Warsaw

The town of Warsaw, Missouri is an easy ride from our campground. Taking 83 Highway it's about an hour away; a scenic trip on a lesser used road. The wind was a little harsh but without truck traffic we had a nice trip.

Fall is sneaking in here. Because of a hot and dry summer here this year the foliage isn't expected to be vibrant, but you can see some leaves turning. Two days ago there was a hint, yesterday more and today a definite color change.

Some of the walnut trees are already bare, but the hickory haven't turned at all yet.

I hope I'll get some good photos.

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This is a bridge over the Osage River in Warsaw. Originally built in 1904, it was a toll bridge. It must have been a money maker, too, because a tornado destroyed the bridge in 1924 and it was rebuilt. Cars drove over it until 1979, and I'm guessing they still try. Why else put a monument in the middle of the walk?

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A view from the bridge showing the Osage River.

Riverboats navigated the river until railroads were built.

See the white area in the background?

That's the Kaysinger Bluff - a local landmark.

The lake here was named Kaysinger Reservoir in the planning stage, then changed to Truman Dam and Reservoir to honor President Harry Truman.

I could barely see a building on the horizon just above the bluff.

Zooming the camera in as far as possible this is what I saw.

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It looked so out of place.

I had no idea what it was, but it turned out to be the visitor center.

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The dam viewed from the visitor center.

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The area just below the dam, and if you look closely you can see the lake just over the low mountains in the background.

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The visitor center has some very nice exhibits; mastodon bones, a mounted bald eagle (smaller than I thought it should be) Indian artifacts and Civil War replicas. Handmade quilt squares circle the ceiling on the main floor.

I still dislike the design.

It seems way too modern for the setting, like a spaceship next to the log cabin built here.