Hickory County: Lakes, Nature and History

Hickory County combines wide-open landscapes, a large lake and impressive traces of regional history. Anyone looking for a mix of water activities, nature and cultural discoveries on vacation will find a variety of ideas here for planning each day. When choosing a vacation rental or vacation home, the desired focus of the trip can therefore help determine the right base: Should the stay mainly revolve around the water, or are historic sites and museum visits the priority?

Lake, Nature and Days on the Water

Pomme de Terre Lake covers 7,800 acres and was formed in the early 1960s from the spring-fed Pomme de Terre River. Pomme de Terre State Park preserves open woodlands and savannas characteristic of the edge of the Great Plains. This gives the area a landscape character that clearly differs from a trip focused solely on the lake.

For swimming days, the park has two public beaches on either side of Pomme de Terre Lake. Four paved boat ramps provide additional options for visitors planning to spend their vacation on the water. At the marina in Pomme de Terre State Park, visitors can find watercraft rentals, daily and annual slip rentals, and fuel. Pomme de Terre Lake also offers fishing for true muskellunge. There are eleven campgrounds around the lake, while interpretive programs in the state park provide additional opportunities to engage with the area during the summer months.

The Mule Shoe Conservation Area is also part of the county's character: it is located in eastern Hickory County. Travelers who want to include open landscapes and connections with nature alongside the lake in their plans can mark this area as a separate focus.

History in Quincy and Wheatland

The region's past is particularly tangible in Quincy and Wheatland. The Butterfield Stage Line passed through Quincy in the 1850s. Since its completion in 1917, Quincy Public Hall has been the center of the social, religious, educational and civic life of the Quincy hamlet and the surrounding township. The Hickory County Museum is housed in the John Siddles Williams House, which has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.

Wheatland Missouri Settler’s Village offers historic cabin tours that take visitors back to the 1850s. The village is a recreation of what a community in the Ozarks might have looked like in the 1800s. The Butterfield Overland Mail Relay Station in the village was built based on an old photograph. From 1859 to 1861, the Butterfield Overland Mail operated a stagecoach and mail route through Wheatland. Visitors can walk through Wheatland Missouri Settler’s Village at their own pace.

For families with children, the hands-on crafts and activities offered year-round at Wheatland Missouri Settler’s Village provide another specific way to experience history through active participation. In autumn, the Wheatland Harvest Festival adds food vendors, artists, artisans and live entertainment to the historical experience.

Choosing the Right Vacation Focus

Those who want to combine swimming, boating and fishing can plan their trip around Pomme de Terre Lake. For a stay with a stronger cultural and historical focus, Quincy and Wheatland offer different points of access: a historic hall, a museum, a reconstructed settlement and the history of the Butterfield Overland Mail. A vacation rental or vacation home in Hickory County can thus be selected according to the desired mix of water, nature and history, without limiting the vacation to just one activity.

For further orientation, you can also find Hermitage as well as Callaway, Moniteau County, Ozark County, Marion County, Taney, Clay and Daviess.

For the overarching travel overview: Missouri.