Missourians have no shortage of state parks to visit, tranquil spots to relax and to enjoy time among nature. Route 66 State Park in Missouri beckons those who live near St. Louis and beyond to its 419 acres for a day of fun, memories, and history. Before it was a popular state park, the sprawling land housed the town of Times Beach.
Today, Route 66 State Park, in Eureka, attracts visitors with its many outdoor activities – hiking, biking, horseback riding, and boating – and its visitors center, which pays homage to the famous Route 66.
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However, long before it became a state park, that land held the popular resort town of Times Beach. Nestled along the Meramec River, the town got its start, in an unorthodox way, in 1926.
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For a period that year, Missourians who paid for a six-month subscription to The St. Louis Times and a fee of $67.50 could purchase a lot in Times Beach. The area went from vast land to a thriving small town.
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The vibrant town, however, would come to a screeching halt in the opening years of the 1980s. Dioxin, a highly toxic pollutant that can cause cancer, had been found in the waste oil used on the streets in Times Beach.
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Streets in the small town couldn’t be paved, so the town hired a company to oil the dirt roads instead. The roads were oiled, using more than 160,000 gallons of waste oil, over four years.
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After the high levels of dioxin were found in the waste oil, the town was ordered evacuated, so cleanup could begin. Instead of the town repopulating afterward, the land where Times Beach once sat was…
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Sold to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, beginning its transformation into Route 66 State Park.
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Set aside time to visit the Visitors Center in the state park, which was once a popular restaurant. Today, it’s brimming with memorabilia from Route 66.
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Learn more on the official website of Route 66 State Park. Or, go here for Facebook.
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Have you ever been to Route 66 State Park in Missouri? Could you imagine it when it was the small town of Times Beach? Join the conversation in the comments! Have you ever been to Lake of the Ozarks State Park? It’s Missouri’s largest state park and well worth a visit.
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Address: Route 66 State Park, 97 N Outer Rd, Eureka, MO 63025, USA
