7 Fun Facts About the Willmore Lodge
Did you know that the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is housed in the historic Willmore Lodge? With a beautiful view, interesting history and rustic touches, the lodge is a great place to visit at the Lake of the Ozarks. Housing both the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and a museum focused on the building of Bagnell Dam, the lodge is a great resource for businesses wanting to grow their reach and visitors searching for more knowledge about the lake. Whether you’ve visited the lodge before or not, here’s 7 fun facts about the Willmore that you may not have known.
1. Great Visitor Destination- In 2017, Willmore Lodge received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor due to consistent great reviews and it is featured in TripAdvisor’s top six things to do at the Lake of the Ozarks.
2. The View- Located right before you cross Bagnell Dam, Willmore Lodge boosts a view of the first seven and a half miles of the lake
3. Event Venue- Willmore Lodge hosts events! Our members can rent out the facility to host business meetings and other events.
4. Museum- In addition to housing the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Willmore also houses a museum that provides information about The Great Osage River Project, which was the construction of the Bagnell Dam starting in 1929. Step back in time and learn about this massive project with the museum’s resources which include audio, videos, historical documents, photos and equipment that was used to build the dam. The museum is free to visitors during business hours!
5. History of the Lodge- Not only does Willmore Lodge educate its visitors on the lake’s history, the building itself holds its own rich history. It was built in 1930 by Union Electric to provide a place for relaxing and entertainment to employees working on the dam. In 1945, the lodge was sold to Cyrus Crane Willmore, a real estate developer from St. Louis. Willmore used the lodge as his personal home. Today, it is on the Historical Register of Historic Places.
6. Building the Lodge- The lodge was actually assembled in Oregon, and after it was approved by President of Union Electric, Louis A. Egan, it was disassembled and moved to its current location at the Lake of the Ozarks where it was reassembled.
7. Expansive Space- In 1930, the lodge had 29 rooms including five guest rooms that had their own private bathrooms. These rooms were each named after surrounding towns at the lake at the time. The rest of the space was used for entertaining and boosted all the modern conveniences at the time, including indoor plumbing, an ice making machine and call buttons in each room to request service. The beauty of the lodge doesn’t stop indoors. Outside of the lodge, there is a walking path that leads to lakeside gardens, a gazebo and a spot for picnics.
Come check out Willmore Lodge at the Lake of the Ozarks for great views and rich history. Located right by Bagnell Dam, the lodge makes for a perfect stop while you’re headed into the lake for your weekend fun. And while you’re there, swing by and say hello to the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce! We provide resources, a voice and serve as a marketing partner for businesses at the Lake of the Ozarks. With over 500 members at the lake, you can trust us as your business resource!
P.O. Box 1570 Connect with us on LinkedIn
Comments
Post a Comment