The Lake of the Ozarks has become the premiere family vacation destination of the Midwest. You won't find another lake in the world with more than 1,100 miles of meandering shoreline surrounded by scenic hills. In addition, the lake's uniqueness is that the family resorts are located truly at the water's edge.
Lake of the Ozarks came into existence over 80 years ago through an undertaking known as the Great Osage River Project. Construction of Bagnell Dam began on August 6, 1929 by Union Electric. In the midst of the Great Depression, some 4,600 employees labored day and night to build Bagnell Dam and what was, at that time, the largest man-made lake in the world, fed by the Osage, Glaize and Niangua Rivers. It was opened to the public on May 30, 1931. The lake is currently owned by AmerenUE. While you are at the Lake of the Ozarks, a must see is the historical Willmore Lodge. Learn more about Willmore Lodge in the following Show Me Missouri magazine article.
The Lake of the Ozarks has events, festivals and activities during all four seasons. We invite you to bring friends and family to share some moments on and/or around the lake area including a sunset over the main channel, picnics, caving, hiking, horseback riding, trails trimmed with wild flowers, golfing on fresh greens, crisp morning fishing, local festivals, musical shows and shopping to name a few. For a complete schedule of events, please visit our Things To Do page. We hope you make the choice to come visit Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.
