CCC PARK CAPTURES SHELL KNOB HISTORY

Multiple pieces make up the mosaic of a town’s history. For Shell Knob, several of those pieces are captured at our CCC Park. In the early 1800s, the Ozarks was a mysterious place, wreathed in thick forests and veined by swift-running, clear rivers. First Nations people hunted the hills and valleys and prairies. A few settlers maintained a rugged life in their log cabins hewn out of the wilderness.

On July 4, 1935 CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) Camp 3753 was established at the base of Shell Knob Mountain. The CCC was part of Roosevelt’s New Deal with the intent of putting young men to work, providing income for Depression-stricken families and completing rural building projects. Shell Knob’s Camp generally housed about 175 young men, many from surrounding communities. The CCC boys built an extensive compound and went to work improving the countryside.

Some of the accomplishments of the Shell Knob Camp include: planted 2.5 million tree seedlings, fought 620 wildfires, helped build five fire towers (Wilderness at Lampe, Sugar Camp, Lohmer, Piney and Shell Knob on top of

Shell Knob Mountain), stocked bass into White River, surveyed and constructed fourteen miles of road and improved others including what is today 39-1 and Sugar Camp Road, and installed telephone poles and lines in the region. For several years, the CCC Camp had the only telephone available in Shell Knob.

When the Mark Twain National Forest was formed in 1939, the CCC Camp was included within its boundaries and came under control of the U.S. Forest Service. The Shell Knob CCC Camp was closed in 1941. Shell Knob remained a somewhat isolated community until the construction of Table Rock Lake and the Central Crossing Bridge in the 1950s. With completion of the lake, Shell Knob became a thriving lake community. The camp sat mostly unused until 1989 when the Shell Knob Lions Club contracted with the Forest Service to improve the property.

The Lions set to work building a covered pavilion and tennis/basketball court. They erected a large, multiple structure playground and built a walkway with a spectacular view out over Table Rock Lake. The Lions installed lighting and arranged a water source for the new park. The community and visitors embraced the park. The CCC Park has became a popular venue for family picnics, weddings, Easter egg hunts and pickle ball competitions.

The historic significance and popularity of the CCC area is notable to Shell Knob’s past and future. The Lions encourage all Shell Knobbers and visitors to this beautiful area to use and protect the CCC Park, an important outdoor site for Shell Knob. The CCC pavilion can be reserved for use through www.recreation.gov and searching under 65747.

Big Creek Resort 417-858-6405 or 877-273-3535

Fish ‘N Fun: 417-858-6290

Hickory Hollow Resort: 417-858-6606

Indian Hills Resort: 417-858-6243

Kings Harbor Resort 417-858-6171 or 800-658-0299

Lunker Landing Resort 417-858-6717 or 800-242-8745

Pla-Port Resort 417-858-6303 or 877-858-6303

Rod N Reel Resort: 417-671-3004

POPULATION 1,240

AREA WEATHER (Averages)

Rainfall 41” per year

Snowfall

10” per year

Spring temperature 67 day; 43 nights

Summer temperature

.88 day; 64 nights

Autumn temperature 69 day; 45 nights

Winter temperature

LAND & HOMES (Averages)

45 day; 24 nights

Lake front home $300,000 & up

Lakeview home

$300,000 - $700,000

Non-lake home $100,000 - $400,000

Lakefront lot

$60,000 - $200,000

Lakeview lot. $125,000 - $300,000

Non-lake lot

These prices are averages; homes are available in a variety of price ranges.

$15,000 - $100,000