Missouri Life October 2023

STORY Lisa Waterman Gray & Sandy Selby THE LAKE

Aquatic sports of all sorts attract lake-goers who appreciate Truman Lake’s uncrowded waters. The Harry S. Truman Dam & Reservoir Visitor Center is a midcentury architectural marvel sitting atop a bluff and affording views that stretch for miles.

There was plenty of controversy when the Harry S. Truman Dam and Lake project began. In fact, when Missouri Life interviewed residents in 1973 about the planned lake, locals were particularly troubled about the potential impact on the area’s wildlife and natural beauty. That was a concern that the lake’s builder, the US Army Corps of Engineers, addressed head-on by restricting construction near the lakeshore. Fast forward to today. The old fears have faded as Truman Lake has delivered economic benefits for the locals and become renowned as one of Missouri’s favorite outdoor playgrounds.

MISSOURI STATE PARKS, MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM

39 / OCTOBER 2023