Van Meter State Park

Story

Van Meter State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area on the Missouri River in Saline County, Missouri. The state park consists of of hills, ravines, fresh water marsh, fens, and bottomland and upland forests in an area known as "the Pinnacles." The park has several archaeological sites, a cultural center, and facilities for camping, hiking, and fishing. It is managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.HistoryThe park and surrounding lands were once the home of the Native American tribe known to French settlers as “Oumessourit,” or Missouri Indians. Signs of the land's first occupants include the remnants of a Native American village, known as Utz Site, a sizeable earthworks named Old Fort, and a mound field. Utz Site and Old Fort are included in the National Register of Historic Places.The Civilian Conservation Corps was active in the park from 1934 to 1935. The large shelter house and the small shelter house in the Walnut Grove that survive from that era have also been added to the National Register of Historic Places.