Bagnell Dam and the Strip

The idea of damming the Osage River for hydroelectric power had been floated for years before it finally happened. Construction went ahead in the late 1920s and was completed in 1931, a major undertaking that put thousands of workers to their labor at a time when the country was sliding into the Depression. The dam harnessed the river to generate electricity, its original and still primary purpose.

When the reservoir filled, it drowned farms, roads, and river valleys under a great sheet of water. The resulting Lake of the Ozarks became one of the largest man-made lakes in the country, and its shoreline is remarkable for how long and convoluted it is, following every flooded hollow and creek arm of the old river country. That winding shape is why the lake feels so vast and endlessly explorable by boat.

Almost as soon as the lake existed, people came to see it, and businesses sprang up at the base of the dam to serve them. This cluster grew into the Strip, a lively stretch of souvenir shops, arcades, restaurants, and attractions that catered to the visitors pouring in during the summer months. For decades it was the tourist heart of the lake.

The Strip retains a distinctly retro feel, a survivor of the era when a lakeside vacation meant a walk past neon signs, ice cream stands, and gift shops rather than a modern resort. As development spread around the lake in later years, the Strip settled into its role as the nostalgic old core, the original place people gathered before the sprawl of marinas and condos filled in the shore.

The Lake of the Ozarks is often described by its shape, a long, branching form that some liken to a dragon with a serpentine body and many arms. That comes from flooding the valleys of the Osage and its tributaries, which sends coves reaching back into the hills in every direction. The result is an enormous amount of shoreline packed into a compact region, with countless quiet coves alongside busy main channels.

This geography made the lake ideal for recreation. Boating, fishing, and waterfront living took hold quickly, and over the decades the lake grew into a major vacation area, ringed with resorts, marinas, state parks, and lakeside communities. The dam that started it all still stands at the head of it, generating power and marking the spot where the whole thing began.

Bagnell Dam remains a working hydroelectric facility, and the best way to experience it is from the overlooks and access points near the structure, where you can take in the scale of the dam and the lake it holds back. The town of Lake Ozark and the Strip sit right at its foot, an easy stop for a walk, a meal, and a look at the water.

The wider region rewards a longer stay. State parks along the shore offer hiking, swimming, and the natural side of the Ozarks, while marinas, coves, and lakeside towns give the developed, resort side. The lake is at its liveliest in the warm months and grows quiet and scenic in the off season, when the crowds thin and the hills around the water show their color.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.