Van Meter State Park is a public recreation area on the Missouri River in

Saline County, Missouri Saline County is located along the Missouri River in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,370. Its county seat is Marshall. The county was established November 25, 1820, and named for the region's salt spr ...

. The state park consists of of hills, ravines, fresh water

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...

fen A fen is a type of peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich Groundwater, ground or surface water. It is one of the main types of wetlands along with marshes, swamps, and bogs. Bogs and fens, both peat-forming ecosystems, are also known as ...

s, and

bottomland Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland. Definitions Upland and lowland are portions of p ...

and upland

forests A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

in an area known as "the Pinnacles." The park has several archaeological sites, a cultural center, and facilities for camping, hiking, and fishing. It is managed by the

Missouri Department of Natural Resources The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) of the government of the U.S. state of Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied fo ...

History

The park and surrounding lands were once the home of the Native American tribe known to French settlers as “Oumessourit,” or Missouri Indians. Signs of the land's first occupants include the remnants of a Native American village, known as the Utz Site, a sizeable earthworks named Old Fort, and a mound field. Utz Site and Old Fort are included in 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 ...

. The park originated when Annie Vanmeter deeded 369 acres to the state in 1932. The

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

was active in the park from 1934 to 1935. The large shelter house and the small shelter house in the Walnut Grove that survive from that era have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Activities and amenities

The area's native history is interpreted in the park's cultural center through exhibits and murals. Park recreational activities include camping, hiking, and fishing on an lake.

References

External links

Van Meter State Park
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Van Meter State Park Map
Missouri Department of Natural Resources {{authority control State parks of Missouri Protected areas of Saline County, Missouri Protected areas established in 1932 Civilian Conservation Corps in Missouri Event venues on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Buildings and structures in Saline County, Missouri National Register of Historic Places in Saline County, Missouri 1932 establishments in Missouri