Carpenter's Camp

3652 State Highway CC, Niangua, MO
Phone:

East < GO > West

Fred and Margret Carpenter opened their camp in 1936 with a cafe that doubled as a Skelly gas station and a picnic grounds. They didn't keep the camp long, selling it to W.E. and Florence Onstott in 1939. The Onstotts changed the name to Oak Vale Park and to the Sinclair brand for the gas station.

While the Carpenters catered more to the local community the Onstotts catered more to the traveling public adding the cabins and keeping the picnic grounds. The Oak Vale Park name survived several ownership changes before being dropped in 1952. By 1957 the cafe and station building became a private residence.

It is located just a short distance west of the Rockhaven.and a bit east of the 1925 gas station and the Niangua River.

GPS: 37.371068, -92.865586

Two of the old cabins stand on the north side of the main building and can be seen from the road. It's a little hard to see through the trees, but the cabin closest tot he road still sports its original design as a one room cabin with a garage on the side. On the other cabin the garage door has been replaced by a wall and window enlarging the living space.

Photo(s): 2016