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Thousand Hills State Park

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State park in Missouri, United States
Thousand Hills State Park
Beach, cabinsAerial view of Thousand Hills
swim beach & cabins area
Thousand Hills State Park is located in MissouriThousand Hills State ParkLocation in MissouriShow map of MissouriThousand Hills State Park is located in the United StatesThousand Hills State ParkThousand Hills State Park (the United States)Show map of the United States
LocationIron and Reynolds counties, Missouri, United
Coordinates40°10′37″N 92°38′37″W / 40.17694°N 92.64361°W / 40.17694; -92.64361
Area3,086.75 acres (1,249.16 ha)
Elevation797 ft (243 m)
Established1952
Administered byMissouri Department of Natural Resources
Visitors537,759 (in 2023)
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Thousand Hills State Park Petroglyphs Archeological Site
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Shelter protecting petroglyphs
at Thousand Hills State Park
Thousand Hills State Park is located in MissouriThousand Hills State ParkShow map of MissouriThousand Hills State Park is located in the United StatesThousand Hills State ParkShow map of the United States
Nearest cityKirksville, Missouri
Area9.9 acres (4.0 ha)
NRHP reference No.70000320
Added to NRHPJanuary 23, 1970

Thousand Hills State Park is a public recreation area covering over 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) two miles (3.2 km) west of Kirksville in Adair County, Missouri. The state park features Native American petroglyphs and 573-acre (232 ha) Forest Lake with fishing, swimming and boating.

History

By the late 1940s, the nearby city of Kirksville was in need of a larger and more reliable water supply than the Chariton River could provide. In October 1948, the family of local physician George Laughlin donated 1,100 acres (450 ha) to the city. The city of Kirksville matched the donation by purchasing an additional 1,150 acres (470 ha). Following voter passage of a special bond issue, land was acquired to construct a dam across Big Creek, a tributary of the Chariton. Upon its completion in summer 1952, the new reservoir was known as "Lake Kirksville" but by September that year the Kirksville city council, through ordinance, officially designed the reservoir "Forest Lake" (with one "r") so named for the surrounding woodlands. The lands, but not the lake itself (owned by the city of Kirksville), were presented to the state of Missouri free of charge in return for the promise of establishing a state park and protecting the land around the water reservoir. It was named Thousand Hills State Park, in honor of Doctor Laughlin's Thousand Hills Farm that had formerly occupied part of the land. Missouri Governor Forrest Smith, who attended the 1953 ceremony, has been erroneously linked to several historical accounts that claim Forest Lake was named in his honor.

Petroglyphs

A series of Native American rock carvings, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, are protected in an enclosed observation and interpretation center. The carvings are estimated to date back at least 1,500 years.

Activities and amenities

The park's lake is used for fishing, swimming, and both motorized and non-motorized boating. A marina offers boat and equipment rentals. Two campgrounds provide a total of 57 campsites. Overnight accommodations are also offered at seven duplex cabins. Trails are available for hiking and bicycling and include the Carolyn Bagley Harding Trail, which is a paved trail being developed in cooperation with the community volunteer organization FLATS (Forest Lake Area Trail System).

Annual events

The park hosts an annual bass tournament in spring. In 2023, the park began hosting an annual Earth Day event in April and Archaeology Day in September.

Notes

  1. The NEMO Triathlon formerly held in September was discontinued in 2017. Dark-sky certification occurred in 2025: "Thousand Hills State Park certified as an Urban Night Sky Place by DarkSky International", DarkSky International (November 25, 2024).

References

  1. ^ "Forest Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "Data Sheet: Thousand Hills State Park" (PDF). Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  3. "State Park Land Acquisition Summary". Missouri State Parks. August 25, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  4. ^ "Thousand Hills State Park". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. December 10, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  5. We Would Just Like To Say Thank You by Chris Sieren & David Snyder, The Chariton Collector, Spring 1984.
  6. Debi Boughton, "Happy 70th Birthday to Thousand Hills State Park," The Adair Historian, July 2022, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 4; Blytha Ellis, "Thousand Hills State Park--Full of History and Memories," The Adair Historian, July 2022, vol. 19, no. 6, p. 9.
  7. "Thousand Hills State Park Trails". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  8. Berry, Kaitlin (May 17, 2014). "Annual tournament gets kids 'hooked' on fishing". Heartland Connection. Kirksville, Mo.: KTVO-TV. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  9. Hunsicker, Jason (November 6, 2017). "NEMO Triathlon ends its run after 33 years". Kirksville Daily Express. Kirksville, Mo. Retrieved April 30, 2018.

External links

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