What’s Up With The Ha Ha Tonka Castle? New Barrier Stands Around Crumbling Lake Icon

CAMDENTON, Mo. — It’s arguably one of the most popular spots for visitors (and locals) at Lake of the Ozarks, but the Ha Ha Tonka castle is beginning to crumble and park officials have put up new barricades while they figure out what to do.

The castle has long been accessible to the public, with visitors able to get close enough to touch the stone and peer through gaping former windows into the foundation of the historical wonder. The castle was begun in the early 1900s by wealthy businessman Robert McClure Snyder, and his sons continued the work after his untimely death in one of Missouri’s first fatal auto accidents. The castle burned in the 1940s.

It has for years been an attraction for park visitors, but now Ha Ha Tonka Park Superintendent Nancy Masterson says a new wooden railing/barrier has been put into place in the interest of visitor safety. “Structural problems were visible,” Masterson explained, saying personnel from planning and development, state parks, and the park historic preservation office met and evaluated the stone castle. She noted a study of the castle walls was performed in the spring of 2016, “and problems with the stone walls were part of that report.” No one has been hurt by falling stone, but Masterson said park personnel wanted to be proactive in this regard. “Visitors to this area will still get a feel of the grandeur of the ‘castle,’” she said.

But what is the future of the castle? Masterson says for now, it’s unknown.

“It is hoped that future capital improvement funds can be allocated to [solve] these structural problems,” she said, adding, “The status of funding for this project has not yet been decided upon.

Masterson urges visitors to respect the barriers, pointing out that people climbing on the historic structure could end up weakening it even further.

She added, “It is our hope that we can keep the historic structures in Ha Ha Tonka State Park in a stable condition so that future park visitors can enjoy this unique area at Lake of the Ozarks for many years to come.”