OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — The Ozark Opry, a landmark building in Osage Beach, was damaged by fire Sunday morning.
Sirens could be heard at around 11:30 a.m. in town; crews from Osage Beach Fire Protection District, Mid County FPD, Lake Ozark FPD, and Camdenton Fire Department responded to the blaze. The cause of the fire has not yet been reported.
The exterior of the building did not appear to have suffered significant damage, but smoke billowing from a burned-out gable that held a few remaining letters of the words "Ozark Opry" suggested a different story about the building's interior.
A crowd soon gathered in front of the building, some lamenting the loss, others offering consolation to Joyce Mace, the longtime owner of the Ozark Opry.
The Ozark Opry holds a major place in Lake of the Ozarks cultural history. Built by Lee and Joyce Mace in 1957, the building for decades housed a variety show, which entertained crowds of all ages with family-friendly comedy and knee-slapping music.
Lee Mace was killed in a plane crash in 1985, and the Ozark Opry, which had thrived with his crowd-pleasing spirit, endured for another 20 years. The Opry was closed in 2005, and since then the building has sat vacant. Within the past year, a "For Lease" sign has been placed in front of the Opry.
It is now no longer clear whether the historic building will ever be used again.
LakeExpo.com will update this story as further details emerge.
