July 1, 2012
Ad Index................. 12 Books..................... 20 Calendar............ 28-29 Editorial.................... 6 Fishing.............. 21,30 History.....Throughout Hunting.................. 21 Nature..................... 31
Outdoor News.. 22, 28 Real Estate............. 19 Recipes................... 28 Seasons................... 21 Shooting................. 22 Sun/Moon............... 21 Trading Post...... 28-29
Traveler River Hills
Volume 40, No. 1
ISSN 87501899
MAPS IN THIS ISSUE
Big Piney & Gasconade Rivers.................... 30 Clearwater Lake........................................... 15 Lower Current & Eleven Point River. ....... 19 Lower Meramec River................................. 29 Upper Meramec, Huzzah, Courtois............. 20 Parkland Region...................................... 16-17 Upper Current & Jacks Fork Rivers............. 18 Wappapello Lake......................................... 14
Meramec Dam turning point for Ozarks Traveler’s founder offers a 40-year perspective
Editor’s Note: We asked Bob Todd, who with his wife, Pat, founded Traveler in 1973 and ran it until 2006, to reflect on the last 40 years in the Missouri outdoors — and the future. Here are Bob’s personal observations based on a life in the Missouri outdoors. Enjoy. — E.S. By Bob Todd ometimes I tell people my job with Traveler for most of its 40 years has been to go fishing in neat places and write about it. Yeah. But I also have a fierce allegiance to this particular part of the world, especially the natural world here. This is a special place and it has been a privilege to cover it as a journalist. Forty years is a long time. A lot has changed in the outdoors in southern Missouri. And a lot has stayed the same. Maybe we can keep making positive changes while protecting against things that would destroy what we love. FACTS AND OPINIONS We kill about 10 times as many deer today as back then. Wild turkeys boomed during that period, then leveled off. And wild hogs are now an exciting problem. Stream fishing is much better now. Fishing on big lakes, in general, is not as good as it was back then; small lakes are much more consistent now. Camping has changed from totally unplugged to mostly plugged. Hiking opportunities have
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nniversary Edit A i on h 0t
1973- 2012 grown, but the age on this writer makes a significant journey on foot just wishful thinking nowadays. Some threats to the environment have been headed off, but there is still one I worry about a great deal. It is not specific yet, but eventually people elsewhere who are running out of water are going to see the blessings we have and want to use our waters for things that will change our landscape, and perhaps our culture. WILDLIFE The Conservation Department takes major credit for the expansion of the deer herd and turkey flock. Yeah, they were pioneers. But it has been a national phenomenon. After the initial restocking efforts, our main claim to fame deer-wise is we’ve avoided some of the drastic overpopulation situations of Continued on Page 25
“WE HAVE ENOUGH” — When Missourians in 12 counties firmly turned down the Meramec Dam proposal in 1978, it was a statement Ozarkers valued free-flowing streams over additional lakes and dams. Today, the Meramec is one of the state’s most popular floating and fishing rivers. Emery Styron photo.
Traveler literally changed one family’s life Editor’s Note: This is our 40th anniversary edition, so we’re going to beg our readers indulgence as we celebrate the impact and longevity of this unique publication. Here’s a story on how Traveler’s love of place connected with one family’s similar passion, resulting in a move from the city to the Ozarks and inspired a pharmacist to also become a writer and photographer. — E.S. By Greg “Rudi” Rudroff remember exactly when Traveler entered my life. That in itself speaks volumes. Heck, I even have a hard time remembering relatives’ names. Traveler, Bob and Pat Todd’s original creation, literally helped shape the lives of my family and me. It was 1989. I had been out of St. Louis College of Phar- IN LOVE WITH THE OUTDOORS — Traveler’s coverage of the southeast Missouri outdoors inspired the Rudroff family to move from north St. Louis County to Farmington to be closer to the area they love. macy for not quite two years From left, Greg, Susan, Patrick and Sarah enjoy a trip to Greer Spring in Oregon County. Greg Rudroff when my supervisor informed photo. me I was being promoted to north St. Louis County suburb. Being honor and the fact that I was already pharmacy manager at a brand new promoted at such an early age was an living in Ferguson made it even better. Walgreens being built in Ferguson, a
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I would have to drive less than a mile and a half to work each day. It was in this brand new store, in aisle 8, on the magazine rack, that I spied an interesting newspaper. What caught my attention was a small picture of a raccoon on the cover. Being an outdoorsman, that raccoon picture forced me to pick up the paper and look. I skimmed a few pages, was immediately hooked, ran over to the cosmetic counter and paid for the paper. Once home I read it cover to cover, searched out how to become a regular subscriber, and the rest is history. I was hooked by Traveler’s focus on the southeast quarter of Missouri. As a youth, I spent many summer weeks and weekends in camp the S-F Scout Ranch between Farmington and Fredericktown. When my parents took the family camping, we began with an old pop-up camper and Continued on Page 2
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Welcome to our special 40th anniversary edition
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arning to readers. This is not your regular issue of Traveler. As they say in radio and television, “We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this special report.” In observance of Traveler’s 40th year of publishing, we are devoting most of July’s issue to a look back on Traveler’s coverage since 1973, with an emphasis on significant events in the Missouri outdoors during that period. We think it’s vitally important, especially for our younger readers who didn’t live through these years, for people to understand how Missouri’s current outdoor scene developed. Many things we may take for granted — from the 1/8- cent sales tax for conservation to the strong
nniversary Edit A i on h 0t
1973- 2012 Missouri state park system to plentiful fish and game populations either came about or dramatically moved ahead in the years since Traveler was
founded. We don’t know of any place except Traveler’s archives where such a rich trove of Missouri outdoor history is concentrated. We felt this would be an appropriate occasion to share it with you. In fact, we think the need for education about our Missouri outdoors heritage is so great, we’re mailing a complimentary copy of this special issue to all members of the Missouri General Assembly, Missouri delegation in Congress and top elected state officials. We’ll return, as they say, to our regular programming next month. But for now, we hope you’ll enjoy this overview of the last four decades as much as we’ve enjoyed assembling it. — Emery Styron, publisher
Traveler’s focus clicked with family’s love for southeastern Ozarks Continued from Page 1 drove to locations in this area — the Black River, Elephant Rocks, and the state’s highest point. Taum Sauk Mountain. In between these jaunts we visited numerous other locations of outdoor interest and excitement in the area. I did not realize it at the time, but I had fallen deeply in love with southeast Missouri. Now, being a subscriber; recently married, reading about southeastern Missouri, we began to visit the places I read about in Traveler. We had both spent most of our youth in St. Louis. We didn’t want to spend the rest of our lives there. The big city was too big. We vowed that if my company ever put a store in Farmington or Fredericktown we wanted to be there. When Walgreens eventually did build a store in Farmington and posted the opening for a manager, I jumped, ran, and screamed to have the job. It happened. We moved to Farmington. Our kids, infants at the time of the move, have now been raised here. Traveler and I have grown closer since. Le Bo u
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Looking back into my files, I find that it was in August 1996 that Bob Todd first ran a letter to the editor I had sent him. Over the next few years, he published several other letters from me and I decided to send him some stories that I wrote.
When Walgreens eventually did build a store in Farmington and posted the opening for a manager, I jumped, ran and screamed to have the job. When Bob contacted me about my submissions, the news was not what I wanted to hear. He enjoyed my material but said I was way too longwinded. He offered insight and advice as to writing for a newspaper and I soaked up as much of his wisdom as I could. In was July 2003, Traveler published my first article, a story about a family camping trip along the Castor River during a bluegrass festival. I wrote about frogging late at night while enjoying the live
music floating down the river valley. Having one story published hooked me. It wasn’t the glory of knowing that people were reading my writing that inspired me. It was trying to tell stories that related the beauty and the grandeur of the outdoor world. Later, I developed a new hobby, photography, to further explain my love for the outdoors and how it is all there for everyone to enjoy and learn from if they so desire. Bob and Pat, I wish at this time to offer you my heartfelt thanks for what your hard work and determination have done for me and my family and so many others. We may have found a way to enjoy and love the outdoors even if it had not been for you, but you made it so easy and rewarding. And to Emery Styron, I thank you for the great job you have done in taking Traveler and running with it. You have done an outstanding job of keeping the Todd spirit alive and advancing even the worth of this paper that enters, each month, into the homes of so many people who love this region of our great state as much as my family and I do.
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JULY 2012
RIVER HILLS TRAVELER -- PAGE 4
Q & A with Traveler’s founders, Bob and Pat Todd By Jo Schaper How did you two meet? PAT: Bob was going to school in Columbia. I had gotten out of Boonville High, and moved to Columbia to work for MFA. He came by to do a story on one of the executives, and I was the receptionist there. I thought he was really cute, but when the interview was over, he just shot out the door. BOB: Then we had 6” of snow. Dave Smith and I went cruising around town, and Pat and a friend were digging out their cars. We asked them if they wanted to go for a cup of coffee. They told us they didn’t go out
with strangers. Then Pat looked again, and said, “I know you. You came to my office.” We took them out riding around. The night after that I came back to take her on a date, but I didn’t know what her name was. I knocked on a door, and there she was. It was the third night before I found out her name. After 53 years, the Todds have two children, Kim and Bo, 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. How did you end up founding Traveler? BOB: I wanted to be a wildlife biologist but I had an aptitude for English, and decided for journalism
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HAPPILY RETIRED — Bob and Pat Todd, who founded Traveler in 1973. instead.” After working at a small daily in southeast Kansas, then Kansas Fish and Game magazine, the Todds returned to Missouri “where they had trees and water. Bob landed a job at the Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian He opened and ran its Jackson office office for 10 years. I wanted to do something like Traveler before I had a parting of the ways with the Missourian. I knew how to write, and how to take pictures, but I knew almost nothing about business. What do you think of when you look back on your Traveler years? PAT: You’ve got to enjoy the valleys and learn how to get through the peaks, but we got to go hiking and to go fishing, and that made up for a lot of the rest of it.”
BOB: It’s been a terrific experience, because you have to do something. I think we’ve been on almost every river or stream that’s floatable. But you couldn’t go back…. you always needed someplace new to write about and to take the readers to.” We made a decent living, but never had enough capital to do something.” PAT: We tried to do everything. It couldn’t be done. So over the years we had office managers, and route people and ad salesmen. We had good ones and some not so good. We tried to hire out our ad work, because we thought if we had to sell all the advertising, it would never work. But we went through so many salesmen we eventually got good at it ourselves. Did you ever think you’d see 40 years of Traveler? BOB: I never thought about it being around for 40 years. It’s always been a day-to-day process. You’re too busy with the next paper, or the bookkeeping or something to write to think about years. When I was about 60 we announced it was for sale. I never thought it would sell very fast, and it was available for quite a while. If Emery hadn’t bought it, we figured it would be sold to a group, or maybe a big paper that wanted some local coverage. They’d keep it for a while, until they were too busy to put the coverage into it, and it would die from lack of interest. PAT: I never thought about how long it would last. Not when we started.
JULY 2012
RIVER HILLS TRAVELER -- PAGE 5
After writing for mom, he found niche at Traveler
By Charlie Slovensky Editor’s Note: Charlie Slovensky has been a regular contributor to Traveler longer than any other writer except founding editor Bob Todd. Here are his reflections on the writing game and his experiences with Traveler. As a matter of principle, Charlie, we have not used your suggested headline He gave “Lots of Ways to Get Bullfrogs” prominent display in the June 1980 issue of Traveler. for this story. — E.S. By the time that piece had been published, I elf-publishing is not the novelty some was already working on a collection of sob stories would have you believe. My first story, about my failed efforts to bring bearded birds to the printed when I was six, was about a boy oven. That was early in my turkey hunting career, of the same age and baby robin that had when I was still a season or two away from taking fallen from its nest. The boy had found the bird in advantage of the exploding turkey populations of his backyard and adopted it, despite the squawking the early 80’s and the new two-gobbler protests of its real mother. The boy’s limit. mother had stepped in and ruled in favor The title I chose for that article was of the baby bird and its mother. And “What Else Can Go Wrong?” It was so I learned some early lessons about the only title I can recall that Bob didn’t the nature of parenting and wildlife change in the editing process. It fit the adopotion, which I duly recorded for front page headline space on the April posterity. 1981 issue of Traveler, and it somehow I also learned a bit about do-it-yourself stuck. publishing. I had printed my story on Later, after serving as editor on several paper intended to be folded in half and organizational newsletters, I came to then in quarters to create a little book. understand the layout constraints and But when it was done, the pages were out of order. I was understandably frustrated. CHARLIE SLOVENSKY editorial responsibilities,.so this is in no — On a recent turkey way meant as criticism of editors. It was But my wise mother intervened once hunt, and above, as he just that for quite some time I struggled more, praised my effort, and fixed the was in the 1980s. with the irony that Bob hardly ever formatting with scissors and tape. changed a single word of my articles, but I grew up knowing I had a passion never took my suggestions for the titles. for acquiring knowledge about outdoor stuff, and Not long after my first turkey hunting piece was knowing I had to put my thoughts on paper. I was published, I began writing a regular column for also periodically reminded that the publishing part Traveler dubbed Game Trails. I became Bob’s can be the toughest aspect of it all. go-to guy for hunting pieces, especially deer and Fast forward a couple of decades. Still looking turkey stories, with small-game and fishing stories for my first publishing paycheck, I approached Bob sprinkled into the mix. Todd with a how-to piece on a subject few others had suggested: bringing bullfrogs to the frying pan. Cultivating the outdoor interests of my wife and two sons provided other topics. “A Float Trip for Mr. Todd welcomed the piece but changed the title.
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a Honeymoon” recounted our first overnight float and “Elephant Rocks a Tight Squeeze” covered a day trip to the land between the granite boulders when my wife was eight months pregnant. I learned that there is considerable risk involved in bringing family members into published works. But I’m happy to report that I’m still married to that understanding woman, and the kids have survived the occasional public exposure, too. A lot has changed, on the outdoor scene in the 30-plus years I’ve been contributing to Traveler, but much has stayed the same. There are still lots of ways to take bullfrogs, though I seldom get the chance to go after them these days. And there are still lots of turkeys in Missouri, but I’m stuck mostly in Georgia, where there aren’t as many of the big birds, and I’m finding them tough to hunt on public land. I’m planning my first float trip (outside of a tubing expedition) on a Georgia river, hoping to show these Southern boys a thing or two about river fishing and maybe catch my first shoal bass, Dixie’s first cousin to the smallmouth, which are relatively rare here. With both my grown sons living in Missouri, I get back often enough to bring home an occasional deer or turkey back to Georgia and keep my freezer stocked with Show-Me fish. Continuing to write for Traveler helps keep me in touch. While I wasn’t quite ready to write for publication when got started, I’ve been contributing for most of the paper’s 40 years. I hope I’ve entertained Traveler’s readers with my tales of woes and wins and whims. And a final word about my home state. Everywhere I’ve traveled or taken up residence, I’ve heard the locals refer to their native haunts as “God’s country.” They’re absolutely correct — He made it all. But it could be argued He put a little extra effort into the Ozarks.
Volunteers Needed
To Keep Our Rivers Clean
Congratulations to the Traveler for 40 successful years, and thanks for sharing so many wonderful outdoor experiences in the Missouri Ozarks! Very best wishes,
45th Annual Cleanup of the Meramec, Bourbeuse & Big Rivers Huzzah & Courtois Creeks on
Saturday August 25 To Volunteer Sunday August 26 or provide other Support CONTACT:
Open Space Council for the St. Louis Region openspacestl.org
636-451-6090
JULY 2012
RIVER HILLS TRAVELER -- PAGE 6
— TRAVELER EDITORAL —
N
ot having lived in all the other 49 states of the union, we’re not ready to declare Missouri the richest in outdoor opportunity and natural attractions, but but after reading through four decades worth of Traveler to create this 40th anniversary issue, we can say two things with certainty: 1). There is so much here that one person can’t experience it all in a lifetime (though it would be fun to try); and 2). We owe a great debt to those who organized, advocated, worked and fought to preserve and improve the Missouri outdoor resources we enjoy today. Telling the first of these to Traveler readers is in part preaching to the choir. Most of you are already sold on the charms of the Ozarks. We know that because you tell us in notes, phone calls and comments at sports shows and on our websites. But we also know that humans, like wildlife, are creatures of habit. Too many of us follow our routines, go to our favorite hunting, fishing, camping and hiking spots year after year. Even though we may be a bit bored with the same-old, same-old, we still resist exploring for new places. By sticking to the safe, known places we reduce the risk of a bad experience, but we also let our appreciation and view of the broader world wither. We urge you this year to go beyond the tried and true. Use Traveler as an inspiration to visit a state park or historic site you’ve never been to, float a different river, try another campground a new activity, be it fly-fishing, turkey hunting or geocaching. If you have a great experience, you’l
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We have rich outdoor heritage; now help keep it nniversary Edit A i on h 0t
1973- 2012
be glad you went. If not, you’ll at least have more appreciation for your regular spot or activity. As for the second, take a few moments to ponder what a poor place Missouri would be if not for those sportsmen who met in Columbia in 1935 to form an organization that would become the Conservation Federation of Missouri. We are all indebted to their campaign to establish a state department of conservation that would manage fisheries, forests and wildlife based on science rather than politics. What would our rivers look like had not volunteers begun Operation Clean Stream and Missouri Stream Teams to not only clean the junk cars, tires and other debris out of the waters but to involve citizens in the health of the watersheds? Would we even have any major, free-flowing Ozark rivers left had not people stood up to say that we have enough dams and the type of development that lakes bring? We could cite other examples: the campaigns for
the conservation sales tax and the parks and soils sales tax, the fight to preserve wilderness areas and stop mining pollution of springs and rivers, the example of Leo Drey, who has used his personal fortune to advance conservation in a way rarely seen in wealthy individuals, the ordinary folks who volunteer their time to build and maintain the Ozark Trail. Things are better because committed people took action. We don’t always agree with the action they took and we’re sure you don’t either, but in our democratic system, there is always the opportunity to revise and redress. The battles aren’t all over. The need for committed people to take action has never been greater. Shifting public attitudes put traditional activities like hunting and fishing at risk . Difficult economic times create the temptation to relax environmental standards for the promise of jobs. Powerful individuals, corporations and organizations are able to get government to do their bidding, often at the expense of public resources such as forests, wildlife and rivers. The way we repay our debt to those who have done so much in the past is to follow their example in the present. Whatever your passion, be it teaching gun safety or protesting a fly ash pond in your county, teaching inner city kids to fish or joining a stream team, know that your actions do matter in the long run and that you are part of a long, honrable tradition.
Creating anniversary edition an emotional experience
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knew we wanted to do something special for Traveler’s 40th anniversary but I didn’t know what. To figure how what to do, I decided to try to look at every issue Traveler has published since Volume 1, No. 1 in June 1973. It just comes out once a month and it’s never been a big, fat paper, so how big a job could that be? Far bigger than I imagined, and far bigger than I could do in my spare time. I split up the job with Jo Schaper and we both went bleary-eyed before the task was done. As we started through the files, it occurred to me that there is probably not an archive just like this anywhere else and the best way for our readers to get the flavor of Traveler for
the first 39 years was to literally give never had that problem so far as I can them a sample from every issue. tell by reading the back issues. Right or wrong, that’s what My emotions got another we did. It took more time and jolt with the unexpected news more space than I imagined, of the sudden death of my but as I went through all those friend Traveler ad sales rep yellowed, dusty back issues, I Doug Mansfield. Doug was became excited by the sweep an asset to Traveler and a of history they conveyed. popular, respected figure all Maybe I’m just getting soft over Traveler Country. We’ll in my sixth decade, but I got miss him. choked up thinking about the MAKIN’ As I write this, we have just places that wouldn’t be there, pulled all the pieces TRACKS about if not for some of the people together. My thanks go to Jo By Emery Styron we’ve reported in Traveler takSchaper for her faithful and ing a stand. steady help with graphic deI pondered on the irony of being so sign, story-writing, office management busy putting out an outdoor newspaand proofreading: to her husband, per that sometimes I almost forget to Eugene for pitching in and sparing Jo go outdoors. Bob Todd, to his credit, when needed; to my own family for
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Copyright, 2011. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced in any form or by electronic means including information storage systems, without written permission of the publisher. However, reviewers may quote brief passages, freelance writers may remarket materials, advertisers may reuse their ad layouts without permission. Published monthly (except December and January are combined) by Traveler Publishing Co. Known Office of Publication is 780 N. Commercial Ave., St. Clair, MO 63077. Editor & Publisher: Emery Styron Assistant Editor: Jo Schaper Frequent Contributing Communicators: Charlie Slovensky, Al Agnew, Bill Cooper, Don Rathert, Kathleen Brotherton, Jim & Donna Featherston, Howard Helgenberg, Jo Schaper, Greg Rudroff, Josephine Cozean Styron, Bob Todd, Pat Todd.
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tolerating my absences; to Traveler’s regular advertisers and to those outdoor-related organizations and agencies who took ads in this special issue; and to our writers whose contributions have filled the pages and enlightened readers over the years. Their stories will return as usual next month. Doug’s passing and the trip through time were a reminder that I, too, am but a temporary custodian of Traveler. I caught a Bob Todd quote in the 25th anniversary edition that “the retirement window is open.” H-m-m, I guess mine is, too. If this unique enterprise is to continue another 40 years younger blood will be needed soon. It’s not too early to start the conversation.
Great event at Markham Spring
The Williamsville Area Progress Committee is thankful to everyone who participated in our Old Tyme Country Festival! It was estimated at 1,500 people by noon and the parking lot was full throughout the best part of the day afternoon! The WAPC has worked hard for 12 years to help see improvements in Markham Springs Recreation Area. We are in a cost -share plan with the U.S. Forest Service and hoping to see more improvements in the future. We were able to share our beautiful recreation area this weekend with the public and had our most successful festival ever! Visitors enjoyed the art show at the rock house that overlooks the beautiful mill pond area, and many vendors
On the cover...
with artwork, gift items, food, and a lot of great entertainment! There were games for the kids, demonstrations, and a watermelon eating contest. Lots of fun! Many surrounding communities are represented in pulling together this event. Markham Springs is a cherished place with a rich history that has been enjoyed by families all over. We hear stories of individuals reminiscing about family gatherings and their enjoyment of this beautiful area and we hope to be hearing a lot more! The host at Markham Springs, Henry and Lavenda High, were thrilled to announce that after the event they picked up only a 5 gal. bucket of trash. Brenda Shearrer Williamsville
This month’s cover is a montage of clippings, photos and covers from Traveler’s first 39 years. The photo of the boy and dog at upper left was featured on the cover of Traveler’s first issue in June 1973.
JULY 2012
RIVER HILLS TRAVELER -- PAGE 7
Editor's Note: We have selected items from Traveler's coverage that are historically significant for the Missouri outdoors or reflect the paper's unique news and editorial approach. To save space, we have employed a few abbreviations and conventions: "Corps" is used for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "MDC" for Missouri Department of Conservation, "DNR" for Missouri Department of Natural Resources, "CFM" for Conservation Federation of Missouri and "NPS" for National Park Service. We have also omitted the article "the" preceding the names of rivers, lakes and many organizations and government agencies. We refer to Clearwater Lake simply as “Clearwater” and Wappapello Lake simply as “Wappapello.” We hope you find this trip through our outdoor past as educational and fascinating as we did. — E.S.
1979 — 350-mile Ozark Trail development begins
• Carl Noren retired as director of MDC. • Development began on the Ozark Trail, expected to cover 350 miles between St. Louis and the Arkansas line. • MDC acquired 60,000 acres of its initial 300,000-acre goal under Design for Conservation, including the 8,310 acre Keppers Tract in Bollinger County.
1980 — K Campground opens, dam still threatens Big River
• Al Agnew sounded the alarm in that the Corps was proceeding with plans for the Pine Ford Dam on Big River. • A new campground opened at Hwy. K Park on Black River west of Annapolis.
1981 — Four federal wilderness areas win designation
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Traveler launches in Watergate, Meramec Dam fight era nn hA t 0
iversary Ed itio n
1973- 2012
cover 280 acres, expanding eventually to 440 acres. • Charles and Elizabeth Schwartz, moviemakers for MDC and authors of Wild Mammals of Missouri, announced their retirement. • The National Park Service notified about half the canoe rental operations on ONSR that without a permit they are in violation of the law. The 17 unlicensed operators represent some 1,900 canoes and 25,000 canoeists per year. NPS capped the number of commercial canoe licenses in 1970. • MDC plans to use 1/8 cent and Dingell-Johnson funds to add 15 to 20 public access points to streams in each of the next 10 years. • After 14 years of restoration, Bollinger Mill State Historic Site in Bollinger County reopened to the public. • St. Joe Minerals Corp. and St. Francois County Environmental Corp. have agreed to prevent discharges to the Big River in return for release from any liability or further litigation. • The Ozark Trail Council held its first official meeting and adopted bylaws. • Elmer Tiemann sold 460-acre Millstream Gardens Shut-Ins to MDC for $750,000. • The master plan for ONSR recommended against wilderness areas and proposed a 40-horsepower limit on boats
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1973 — Traveler debuts, covers cougars, Ozarks ‘watergate”
• First Traveler issue published in June. A single copy was 25 cents with an annual subscription rate of $2.50. Top stories: Corps proposes lake fees; rain triggers a sinkhole collapse and Bill Royce face-toface encounter with a mountain lion. • Playing off the political scandal mesmerizing the nation, Traveler ran a “watergate” pictorial spread in July. If you remember the days when fenced Ozark streams were common, you get the idea. • The Corps continued land acquisition for the dam the Meramec River, creating a 12,000-acre lake at the edge of the St. Louis metropolitan area amidst legal injunctions against it under the new Endangered Species Act.
VOL. 1, NO. 1 — Traveler’s first issue was published from Bob and Pat Todd’s home in Jackson in June of 1973. The cover featured a photo of an Irish setter and boy fishing on a Kansas farm pond. The late Bill Royce’s story of an encounter with a mountain lion was the most compelling item in the issue.
1976 —Trav appears, Design for Conservation approved
• Dillard Mill and the surrounding 130 acres in Crawford County were acquired by the L-A-D Foundation, then leased to the state. • Missouri Attorney General John Danforth filed a $3 million lawsuit against Dresser Industries for damages in connec1974 — State Parks come under tion with the collapse of a dike at a barite DNR authority mine near the Big River in Washington • Editor Bob Todd recalled the Cascade County. This was the first water pollution forest fire of April 1963, the most damagcase sued for damages to the environment ing to strike the Ozarks in modern times. rather than just fish killed. • Perry County's public lake opened. • River users objected to a Corps • Doc Stokely, a conservationist who proposal to strip the Black River of 4,150 fought for national snags, leaning trees forests and the and logjams. ONSR, died. • William • Development Pflieger published began at St. FranFishes of Missouri, cois State Park. the definitive refer • Fees for campence on the Showing at federal campMe State's finned grounds went into inhabitants. effect. • A raccoon • The white amir, sketched by Al an Asian carp spe- FROM HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE TO PARK- Agnew, bearing The Federal Mine and Mill No. 3, was cies, was found in the word “Travclosed in 1972 as the last lead mining left eler,” made its first Missouri waters. • A group formed the old Lead Belt. The 8,500 acre site, and appearance on the buildings were donated to the state in 1977. paper's cover. to raise money to purchase a mastIt was much later that the true condition of • Design for odon fossil site in Conservation, a tailings ponds and the level of lead connorthern Jefferson tamination became apparent, after the park program of land County. became home to thousands of ATV riders. acquisition, devel• Missouri State opment and public Parks became a division of the new super programs, underwritten by a one-eighth agency, the Department of Natural Recent sales tax dedicated to the MDC, was sources. approved by Missouri voters.
1975 — Turkey restoration works itself out of a job
• Traveler published the first travel map, beginning what became one of the paper's most popular features. • MDC's successful wild turkey restoration program ended with the announcement of the first fall archery turkey season in modern times. • The State Parks Department acquired 1,115 acres near Castlewood in St. Louis County for a Meramec River-based state park. • Bob Todd editorially chastised Rep. Bill Burlison for backing the Meramec Dam project while promoting wilderness designations for Bell and Rockpile mountains. • Fourche Lake near Doniphan announced to open in 1976
1977 — St. Joe State Park planned for mine-ravaged land
•The Division of State Parks developed plans for the 8,500-acre St. Joe State Park, a shuttered lead mine and mill, donated by St. Joe Lead Company in St. Francois County. • The Water Valley Dam project on the Eleven Point River in northern Arkansas was deauthorized by the Corps.
1978 — Meramec Dam defeated by two-thirds margin
• The Meramec Dam project was defeated by a 2/3s margin in a 12-county referendum. Rep. Richard Ichord announced plans to deauthorize the project. Discussion began on how to dispose of land already acquired by the Corps. Dams on Bourbeuse River and Big River are still pending.
• Congress passed a bill establishing four wilderness areas in Missouri: Bell Mountain, 8,530 acres in Iron County; Rockpile Mountain, 4,170 acres in Madison County; Piney Creek, 8,430 acres in Barry and Stone counties; and Devil's Backbone, 6,830 acres in Ozark County. • The Nature Conservancy stepped in to purchase Onondaga Cave and 881 surrounding acres for $1 million, as a temporary owner with intent to transfer to the Division of State Parks. • MDC purchased 1,200 acres between Bismarck and Ironton from Hanna Mining Co. The area includes a 21-acre lake. • Ruffed grouse were reintroduced into six areas in the southeastern Ozarks. • MDC traded other game to bring 20 wild river otters to the state by 1983. • The U.S. Forest Service closed the lower gate on Council Bluffs Lake in the Big River headwaters. The reservoir will