At least for long-time area residents, there's little confusion when someone mentions "The Lake."
Although bigger bodies of water have come to Missouri, none has the recognition of Lake of the Ozarks. It's in a class of its own.
This serpentine reservoir on the Osage River has far exceeded its original plan. Completed in 1931, Lake of the Ozarks was built by Union Electric primarily to generate electricity and help control flooding--which it still does. But the deep waters have done much more.
Lake of the Ozarks has become a unique development focus. Towns such as Versailles, Eldon and Camdenton have grown to be significant communities. Small crossroads that once had no names have become bustling areas with shopping centers hotels and vacation and retirement homes.
This development was probably inevitable. This 54,000-acre lake boasts more than 1,150 miles of shoreline and 55,000 miles of waterways-- still a rarity in the Midwest. It offers a quick get-away for large numbers of residents from Kansas City and St. Louis. More than three million people visit the lake area every year.
Almost every shoreline now hosts year-round communities. One of the most dynamic is Osage Beach with more than eight miles shopping and other activities. "The Strip," which encompasses the first mile from the dam itself, is reminiscent of an old time boardwalk. Other communities boast multi-million dollar homes and some of the largest cruisers and power boats in the midwest.