Ozarks History Archives

04/16/2026

Lewis Lake: Built by the CCC, Lost to Time

Tucked away along what is now County Road 19-440 off Highway 19 about 2 miles north of Winona, Missouri once sat a small but well loved body of water- Lewis Lake.

Construction of Lewis Lake began in late July 1936 by the men of the Bartlett CCC Camp (F-17). Working through the heat of August and September, crews cleared the dam site and steadily pushed the project forward. The lake was designed as a watering place for both wildlife and livestock. With steady summer rains, the lake filled quickly as the dam neared completion.

The Bartlett camp itself was short-lived, operating only from June 18, 1935, to late June 1937. Before the project was fully complete, finishing work on the lake was handed over to the New Liberty CCC Camp (F-8), located south of Winona on Falling Spring Road.

Over the years, Lewis Lake became more than just a conservation project- it became part of the local landscape. Like many places, it had its share of stories. In one instance, a horse became stranded in the middle of the lake, requiring two men in a small john boat to rescue it- nearly being pulled in themselves. In a more tragic moment on May 4, 1944, two boys, Amos and Bobby Hoover, lost their lives after becoming tangled in the lake’s heavy vegetation while trying to retrieve a paddle.

That vegetation would remain a persistent issue. The lake was treated multiple times over the years in an attempt to control the weeds, but the problem never fully went away.

Then, in 2005, the end came quietly. The U.S. Forest Service decommissioned the Lewis Lake Recreation Area after the dam was reported to have failed. Rather than repair it, the lake was drained. The facilities were removed, the sign taken down, and the gates permanently closed.

Today, little remains. The road leading in has grown over, the shoreline is lost to thick vegetation, and the lake itself only briefly reappears after heavy rains. What was once built by hand through sweat, determination, and the labor of CCC enrollees has slowly returned to the landscape.

Lewis Lake is gone, but its story remains a reminder of the men who built it, the people who used it, and how quickly even the most meaningful places can fade into memory.

If anyone has any photos of Lewis Lake or stories from the past, please share them!

-Alex Biehl

02/06/2026

What a great day at the Grand Re-Opening of the Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society! We are truly thankful to everyone who stopped by, shared their interest, and showed support for the museum and its mission.

Moving forward, we will be open every Thursday from 1:00–5:00 PM, with additional hours possible depending on volunteer availability. Please watch for the “Museum Open” sign out front—when it’s displayed, we invite you to come on in.

A big thank-you to the Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Willow Springs Community Foundation for their continued support and for playing such an important role in making today’s event a success.

I would also like to personally thank my friends and colleagues who attended today and who have supported me—both recently and in years past—throughout my journey in Cultural Resource Management. Your presence and encouragement truly means a lot to me!

We look forward to welcoming everyone back soon and continuing to share the history of Willow Springs and the surrounding area with the community.

- Alex Biehl

02/04/2026

REMINDER!

The Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society (WSH&GS) will hold its Grand Re-Opening this Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at The Sass House, located at 211 N Harris Street in Willow Springs. The Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1:00 p.m. to mark this occasion.

I, Alex Biehl, Curator, along with our Docent, Bob Chaney, will be present to welcome visitors and provide tours of the museum.

We would also like to remind the community that we are actively seeking additional Willow Springs, Howell County, and local history materials, including photographs, documents, and artifacts. If you have historical items you are unsure what to do with, or would like to see preserved in the museum, please feel free to bring them on Thursday or during any of our regular open hours.

If you are unable to visit during our regular hours (Thursdays, 1:00–5:00 p.m.) and would like to donate materials, please send a message to this page or contact me using the phone number listed in the “About” section.

Cash donations to support the WSH&GS may be made at the Willow Springs Community Foundation office in the Ferguson Building within the Downtown Willow Springs Historic District.

We hope you will make plans to attend and celebrate this important reopening with us!

– Alex Biehl

02/02/2026

Here are several enhanced and colorized images from original black-and-white photographs of the Carman Springs Wildlife Refuge in Howell County, Missouri.

The Carman Springs Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937 as a 4,800-acre wildlife refuge. The area was enclosed by a single-strand barbed wire fence, and hunting was prohibited within its boundaries. CCC Camp Willow (Camp F-12, Company 1739) was located within the refuge, and on occasion the camp’s residents were visited by deer and wild turkey.

The CCC boys constructed an extensive forest road system throughout the refuge to provide access for fire protection and for maintaining the refuge. These roads also served as fire lines, helping to protect the surrounding forest and wildlife habitat.

The refuge included a 60-acre deer enclosure with eight-foot-high fencing and a 20-acre turkey pen. These pens were used to house deer and turkey until they were old enough to be released into the refuge. They also allowed the animals time to become familiar with the area before being turned loose. The refuge proved extremely successful in the repopulation of deer and wild turkey in the region.

The area is also home to the spring that bears its name, Carman Spring. This gently flowing spring emerges from the earth in the Spring Creek bottomlands and has been used for hundreds of years as a source of drinking water by early pioneer settlers and by wildlife alike.

Today, 2,810 acres of the original 4,800-acre refuge are preserved as a State Natural Area. The hike from the former site of Camp Willow down to Carman Spring is approximately 1.2 miles one way. The trail follows an old road built by the CCC and mostly runs along a ridgetop, making it a relatively level walk for much of the distance. At the end of the road, the trail descends a steep, rocky slope. At the bottom, visitors are greeted by the calm, steady flow of Carman Spring.

Please note: Colorization does not guarantee historically accurate colors. The process applies estimated color values to grayscale images based on tonal information and modern reference standards.

01/31/2026

Enjoy these colorized photos of Noblett Lake under construction! Douglas County, Missouri, 1937-1940

Please note: Colorization does not guarantee historically accurate colors. The process applies estimated color values to grayscale images based on tonal information and modern reference standards.

01/31/2026

Blue Buck Fire Tower and AP Highway when it was still gravel,1944, Douglas County, Missouri.

01/30/2026

Noblett Beach parking lot at Noblett Lake, Douglas County, Missouri, 1941. Colorized from the original B&W image.

Please note: Colorization does not guarantee historically accurate colors. The process applies estimated color values to grayscale images based on tonal information and modern reference standards.

01/29/2026

Come check out the Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society's Grand Re-Opening on February 5th from 1pm-5pm! The ribbon cutting will be at 1pm!

Make plans to come join us on February 5th at 1 pm for a Ribbon Cutting ceremony to celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of the Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society! Take a late lunch and come see what exciting things are happening and meet the new Curator - Alex Biehl and Docent - Bob Chaney! Big things are happening and the history of our community is once again going to be on display!

This is located in the Sass House located at 211 N Harris across from the Willow Springs Public Library!

We can't wait to see you on Thursday, February 5 at 1 pm!

01/27/2026

The Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society is excited to welcome the community to its grand reopening on February 5th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. I, Alex Biehl, Curator of the Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society, will be there to greet visitors, along with our docent, Bob Chaney.

The Howell County News has published a wonderful article about the reopening and the work being done to bring the museum back to life. You can read the full article at the link below.

A Willow Springs High School alumnus will serve as curator as the Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society (WSH&GS) reopens to visitor after a six-year hiatus.

01/19/2026

After six years of closure, the Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society Museum is preparing to reopen!

I have been asked by the Willow Springs Community Foundation to help bring the museum and its archival collections back to life. I’ve been spending many long days in the archive room cleaning, organizing, filing, and preserving records, with a strong focus on digitizing materials to ensure they are protected and accessible for the future.

My goal is to make these records available digitally, allowing us to efficiently respond to research and genealogy requests and better serve the community. As we move toward reopening, we also hope to host community events and open houses, as well as a "traveling" display around the City of Willow Springs, restoring the museum as an active and welcoming resource for Willow Springs history.

There is no set reopening date yet, but updates will be shared as progress continues. We’re excited to be moving forward and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve the Willow Springs community once again!

-Alex Biehl

11/29/2025

Thanksgiving menu from New Liberty CCC Camp, F-8, Company 1731 from November 25, 1937.