Maramec Spring is located on the

Meramec River The Meramec River (), sometimes spelled Maramec River, is one of the longest free-flowing waterways in the U.S. state of Missouri, draining Blanc, Caldwell, and Hawk. "Location" while wandering Blanc, Caldwell, and Hawk. "Executive Summary" fr ...

near St. James in the east-central

Ozarks The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. The fifth largest

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

in the state with an average discharge of of water per second, it is part of a Karst topographical area, with many springs and caves. The spring and 1800 acres (7.28 km²) are owned by the James Foundation, which maintains the area as a public park, donated by Lucy Wortham James. The

Missouri Department of Conservation The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Conservation Commission were created by Article IV Sections 40-42 of the Missouri Constitution, which were adopted by the voters of the state in 1936 as Amendment 4 to the constitution ...

operates a

trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...

hatchery A hatchery is a facility where eggs are hatched under artificial conditions, especially those of fish, poultry or even turtles. It may be used for ex-situ conservation purposes, i.e. to breed rare or endangered species under controlled condit ...

and fishery at the spring. Ruins of the Maramec Iron Works are still visible at the site; its machinery was partly powered by the spring's waterflow. The spring was declared a

National Natural Landmark The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only national natural areas program that identifies and recognizes the best ...

in October 1971.

Description

The spring's daily discharge averages nearly 100 million gallons (363 million liters). The history of the spring and the iron works is explained in a museum operated by the James Foundation at the site. Another museum in the park features agricultural tools utilized in the area over the years. The park contains a drive that offers a glimpse into the life in the area while the iron works were operating. It includes a scenic overview of the park, a cemetery which serves as the final resting place of some employees of the iron works, the iron pit mine, and locations of a few homesteads. The park hosts several picnic areas, including pavilions suitable for events.

Maramec Iron Works

Adjacent to the spring are the ruins of the Maramec Iron Works. The first commercially viable iron facility in the US west of the

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, it produced iron from 1827 to 1891. During the

US Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, it produced iron for cannonballs and

James B. Eads Captain James Buchanan Eads (May 23, 1820 – March 8, 1887) was a world-renowned American civil engineer and inventor, holding more than 50 patents. Eads' great Mississippi River Bridge at St. Louis was designated a National Historic Landmar ...

' gunships, which were built in

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

near the mouth of the river. The iron works used the spring's flow to

power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...

its machinery, processing high-grade

hematite Hematite (), also spelled as haematite, is a common iron oxide compound with the formula, Fe2O3 and is widely found in rocks and soils. Hematite crystals belong to the rhombohedral lattice system which is designated the alpha polymorph of . ...

from a nearby pit. The Maramec Iron Works District was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1969. The James Foundation hosts an annual Old Iron Works Days on a weekend in October. It features arts, crafts, foods, displays and presentations of life in the area during the era of the iron works.

Recreational activities

The park is one of four trout parks in Missouri, providing near year-round fishing. Harvesting season runs from March until October, while the catch and release season runs during the winter months. The stream is restocked every day during fishing season from the 100,000 trout produced annually by the hatchery. There are 58 campsites in the park, including ten with electric hook-ups. The park has numerous picnic sites, six reserveable picnic shelters, and multiple playgrounds.

References

External links

* Official site
MaramecSpringPark.com
{{authority control National Natural Landmarks in Missouri Protected areas of Phelps County, Missouri Springs of Missouri Bodies of water of Phelps County, Missouri Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Buildings and structures in Phelps County, Missouri National Register of Historic Places in Phelps County, Missouri

Description

Maramec Iron Works

Recreational activities

See also

References

External links