Ha Ha Tonka in Camden County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
American Indians, Trappers and Settlers
Ha Ha Tonka State Park
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Photographed by Craig Doda, January 25, 2020
1. American Indians, Trappers and Settlers Marker
The cultural history of the Ha Ha Tonka area is as spectacular as its natural features. The wooded hillsides and abundant wildlife first attracted many American Indians. According to local folklore, Ha Ha Tonka is an Osage Indian word for laughing waters. Many trappers and settlers also explored the beauty of the spring and surrounding valley.
The Post Office
The area once was known as Gunter's Big Spring and its first post office was established in 1872. In 1895, the post office name was changed to Ha Ha Tonka and it continued operation until 1937.
The Old Mill
In 1830, a man named Garland established the first permanent residence in the Ha Ha Tonka area. On the lower end of the spring he constructed a gristmill which was actually a front for a short-lived counterfeiting operation. After this clandestine business was discovered, the mill was burned to the ground. In 1869, Tom Garrison rebuilt a mill that served nearby settlers for many years. That mill, pictured here, stood until 1930.
Erected by Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Topics. This historical marker is listed
this page online
Location. 37° 58.517′ N, 92° 46.067′ W. Marker is in Ha Ha Tonka, Missouri, in Camden County. It is on Natural Bridge Road half a mile south of State Highway D, on the left when traveling west. The marker is in the parking lot of the Ha Ha Tonka State Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Camdenton MO 65020, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Missouri. It is also in the American Ozarks, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Snyder's Legacy (here, next to this marker); One Man's Dream (here, next to this marker); Water: Sculpting The Landscape
Photographed by Craig Doda, January 25, 2020
2. American Indians, Trappers and Settlers Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 10, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 696 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 10, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
