Ha Ha Tonka State Park: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 37°58′08″N 92°46′09″W / 37.96889°N 92.76917°W / 37.96889; -92.76917
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{{short description|State park in Missouri, United States}}
{{For|the band|Ha Ha Tonka}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Geobox|Protected area
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Ha Ha Tonka State Park
| category = [[List of Missouri state parks|Missouri State Park]]
| name = Ha Ha Tonka State Park
| iucn_category =
| image = Ha Ha Tonka State Park.jpg
| iucn_ref =
| image_caption = The "castle" ruins at Ha Ha Tonka
<!-- images -->
| country = United States
| photo = Ha Ha Tonka State Park.jpg
| country_flag = 1
| photo_caption = The "castle" ruins at Ha Ha Tonka
| state = Missouri
<!-- map -->
| state_flag = 1
| map = USA Missouri#USA
| state_type = State
| map_image =
| region = [[Camden County, Missouri|Camden]]
| map_size = 280
| region_type = County
| map_caption = Location in Missouri
| city_type =
| city =
| relief = 1
<!-- location -->
| elevation_imperial = 705
| location = [[Camden County, Missouri|Camden County]], Missouri, United States<ref name=parks2/>
| elevation_round = 0
| nearest_city =
| elevation_note = <ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|742224|Ha Ha Tonka State Park}}</ref>
| lat_d = 37
| nearest_town =
| coordinates = {{coord|37|58|08|N|92|46|09|W|region:US-MO_scale:5000|display=inline,title}}
| lat_m = 58
| coords_ref = <ref name=gnis/>
| lat_s = 08
<!-- stats -->
| lat_NS = N
| long_d = 92
| length =
| long_m = 46
| length_mi =
| long_s = 09
| length_km =
| long_EW = W
| width =
| width_mi =
| coordinates_note = <ref name=gnis/>
| width_km =
| coordinates_type = region:US-MO_scale:5000
| area_imperial = 3709.74
| area_acre = 3,751.74
| area_ref = <ref name=parkdata/>
| area_unit = acre
| elevation = {{convert|705|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|742224|Ha Ha Tonka State Park}}</ref>
| area_note = <ref name=scorp/>
| established = 1978
| elevation_avg =
| elevation_min =
| established_type = Established
| elevation_max =
| management_body = Missouri Department of Natural Resources
| dimensions =
| map_locator = Missouri
| designation =
| map = Missouri_Locator_Map with US.PNG
<!-- dates & info -->
| map_caption = Location in Missouri
| authorized =
| website = [http://mostateparks.com/park/ha-ha-tonka-state-park Ha Ha Tonka State Park]
| created =
| designated =
| established = 1978<ref name=acquisition/>
| named_for =
| visitation_num = 543,406
| visitation_year = 2017
| visitation_ref = <ref name=parkdata/>
| governing_body =
| administrator =
| operator = Missouri Department of Natural Resources
| owner =
<!-- website, embedded -->
| website = [https://mostateparks.com/park/ha-ha-tonka-state-park Ha Ha Tonka State Park]
| embedded =
}}
}}


'''Ha Ha Tonka State Park''' is a [[state park]] in [[Missouri]], United States, located about five miles south of [[Camdenton, Missouri|Camdenton]] on the [[Niangua River|Niangua]] arm of the [[Lake of the Ozarks]]. The area has several [[cave]]s, [[sinkhole]]s, and bluffs overlooking the [[reservoir|lake]]. It is a prominent example of [[karst]] topography, which is geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock. The most notable feature of the park is the stone ruins of a mansion, nicknamed the "castle" because it was modeled after later European castles from the 1500s.
'''Ha Ha Tonka State Park''' is a public recreation area encompassing over {{convert|5000|acre}} on the [[Niangua River|Niangua]] arm of the [[Lake of the Ozarks]], about five miles south of [[Camdenton, Missouri|Camdenton]], [[Missouri]], in the [[United States]]. The [[state park]]'s most notable feature is the ruins of Ha Ha Tonka, an early 20th-century stone mansion that was modeled after [[European castle]]s of the 16th century.

The park also features [[cave]]s, [[sinkhole]]s, and bluffs overlooking the [[reservoir|lake]]. It is a prominent example of [[karst]] topography, which is geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock.<ref name=parks/> A {{convert|70|acre|adj=on}} portion of the park was designated as the Ha Ha Tonka Karst Natural Area in 1981.<ref name=naturalareas/>


==History==
==History==
[[File:Looking Up at Ha Ha Tonka Ruins - panoramio.jpg|thumb|left|Looking up at the Ha Ha Tonka ruins]]
The Ha Ha Tonka castle was started by Robert McClure Snyder (Senior) in 1905. He was a Kansas City businessman who purchased the area which was known by Native Americans in the area as "ha ha tonka" which supposedly means "laughing waters," alluding to the springs below the castle. Following his death in an auto accident in 1906, the castle was completed by his sons Robert Jr., LeRoy, and Kenneth in the late 1920s. The building was used as a hotel until it was destroyed by fire in 1942. The State of Missouri purchased the castle and grounds in 1978, and opened it to the public as a state park. The water tower was repaired in 2004, with a new roof installed; the castle has also been partially restored.
Construction of the Ha Ha Tonka castle was started in 1905 by Robert McClure Snyder Sr., a Kansas City businessman who purchased the large property after first visiting there in 1903. Alluding to the natural springs on the property, "ha ha tonka" was said to mean "big laugh" or "smiling waters."<ref name=shsm/>

Following Snyder's death in a car accident in 1906, the castle was completed by his sons Robert Jr., LeRoy, and Kenneth Snyder in the early 1920s before the [[Stock Market Crash]]. The building was used as a summer and weekend home by the Snyder family, who lived in Kansas City. In the late 1930s, it was used as a hotel; however, it was destroyed by fire in 1942.<ref name=geninfo/>

The state purchased the castle and grounds in 1978, adapting them for use as a state park and opening them to the public. The water tower was repaired in 2004, with a new roof installed. Although the castle walls were stabilized in the 1980s, a new survey in 2016 determined that portions of the ruins including its arches were seeing mortar and stone failure with the potential beginning of collapse. Some areas have been closed off from the public.<ref name=castle/> The ruins can be seen from an observation point across from the park office.


==Activities and amenities==
==Activities and amenities==
There is an observation point across from the post office where one can view the ruins. The park has 15 miles of hiking trails leading to caves, sinkholes, natural bridges, and the castle.<ref name=parks/> The park also features boating, fishing, and swimming.
The park has 15 miles of hiking trails leading to caves, sinkholes, natural bridges, and the castle. The park also features boating, fishing, and swimming.<ref name=parks/>

{{-}}
=== Trails ===
[[File:Ha-Ha-Tonka.jpg|thumb|center|upright=2.5|alt=|Ha Ha Tonka State Park Panoramic Photo. An American Castle]]
As of 2020, there are 14 trails at the park.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Missouri State Parks Trail Inventory|url=https://apps5.mo.gov/trails/fullMap.action|access-date=July 14, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Trail Name
! Description
! Length
! Notes
|-
| {{color box|green|'''Acorn Trail'''}}
| Moderate hiking trail
| 0.9 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|blue|'''Big Niangua River Trail'''}}
| Rough trail made for paddling
| 13.4 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|red|'''Boulder Ridge Trail'''}}
| Moderate hiking trail
| 1.5 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|yellow|'''Castle Trail'''}}
| Easy trail
| 0.4 miles
| [[File:Handicapped_Accessible_sign.svg|20px|link=Disability]]
|-
| {{color box|blue|'''Cedar Trail'''}}
| Moderate hiking trail
| 0.2 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|yellow|'''Colosseum Trail'''}}
| Rugged hiking trail
| 0.6 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|red|'''Dell Rim Trail'''}}
| Moderate hiking trail
| 0.3 miles
| [[File:Handicapped_Accessible_sign.svg|20px|link=Disability]]
|-
| {{color box|brown|'''Devil's Kitchen Trail'''}}
| Rugged hiking trail
| 1.3 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|green|'''Island Trail'''}}
| Rugged hiking trail
| 0.4 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|blue|'''Oak Woodland Interpretive Trail'''}}
| Easy hiking trail
| 0.1 miles
| [[File:Handicapped_Accessible_sign.svg|20px|link=Disability]]
|-
| {{color box|green|'''Quarry Trail'''}}
| Moderate hiking trail
| 1.7 miles
|
|-
| {{color box|blue|'''Spring Trail'''}}
| Moderate hiking trail
| 1.4 miles
| [[File:Handicapped_Accessible_sign.svg|20px|link=Disability]]
|-
| {{color box|red|'''Turkey Pen Hollow Trail'''}}
| Rugged hiking trail
| 6.5 miles
|
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths=750px heights=200px >
File:Ha-Ha-Tonka.jpg|American Castle Panoramic
</gallery>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|refs=
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=parks>{{cite web|url=http://mostateparks.com/park/ha-ha-tonka-state-park |title=Ha Ha Tonka State Park |work=Missouri State Parks |publisher=Missouri Department of Natural Resources |accessdate=September 29, 2014}}</ref>
<ref name=parks>{{cite web|url=http://mostateparks.com/park/ha-ha-tonka-state-park |title=Ha Ha Tonka State Park |publisher=Missouri Department of Natural Resources |access-date=September 29, 2014}}</ref>


<ref name=scorp>{{cite web |url=http://www.dnr.mo.gov/pubs/pub2363.pdf |title=State parks...estimated acres |work=Revised Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan: 2008-2012 |publisher=Missouri Department of Natural Resources |pages=142-143 |accessdate=September 9, 2014}}</ref>
<ref name=parks2>{{cite web |url=https://mostateparks.com/location/56517/visitor-center |title=Ha Ha Tonka State Park Visitors Center |publisher=Missouri Department of Natural Resources |access-date=October 7, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=parkdata>{{cite web |url=https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/hahatonka_datasheet_01_2018.pdf |title=Ha Ha Tonka State Park: Data Sheet |publisher=Missouri Department of Natural Resources |date=November 2017 |access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name=geninfo>{{cite web |url=https://mostateparks.com/page/54968/park-history |title=Ha Ha Tonka State Park: Park History |publisher=Missouri Department of Natural Resources |access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name=castle>{{cite news |url=http://www.lakenewsonline.com/news/20160630/landmark-ruin-in-need-of-repairs-why-sections-of-ha-ha-tonka-castle-have-been-fenced-off |title=Landmark ruin in need of repairs |first=Amy |last=Wilson |newspaper=Lake News Online |date=July 2, 2016 |access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name=acquisition>{{cite web |url=https://mostateparks.com/page/59045/state-park-land-acquisition-summary |title=State Park Land Acquisition Summary |publisher=Missouri State Parks |access-date=August 18, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=naturalareas>{{cite web |url=https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/ha-ha-tonka-karst |title=Ha Ha Tonka Karst Natural Area |publisher=Missouri Department of Conservation |access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name=shsm>{{cite web |url=https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_camden.html
|title=Camden County Place Names, 1928–1945 |publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri| access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref>
}}
}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|Ha Ha Tonka State Park|<br>Ha Ha Tonka State Park}}
*[http://mostateparks.com/park/ha-ha-tonka-state-park Ha Ha Tonka State Park] Missouri Department of Natural Resources
*[https://mostateparks.com/park/ha-ha-tonka-state-park Ha Ha Tonka State Park] Missouri Department of Natural Resources
*[https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Ha%20Ha%20Tonka.pdf Ha Ha Tonka State Park Map] Missouri Department of Natural Resources

{{Protected areas of Missouri}}


{{authority control}}
{{Protected Areas of Missouri}}


[[Category:State parks of Missouri]]
[[Category:State parks of Missouri]]
Line 65: Line 182:
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1978]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1978]]
[[Category:Lake of the Ozarks]]
[[Category:Lake of the Ozarks]]
[[Category:1978 establishments in Missouri]]

Latest revision as of 23:53, 14 March 2024

Ha Ha Tonka State Park
The "castle" ruins at Ha Ha Tonka
Map showing the location of Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Map showing the location of Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Location in Missouri
Map showing the location of Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Map showing the location of Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Ha Ha Tonka State Park (the United States)
LocationCamden County, Missouri, United States[1]
Coordinates37°58′08″N 92°46′09″W / 37.96889°N 92.76917°W / 37.96889; -92.76917[2]
Area3,751.74 acres (15.1828 km2)[3]
Elevation705 ft (215 m)[2]
Established1978[4]
Visitors543,406 (in 2017)[3]
OperatorMissouri Department of Natural Resources
WebsiteHa Ha Tonka State Park

Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a public recreation area encompassing over 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) on the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks, about five miles south of Camdenton, Missouri, in the United States. The state park's most notable feature is the ruins of Ha Ha Tonka, an early 20th-century stone mansion that was modeled after European castles of the 16th century.

The park also features caves, sinkholes, and bluffs overlooking the lake. It is a prominent example of karst topography, which is geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock.[5] A 70-acre (28 ha) portion of the park was designated as the Ha Ha Tonka Karst Natural Area in 1981.[6]

History[edit]

Looking up at the Ha Ha Tonka ruins

Construction of the Ha Ha Tonka castle was started in 1905 by Robert McClure Snyder Sr., a Kansas City businessman who purchased the large property after first visiting there in 1903. Alluding to the natural springs on the property, "ha ha tonka" was said to mean "big laugh" or "smiling waters."[7]

Following Snyder's death in a car accident in 1906, the castle was completed by his sons Robert Jr., LeRoy, and Kenneth Snyder in the early 1920s before the Stock Market Crash. The building was used as a summer and weekend home by the Snyder family, who lived in Kansas City. In the late 1930s, it was used as a hotel; however, it was destroyed by fire in 1942.[8]

The state purchased the castle and grounds in 1978, adapting them for use as a state park and opening them to the public. The water tower was repaired in 2004, with a new roof installed. Although the castle walls were stabilized in the 1980s, a new survey in 2016 determined that portions of the ruins including its arches were seeing mortar and stone failure with the potential beginning of collapse. Some areas have been closed off from the public.[9] The ruins can be seen from an observation point across from the park office.

Activities and amenities[edit]

The park has 15 miles of hiking trails leading to caves, sinkholes, natural bridges, and the castle. The park also features boating, fishing, and swimming.[5]

Trails[edit]

As of 2020, there are 14 trails at the park.[10]

Trail Name Description Length Notes
 Acorn Trail  Moderate hiking trail 0.9 miles
 Big Niangua River Trail  Rough trail made for paddling 13.4 miles
 Boulder Ridge Trail  Moderate hiking trail 1.5 miles
 Castle Trail  Easy trail 0.4 miles
 Cedar Trail  Moderate hiking trail 0.2 miles
 Colosseum Trail  Rugged hiking trail 0.6 miles
 Dell Rim Trail  Moderate hiking trail 0.3 miles
 Devil's Kitchen Trail  Rugged hiking trail 1.3 miles
 Island Trail  Rugged hiking trail 0.4 miles
 Oak Woodland Interpretive Trail  Easy hiking trail 0.1 miles
 Quarry Trail  Moderate hiking trail 1.7 miles
 Spring Trail  Moderate hiking trail 1.4 miles
 Turkey Pen Hollow Trail  Rugged hiking trail 6.5 miles

Gallery[edit]

  • American Castle Panoramic
    American Castle Panoramic

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ha Ha Tonka State Park Visitors Center". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Ha Ha Tonka State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. ^ a b "Ha Ha Tonka State Park: Data Sheet" (PDF). Missouri Department of Natural Resources. November 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  4. ^ "State Park Land Acquisition Summary". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Ha Ha Tonka State Park". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  6. ^ "Ha Ha Tonka Karst Natural Area". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  7. ^ "Camden County Place Names, 1928–1945". The State Historical Society of Missouri. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "Ha Ha Tonka State Park: Park History". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  9. ^ Wilson, Amy (July 2, 2016). "Landmark ruin in need of repairs". Lake News Online. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  10. ^ "Missouri State Parks Trail Inventory". Retrieved July 14, 2021.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Ha Ha Tonka State Park.
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