The Lake of the Ozarks is filled with entertainment, shops, marinas, golf courses, restaurants, and residential development, but how did it all begin?
The Lake of the Ozarks is the last manmade lake of its kind in the United States built totally with private funds. It was built by Union Electric Company of St. Louis, Missouri and is still owned by the same company although it has merged and is now called Ameren UE. They are in the process of renewing their licensing agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which will put them in charge of the lake for the next 40 years.
The ground was broken to start the project on the 6th of August in 1929 and it was opened to the public on Memorial Day weekend in 1931. If you look back at the history of the United States this was the period of the Great Depression when many people moved here from all parts of the country because they were looking for work and many of them stayed and have been part of the community for 75 years now. There were so many people out of work and this was simply a place where employment was available.
The primary reason for building the lake was to generate electricity. A friend of mine who worked for the electric company told me that they look at Lake of the Ozarks like their oil field. Water flowing through the generators is money in their pockets. But they have been very good friends of the lake area and understand that in order for them to make money, businesses around the lake need to make money. So they are very cognizant of the fact that they need to keep the lake level high from April to November while people are using the lake for recreational purposes.
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Town & Country Motel is located in the heart of Osage Beach.
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