We visited friends in Lebanon Missouri, Friday. During the late afternoon, we drove to Bennett Spring State Park, 12 miles west of Lebanon.The park is on the site of former grist mills, flour mills and saw mills. The James Brice family were early settlers. Later the Peter Bennett family arrived and opened a mill. The Bennett Mill was very successful and the name was given to the area.
My granddad always referred to Bennett Spring as Brice. If we planned an outing at Bennett Spring, granddad would say, we're going to Brice. I spent many happy childhood Sundays at Bennett Spring State Park.
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Bennett Spring is located in the Spring Valley of the Niangua River. The spring is the 3rd largest in the state of Missouri. The park is a popular destination for avid anglers.
Friday afternoon the temperatures reached triple digits, but that didn't stop these Trout fishermen. The water temperature remains at 50 degrees, year round. We visited the park during February '07. There were several folks fishing on that chilly day, also.
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This small stone structure overlooks the spring. A shelter house sits on a hill just to the right. A wedding rehearsal was in progress, at the site, Friday evening. I have memories of family picnics at the shelter.
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Many times, as a child, I attended services and hymn sings at this little rock church. I witnessed baptizings in the river, mentioned in my July 30, 2007 post. Sister Bennett, affectionately known as Aunt Louie, conducted services at this church. She was my mother and aunt's Bible Study teacher, when they were children.***********************************************
Bennett Spring was originally known as "Eye of the Sacred One", by Native Americans who first inhabited the area.
The entrance to the small stone structure that overlooks the spring. It's wonderful to stand inside the building and look down at the spring from the windows.
We had supper at the Dining Lodge, Friday evening. This building and other structures were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, between 1934 and 1937.
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