Where Gumbo Was #437
Gumbo was visiting a popular water recreation site in Missouri, Table Rock Lake, the Dam that creates it, and its informative Dewey Short Visitor Center. Congratulations to George G, who figured out where we were visiting.
(Table Rock Dam and Spillway)
Table Rock Lake is located in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. Its dam and the Dewey Short Visitor Center are close to Branson, Missouri and are a popular day trip destination for those visiting Branson.
Table Rock Lake was created by the damming of the White River in the 1950s. The lake is vast, extending 79 miles upstream along the White River. It has a remarkable 800 miles of shoreline extending along many "arms and fingers" of the White River's upstream path, with 43,000 surface acres of water. The lake is regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Here are a few facts about the Table Rock Dam:
1) Length of dam: 6,423 feet (1,958 m)
2) Length of concrete section: 1,602 feet (488 m)
3) Maximum height of dam: 252 feet (77 m)
4) Concrete in dam: 1,230,000 cubic yards (940,000 m3)
5) Hydroelectric output: 200 megawatts
While the original purpose of the dam was flood control, it has become a popular place for watersports, like boating, waterskiing, and fishing. There are lakeside picnic areas and places to relax. We visited in the spring, when blooming trees were plentiful.
Be sure you visit the Dewey Short Visitor Center near Table Rock Dam. The new visitor center opened April 27, 2012 and has a variety of informative displays and nice views.
Exhibits include facts about the natural history of the area (such as flora and fauna) and details about the construction of Table Rock Dam.
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