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Missouri Mines State Historic Site

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Lead has been big business in the eastern Ozarks since about 1720. Come explore its history – and see the processing plant of the former St. Joe Lead Company – in the heart of the Old Lead Belt at Missouri Mines State Historic Site. The mine’s former powerhouse has been turned into a museum that interprets the area’s lead mining history, displays actual machinery from the mines and houses one of the Midwest's finest mineral collections.

Park Hours

Summer Hours (On-Season)

  • April through November
    10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday
    12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday

Winter Hours (Off-Season)

  • December through March
    10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday
    12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday
    Groups (15+ people) can schedule tours in advance for any day of the week.

The historic site is closed New Year's, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites
May 23, 2013
Fifty years ago, if you had arrived at the natural tunnel in Bennett Spring State Park, you would have seen a lake. Around 1964, a dam created from gravel and silt and reinforced with rebar and concrete blocked the upstream entrance of the natural tunnel. There is no record of how long the resulting lake lasted, but historical accounts state the dam failed after heavy rains, leaving only the portion of the structure seen today at the end of the trail. Walk the Natural Tunnel Trail today and imagine what it would have been like 50 years ago. For more information about this trail, other trails at the park, and all the other things you can do at Bennett Spring State Park, visit mostateparks.com.