Brochure draft that was used as the basis for this page: https://mostateparks.com/page/63276/origins-knob-noster-state-park

1. The Origins of Knob
Noster State Park
Knob Noster State Park is looking for individuals inter-
ested in helping with the park’s archival and historic
preservation efforts. Get hands-on with the various
park files and images! Learn about the park while help-
ing to collect information necessary to piece together
the history of Knob Noster State Park!
We need you! Volunteer today!
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Knob Noster State Park Today
The Camp Fire Girls were frequent visitors to the group camps
during the development of Montserrat Recrea onal Demon-
stra on Area.
Source: Knob Noster State Park
Knob Noster State Park offers a variety of activities for
those young and old, including camping, horseback
riding, fishing, hiking, and interpretive programs. As
well as this, the park offers organized group camps at
Camp Bobwhite and Camp Shawnee. Camp Shawnee
was made into a National Historic District in 1985 and
is a part of the National Register of Historic Places as
an example of rustic park architecture and reflective
of the RDAs created during the Great Depression. Visi-
tors to the park may spot B-2 bombers from nearby
Whiteman Air Force Base.
Brochure created by Jus n Grandfield

2. During the Great Depression, a coalition of Kansas
Citians proposed the creation of a park area that
would serve three purposes: to act as a recreational
area for people in the local area, to provide employ-
ment relief for those unable to find work during this
time., and to rehabilitate approximately 2,700 acres
of marginal land, which resulted from unsustainable
farming and agriculture. The National Park Service
(NPS) agreed to this project and surveyed the land.
Around 3,000 acres were purchased in preparation
for development. The NPS and the Work Projects Ad-
ministration (WPA) began to map out ideas for the
park under the direction of administrator A.C. Adams.
The final plans for the park were submitted in Decem-
ber of 1935, and construction began in January of
1936. The park was estimated to cost the federal
government approximately $230,000.
Montserrat Recreational Demonstration
Area
The area developed was called Montserrat Recreational
Demonstration Area, (RDA) due to its proximity to the
town of Montserrat. The goals of a recreational demon-
stration area were to develop lands no longer sustaina-
ble for agriculture and rehabilitate them for preserva-
tion and conservation. Montserrat, along with Lake of
the Ozarks and Cuivre River, were three RDAs created
in the state of Missouri, which all became state parks.
As well as this, these areas would provide a much need-
ed recreational area for those living in Kansas City and
the surrounding area, and away from possible threats
of construction and urban sprawl. During the course of
development 315 acres of trees were seeded and plant-
ed, around 10 miles of foot trails were constructed, two
dining halls, and many cabins were built on the sites
that would become Camp Shawnee and Camp Bobwhite,
and around 20 acres of land were seeded with various
flora. Many workers (mostly unskilled labor) began to
work on the area’s development and administration.
Around 200 people were involved in the labor cen-
tered around Montserrat Recreational Demonstration
Area. Though World War II significantly delayed con-
struction, the project was finished in 1946.
Knob Noster State Park
When the demonstration area’s plans were being fi-
nalized, Administrator Adams stated that the finished
project would be turned over to the State of Missouri,
with control of its administration given to the Missouri
State Park Board. In 1946, the NPS turned over con-
trol of the area to Missouri, under the administration
of Jean L. Woody, who had initially worked at the
demonstration area as a foreman. In 1947, the area’s
name was officially changed to Knob Noster State
Park. The name came at the behest judge and former
mayor of Knob Noster J.W. Sibert.
Organization under the
National Park Service
The surveyed land was highly misused as a result of cul va on.
The need to rehabilitate the land was seen as a necessity.
Source: Knob Noster State Park
WPA workers began clearing land for the Development Area
star ng in early 1936. Source: Knob Noster State Park
Workers clearing out land for the development of a structure, most
likely the Camp Shawnee pool.
Source: Knob Noster State Park