Klondike Park, Augusta, Missouri

The corona virus, as all of you know, is continuing to affect our lives; and mostly not for the good.  However, it is certainly forcing John and I to make frequent road trips around Missouri to keep us pleasantly occupied.   And that is not all that bad as we have discover some very scenic parks, one of which is Klondike park located in St .Charles County, near Augusta, Missouri.  

 First thing we noticed upon entering the park was the visitor's center, which is currently closed because of the pandemic.  The center sits in front of a towering river bluff.  We found a path nearby and climbed to its top.  From that vantage point we were able to see over the Missouri River.  In the distance is the Labadie Power Plant.

 Interpretive signs in the park mentioned that the Lewis and Clark expedition camped across the river not far from this area, and met up with an Native American tribe.   All total Lewis and Clark met up with 50 Native American tribes during the time of their travels west in the early 1800s.  Lewis and Clark developed a ritual with all the Indian chiefs during which they informed them that their land belonged to the United States and a new “great white Father”, Thomas Jefferson.  They then would present the Indian chief with a medal which had the face of Jefferson and one side and two hands clasping on the other. 

  The quarry was first mined for silica sand taken from the St.Peterson limestone in 1898. After being blasted out of the rock it was crushed and shipped to an off- site location to be manufactured into glass and other industrial products.  In 1945 232,420 tons of sandstone was shipped out to meet war demands.  The quarry was shut down in 1983.
                                         

The park has a campground and a lake for fishing.  With the river bluffs and quarry lake it is a very scenic area.  There are many signs indicating that swimming is not allowed, but apparently the people swimming in the lake did not see them.