Missouri Life October 2023

Truman Lake’s wildlife and unspoiled shorelines are protected by US Army Corps of Engineers regulations that prevent construction near the water. Below, Warsaw’s Heritage Days event in October showcases artisans and reenactors who provide a glimpse of life during the 1800s.

EXPLORE THE AREA The recreational opportunities aren’t limited to the lake itself. The creation of Truman Lake directly led to the creation and growth of other enterprises. “The Lake of the Ozarks and Truman are about the same size,” says Randy Pogue, Warsaw’s city administrator and plan ner. “We consider ourselves the more laid-back area, but there’s still room for special projects, such as a resort at Shawnee Bend Golf Course, which is adjacent to Truman Lake.” The par-72 Shawnee Bend Golf Course opened in 1985. Its designers took advantage of the hilly terrain and lake vistas to create a course that is both challenging and aesthetically pleasing. Luke Johnson, owner of Warsaw Adventures , a business that rents kayaks, paddleboards, and bicycles, says there have been many improvements in the area because of the lake and the dam. “The general area has gone from this resistance phase into accep tance and then leveraging resources.” Warsaw’s Drake Harbor was developed after the completion of Truman Lake and has become the local epicenter for family fun and recreation. Hiking and biking trails loop around the park, and the Drake Harbor Trail leads to the historic Joe Dice Swinging Bridge . Warsaw’s Pioneer Heritage Days , taking place this year on October 21 and 22, draws visitors from hundreds of miles around for the weekend celebration of old-time crafts and non stop entertainment. The event, which debuted in 1981, connects the town with the lake as it extends from Drake Harbor to Harry S. Truman State Park. “Warsaw’s on the cusp of ‘hipness,’” says Amie Breshears. “In September, the Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference was held here, and that’s pretty exciting.” In the past half-century, Truman Lake has gone from a much-maligned proposal to a favorite Missouri destination that changed minds as surely as it changed the landscape.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Beyonder Marine at Sterett Creek, BeyonderCamp.com Drake Harbor, WelcomeToWarsaw.com Fishing for Freedom Tourna ment, FishingForFreedom.us Harry S. Truman Dam & Reservoir Visitor Center, NWK.usace.army.mil/Loca tions/District-Lakes/Harry-S Truman-Lake/Harry-S-Tru man-Visitor-Center/ Harry S. Truman State Park, MoStateParks.com/park/harry -s-truman-state-park Joe Dice Swinging Bridge, WelcomeToWarsaw.com Osage Bluff Marina, OsageBluff.com

Pioneer Heritage Days, HeritageDays.com Shawnee Bend Golf Course, ShawneeBendGolf.com Warsaw Adventures, WarsawAdventures.com Scan this code to read our 1973 story describing the hopes and fears surrounding the creation of Truman Lake.

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MISSOURI STATE PARKS, KAYSINGER BASIN PIONEER HERITAGE ASSOCIATION