding & Potted Plants

• Roses • Bushes• Shrubs • Fruit Trees

• Vegetable Plants

“Feeding Your Family Better”

Arlin Miller • Mary Ann Miller • ProprietorsHwy 73, Bu alo, MO 65622

Local ProduceLocal Produce In SeasonIn Season

Bulk & NaturalBulk & Natural FoodsFoods

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8:30-5:30 • (417) 345-5100 • Fax (417) 345-5115

•Baking Supplies•Organic Grains•Cereals•Wheat/Gluten Free Products•Pastas•Dried Fruits•Nuts•Candies - Reg. & Sugar Free

•Beans & Soup Mixes•Rada Cutlery & Soy Candles•Sugar Free Products•Frozen Doughs•Frozen Fruits & Vegetables•Snacks•Housewares/Cookbooks•Coffee/Teas

•Cheeses•Pennsylvania Dutch Meats•Christian Story Books•Spices/Seasonings/Cures•Local Homegrown Fruits & Vegetables in Season•NOW Nutrition Products

51 Sunset Drive • Tunas, MO• Closed Sundays

Country Lane Furniture

•Roll Top Desks•Solid Oak Bedroom Suites•Dining Sets •Hutches •Rockers •Cedar Chests •Cedar Toys

•Seasonal Greenhouse

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Leadmine is just a short drive from Bennett Spring!

Come out and have a homemade lunch, enjoy

authentic products, handmade quilts and

baked items.

Where Goldilocks Shopsand everything is just right!

custom, affordable furniture • fine and rustic available344 State Rd. E. • Tunas, MO (877)347-1718 • Hours: M-F 8am-5pm • Sat 10am-5pm

www.NianguaFurniture.com • [email protected]

It would be refreshing to feel secure in knowing that every piece of furniture in your home has been built with pain-staking accuracy and perfection. Typically, however, furnishings are built in factories, on assembly lines by big companies with employees who the consumer will not likely be able to speak with one-on-one to share their preferences.

Since 2008, furniture buyers have had a better choice, of which they may not be fully aware. Niangua River Furniture, part of the Leadmine Community near Tunas, MO, has been creating beautiful furnishings with a rustic appeal for nearly eight years. Utilizing local timber, the entire process of building a piece is completed by four craftsmen who quite literally grew up with sawdust in their pockets. “We do everything from start to finish right here,” shared Shop Manager Joel Zimmerman. “From milling the wood to designing to finishing a

piece of furniture, we do it all.” When asked how the four men divide the work and choose which tasks of the process to take on personally, Zimmerman simply stated each one is dedicated to doing what they do best. “We all have different backgrounds and talents,” he said. “So, we each focus on what it is that we do best.” According to Zimmerman, the focus of the business is customer satisfaction. At Niangua River Furniture, a customer may choose to purchase a piece already completed from the store’s overwhelmingly beautiful showroom, or they may prefer to have a custom piece designed to their specifications. “We are open to creating what the customer wants,” Zimmerman stated. “There is no middle man... We can work with a customer and what their specific preferences are.” It is apparent the customer-centered approach has caught on well for Niangua River Furniture consumers, as the business has not only constructed furniture for customers all across Missouri, but in all 50 states. Zimmerman stated he believes a trip to the area is well worth it for most customers, as they are more involved in the process of construction and design of their furniture as well as receiving a very high quality product. Additionally, Zimmerman noted there is an abundance to see and do in the Leadmine area. One could easily justify a trip there to enjoy the sights and scenery and other shops such as a bakery, discount grocery, country store, quilt shop and a delicious restaurant with home baked fares. In addition to a wide-spread customer base that includes both locals and visitors, Niangua River Furniture has showed significant business growth over the eight years it has been in business. Beginning as a very small mill and shop, a large showroom was completed in 2012 and was added to last year. The craftsmen have added several lines

of furniture and, recently began offering custom wood plank flooring as well as other interior home touches such as mantles and stairway railings. Moving forward, Zimmerman stated the company has goals of not only continuing to offer quality

products and maintaining uniqueness, but adding new furniture lines and adding onto the shop and showroom in the future.

“It’s Where Goldilocks Shops,” is the motto printed on Niangua River Furniture’s business cards. The statement couldn’t be more appropriate. For customers of this unique business, everything is just right.(The previous was an advertorial piece).

inspired by natureNianguaFurniture

Expert Craftsmen Unite

With The Customer In Mind!

6

HOME COOKIN’ AT ITS BEST!

452 W. CommercialM-Thur. 5:30am-2:00pm

Fri. 5:30am-8:00pmSat. 6:00am-2:00pm

Clifton’s

Sun.-Thurs. 11-9 • Fri. & Sat. 11-9:30417-588-9907 • 1921 W. Elm, Lebanon

(In front of Hampton Inn) • I-44 Exit 127

GREAT WALL

CHINESE BUFFET

Restaurant Dining Guide

We hope that you enjoy our town as

much as we do! And while you’re

here, grab a bite to eat at one of these fine restaurants.

850S. Jefferson Ave.

25416Granite Ln.

(417)588-58981087 S. Jefferson Ave.

417-532-2818 • Exit 127 • 912 Alexis Ave. • LEBANONOpen Monday -Saturday 11 am-3 pm • 5 pm-9 pm • Closed Sundays

SUSHI • CHINESE • BENTO • AMERICAN

780 S. Jefferson • Lebanon10am-10pm

Welcome to Bennett is Published by

CONTACT Rebecca Dinwiddie

at 417-532-9131 Ext. 225


“During the summer, it’s mainly people who want to fl oat, but right now people are trying to fish as much as they can. We have like two (unoffi cial) seasons and we see two different types of crowds. From the fi rst of March to Memorial Day, it’s mainly fi sherman. They take ad-vantage of there not being as many people around. I’m sure they are glad that the waters are not muddy with all the boats.

"From Memorial Day to about mid August, our crowd completely switches. They are mostly fl oaters, or here for family reunions. We see a lot of families come down that neither fl oat or fi sh,” Glendenning said.

Sand Spring Resort is open all year, but the biggest part of its busi-ness ends by the end of October. Catch-and-keep trout fi shing in the state park ends then, but the Nian-gua River is open all year.

Glendenning noted that he gets

some clear time fishermen, and people that take advantage of catch -and-release season at the state park.

For Rick Kirchberg and Lucy Oberle — owners of Weaver’s Tack-le Store — 2015 was a very good year., but the fl ood that happened in July was something that slowed fi shing down quite a bit.

“It seemed to pick up right after that … And about two to three weeks ago, the waters started clear-ing out and looking really good, and it’s back at the levels that are com-mon for this time of year,” Oberle said in late September.

The amount of time that Bennett was in fl ood stage lasted only a mat-ter of hours, but the effects lasted for a while.

“When someone walks down the street and sees a fi sh in the street, that’s fl ooded, right? But it’s not nec-essarily what would be considered an offi cial fl ood,” Oberle said.

Weaver’s Tackle Store stayed very

busy in 2015.“Our goal is to help people pull

fish out of the stream, regardless of the conditions. The waters can change in a moment's notice, and like the waters, the fi sh react in a completely different way than they did before,” Oberle said.

As a tackle shop, fi shermen from all over the country often come to Weaver’s to see what the fi sh are bitting on. Because Kirchberg and Oberle haven’t lived around Bennett Spring their entire life, learning is always important.

“We go out of our way to help people find what they need and take pride in not being out of stock on items. Every day we have people that come in and marvel at our selec-tion, and how well the store is kept,” Kirchberg said.

“Every year isn’t going to be perfect. Every year is going to be different, with new challenges and new opportunities. The fun of it is not knowing,” Oberle said. ■

Continued from page 27

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A morningpaper thatincludes:

BENNETT SPRING CAMPGROUND

FAMILY CROSSING MOBILE HOME VILLAGE/THE BENNETT ROOM

EXIT 123Route 66 Antique Mall

Great For All Groups: Family Reunions, Friends’ Get-Togethers, Weddings, Church Groups, Scout Groups, Clubs, & Many More!

• Beautiful, Shady Camping Sites • Cabins Available• Clean Restrooms, Showers, & Laundry • Horseshoe Pits• Walking/Hiking Trails • Playground/Basketball Court

Family Fun Close To Home!

Roadside CaféServing Breakfast

Every Fri., Sat., Sun.,PLUS Live

Music & DiningEvery Saturday Night!

Bennett Spring State ParkRESTAURANT

You catch em’ & Clean em’

We’ll Cook Em’ To Your Liking

Open 7 Days A Week26248 Hwy 64 A • Lebanon, MO • 417-532-4547

BennettSpringINN

All Kitchen Equipped Suites4th Night FREE

417-588-9110 or 800-IS-TROUTwww.bennettspringinn.com • Adjacent to Bennett Spring State Park

Satelite TVLiving Room

PhonesPlayground

Swimming PoolFREE WiFi

Catching Comfort Since 1995

Offering Many Items, Such as:

Documents

Welcome to Bennett Spring 2016