Boat excursions planned Big Spring lodge, cabin to open for event Sat.

VAN BUREN, MO -- Facilities at the Big Spring Historic District will reopen temporarily Saturday as the National Park Service highlights the history of the area and the Civilian Conservation Corps that operated there in the 1930s.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include the opening of several rooms of Big Spring Dining Lodge, the nearby commissary building and one of the historic cabins for viewing.

These structures were closed at the end of 2014. A renovation project is expected to begin in 2020.

The park service has received funding to begin planning for utility and infrastructure upgrades and is awaiting funding for renovation of the structures, said Dena Matteson, chief of interpretation, planning, and partnerships.

These structures are important to the area, she said, and park staff will provide tours during the event. The architectural style of the buildings features local stone and timber construction, adding a unique rustic charm to the area, according to the park service. During the open house, visitors can learn about the work of Civilian Conservation Corps at Big Spring.

Park staff will also host brief excursions on the Current River with a skilled local guide, Matteson said. These will depart from the boat dock in front of the dining lodge.

Jon boat rides were previously offered at Big Spring near the lodge into the 1980s and may be offered again under new contracts with vendors when the facilities reopen, Matteson said.

Traditional Ozark float trips conducted by local guide services provided opportunities for many early visitors to experience the clear, pristine waters of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers, she said in a press release. Wooden, handcrafted jon boats once played a major role in Ozark life and the growth of tourism along the rivers. Ozark residents used jon boats for logging, hunting, gigging, trapping, running trot lines and fish traps.

Today, modern aluminum jon boats provide an opportunity for many to enjoy the rivers in much the same way, Matteson said.

For more information, call Park Ranger Cathy Runge at 573-323-4806 or cathy_runge@nps.gov; visit the park's Facebook page, or website at nps.gov/ozar.