Route 66 State Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Route 66 State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Missouri, located on the former site of the town of Times Beach. It is a 419 acre (1.7 km²) park located less than one mile (1.6 km) east of Eureka.
Times Beach was bought, dismantled, and decontaminated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency following the discovery of widespread dioxin contamination in the 1980s. Fields of wild grass and brush now grow where the homes of evacuated residents formerly stood. Deserted streets line the park and hint at what once was a resort community in west Saint Louis County. This park has very few accommodations in comparison with other Missouri state parks. It provides access to the Meramec River and supports cycling and equestrian uses.
A visitor center located in the old Bridgehead Inn has photos and memorabilia of structures along Route 66 in the Saint Louis area which have been torn down and replaced by modern shopping centers and strip malls. The visitor center also contains an interpretation of the ecological disaster and the 20-year clean up of the area. The first historic Route 66 marker erected on the highway (in Springfield, Missouri) has been replaced and moved to the park. The park is accessible from Interstate 44 at the visitor center.
