Hot summer sun offset by the cool trickle of a spring fed creek.
Sandstone rocks leading paths, building foundations, and opening the imagination.
Community and history coming together in the hills of the Ozarks.
Graydon Springs Outdoor Legacy (GSOL) is a non-profit interest group planning to purchase the Graydon Springs property in Polk County, Missouri, also formerly known as Camp Wakahni. We will become stewards of the land, working with other local groups and facilitating programming to ensure the land is enjoyed for generations to come.
History of Graydon Springs
First opened to the public in the 1870s as healing resort, Graydon Springs was a destination for weary travelers on the Frisco Railroad. The healing mineral springs provided the restoratives these Victorians needed. Drury University conducted many educational natural science labs during the early part of the 20th century, where they enumerated the species of wildlife and other elements of ecology. In 1960, The Ozarks Council of Camp Fire Girls purchased the land and held their first summer camp in 1961, giving young people the chance to shape their character through their experiences in the outdoors until the beginning of the 21st Century. Since then it has served as a place for troubled youth helped by the Good Samaritan’s Boys Ranch. Now the land is on the market and we at GSOL are looking to secure it for the future generations, by purchasing the land and implementing year-round programming.
We will encourage programming and usage of the land in five focus areas. Possible programming includes:
Education
- Creating an Environmental Education Center for- schools, public classes, a summer camp focused on ecology and science
- Multi-generational and lifelong skill learning in sustainability and outdoor appreciation
- Training ground for volunteers of all kinds, including aid workers destined for remote areas
Recreation
- Campground for public use from the Frisco Highland Trail
- Summer Camp
- Family development recreation - adventure training, races, orienteering
Ozarks Heritage
- Nature preserve
- Site for historic education- dealing with early settlements, 19th century medicine, early 20th century science
- A place for ‘train enthusiasts’ to gather
- Wildlife and Native American education
Sustainability
- “Lab” for green technology & techniques
- Agriculture - local, organic, gardens, possibly lease pasture land to other parties
- A teaching center for sustainable techniques
Community
- Family Retreat Center - to foster healthy families, which prevents child abuse issues in Ozarks, etc
- Host music festivals
- Partner with other organizations to find new uses for property
Special Features of the Property that NEED our Preservation:
- 3 rare ‘twin springs’ or ‘double mineral’ springheads
- 2 endangered species of plants grow only on this property
- 10 historic buildings and foundations
- Access to the nearby historic Frisco Railroad Depot
Thank you to Our Board of Directors officers:
President - Alexis Webb Bechtold
Vice President - Kristy Austin Parker
Treasurer - Becky Thomas
Secretary - Kaleen Long
