Spanish Lake

Spanish Lake. . The Spanish Lake area is rich in history. By the 18th century, the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers had become a strategic location part of the Louisiana Territory. Transfer of the territory from France to Spain was confirmed in 1763, and in 1767 the Spanish built Fort Don Corlos on the south bank of the Missouri River near its mouth. By 1780 the fort had fallen to ruin., The United States took over the Upper Louisiana Territory on March 10, 1804, and the next year James Wilkinson selected a site at the mouth of Coldwater Creek for Fort Belle Fontaine, the first American military post west of the Mississippi. Zebulon Pike began his westward explorations of 1805 and 1806 from Fort Belle Fontaine. Lewis and Clark stopped here on September 22, 1806, the last night of their great journey. Daniel Bissell built a new Fort Belle Fontaine atop the bluffs in 1810. The army moved to Jefferson Barracks in 1826., Tradition holds that Spanish Pond was named for the Spanish soldiers encamped nearby. A farming community grew up in the 19th century around the intersection of Bellefontaine and Spanish Pond Roads. The name Spanish Lake came into use in the 1890's as investors promoted a residential development here. Little development occurred, but Spanish Lake became a popular recreation attraction. Spanish Lake Park was created in 1971, and the site of Fort Belle Fontaine is also a County Park.