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Historical Information
- When the mill era
ended the old wool carding mill structure was converted to an inn of 100
rooms.
- Roland M. Bruner bought
120 acres from the Prestons for $9,000 and Bruner acquired up to 3,500 acres
in the area. He later sold to F. J. Bannister who made improvements as
well as built two houses across from the Hotel.
- In the 1920's the
holdings of Roaring River went into foreclosure, and at that time there were several things
there, including a saw mill, hydro-electric plant, electric laundry,
refrigeration plant, ice plant and Roaring River Camps and Hotel.
-
Then after that Roaring River sold to Thomas M. Sayman for $105,000 who paid cash for
it on Nov 16, 1928. He presented it to the State of Missouri for a Park on
Dec 5, 1928. A memorial to Sayman stands in front of the CCC Lodge near the
falls at Roaring River.
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Page 15, Roaring
River Realities by Wanda Brewer: "In early times, perhaps long
before those first settlers arrived, Roaring River itself,
originating from that very deep spring which comes up in a sort of
cave under an overhanging bluff, flowed meanderingly through this
hill-cupped valley into White River. Water rose up in great volume
from this spring and poured out with a terrific roar, a roar that
inspired and gave us the name for our beautiful river which has
been said to be the shortest charted river in the United States.
An interesting development took place, however, with respect to
the roar emanating from the spring. When the dam was built in 1865
confining the water over the spring, that perpetual and
reverberating roar was brought to an abrupt end and has never been
heard since."
-
The spring is about
300 feet deep and comes from a cave and the water has a 55 degree
temperature.
-
Roaring River
rises in a fathomless spring. This is an even flowing well far
back in a grotto, where the waters flow and spread out into a
lake. Prior to 1880 a dam was constructed at this point level
with the spring. Before the construction of this dam, the waters
rushed from the grotto down the rocks with a sound of and
splash, which merited for the stream its name. [Ref:
Goodspeed's History, page 683, pub. 1888.]
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Roaring River:
The first settlement was made by Charles Haddock, at or near
where Squire Muncey's dwelling stood in 1876. He moved to the
head of Capps Creek, and is now dead. Milo B. Russell was
among the first to die. John Davis and another old man were
here, but their whereabouts are unknown. [Ref: Goodspeed's
History, page 684, Barry Co., MO, pub. 1888]
For
some time this entry was questioned and the family thought that Zachariah
Haddock was the one who lived near Munsey, but after the obituaries of
Charles Haddock, Jr.'s children were examined it has been determined that
this is a correct and true statement, Charles Haddock, Jr. was the one who
made the first settlement there. In 1840, living nearby were his father
Charles and his brother William, also Teresa Burnett, Zachariah Haddock's
widowed daughter lived nearby. In 1840 the John Davis mentioned above lived
next door to Charles, Jr.
-
The Haddock
family came to Barry County in or around 1836 from Boone
Co., MO. Roaring River Twp., was not formed in 1840 and was
listed as part of Sugar Creek Twp. And so in 1840, listed on
the Barry County, MO, Federal Population Schedules, were
both William and Charles Haddock on Sugar Creek Twp., of
Barry County, MO. Charles had one son 15-20, and he was
50-60 years old. He had 1 female 50-60 years old. Also
listed is Charles Haddix two doors away. Charles Haddix had
2 males 5-10, and he was 30-40 years old and had 3 females
under 5, 1 female 5-10, and 1 female 30-40 years old. The
Haddix entry is for Charles Haddock, Jr.
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NEWS FROM DAYS PASSED
Historical Black & White Photos of Roaring River
State
Historical Society of MO Microfilm
Online Newspapers
Munsey News: Rev. George Haddock preached Sunday night and his wife also
preached Sunday.
October 14, 1909 Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO
Roaring River News: John
Frall came clear of the charge of grand larceny wherein John Ash of Off
Davis was the first prosecuting witness. Trial was held before R. Haddock at
Eagle Rock.
Cassville Republican, Thursday, Sept 7, 1893
Roaring River News: The
Roaring River woolen mills are running pretty steady this fall.
Cassville Republican,
Thursday, Sept 7, 1893
Roaring River News: L.
B. Upton has been down working the roads in this part and I must say that he
has put the roads in fair fix.
Cassville Republican,
Thursday, Sept 7, 1893
Mrs. Aaron Miller,
daughters and sister, Mrs. Neff, after a pleasant visit with friends and
relatives here and at Roaring River, returned home to Parson, Kans.,
Thursday. They were accompanied by their father, W. C. Keith of Roaring
River.
Cassville Republican, Thursday, Sept 14, 1893
Roaring River News: B.
W. Hartley has got on a large stock of goods and medicines.
Cassville Republican,
Thursday, Sept 23, 1893
Roaring River News: Mr.
McCartney, who has been running the Roaring River woolen mills left on the
9th for a visit in Iowa, after which he will return to Roaring River.
Cassville Republican,
Thursday, Sept 23, 1893
Roaring River News:
Jackson Sweeten who has been gone on a hunting and fishing expedition
returned home the 17th inst.
Cassville Republican,
Thursday, Sept 23, 1893
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Photo
Submitted by:
Gerald Lowe
There was a lake created
from where the water was dammed at the mouth of Roaring River. That lake was
in addition to this lake that was dammed later just below what is now the
old CCC Lodge - Hotel.
Roaring
River - Opening Trout Fishing Day 1935
Fields'
Photo
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From the
research files of Darla Marbut - This photo was taken in the area where you
come into the Roaring River area from Cassville on Highway 112, just as you
are entering the park and at the end of that steep hill. On the left
you go on up to the hatchery, the spring, the falls, and the old CCC Lodge -
Hotel. If you take the road to the right, you'll cross "Dry Hollow" and
then turn left on Highway F to go to Eagle Rock, MO.
When the dam washed out in 1938, Roaring River stream was at the base of the
hill you see here. The area on the left of the photo was made into
another road.
Milo and Nicey (Haddock) Russell lived on down the road on what is now
Highway F about a mile or two from this photo. They were married in
Barry Co., MO in 1841 so they were living in this area at that date.
Nicey's parents were Zachariah and Chloe (Albritton) Haddock. Zachariah
and his brother Charles Haddock, Sr., settled on the White River located in
Southern Missouri. Chloe Haddock is buried on the park grounds in what is
called today Old Russell Cemetery or Roaring River Cemetery. Zachariah, her
husband, is buried in Old Haddock Cemetery, which is in the Eagle Rock area
and near White River.
Milo Russell, Nicey's husband, brought their grain to the mill at Roaring
River and he'd do carpentry work to pay the milling charges. I'm sure all
the other relatives had milling done here as well. So when you are walking
around the "head" of Roaring River, you are in the same area where many of
our Haddock and Russell ancestors visited at one time or the other.
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