Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir Visitors Center

Truman Reservoir in truly a water sports paradise. This tree studded lake is a haven for some of the best fishing in the country. With 55,000 surface acres, there is plenty of open water for your boating and skiing pleasure and beautiful sandy beaches to enjoy the summer sun!

The Visitor’s center sits high up on Kaysinger Bluff overlooking the the dam. The view from the huge glass front is nothing short of breathtaking! The center is also host to some of Benton County’s richest history including replicas of ancient mastodon bone found in a dig south of Warsaw before the reservoir was filled. Exhibits within the visitor center provide information about the rich history of the Osage River Valley from pre-civilization to modern day. Waterfowl, bald eagles, and turkey vultures can routinely be observed from the observation deck.

The rotunda area contains reproductions of archeological fossils and artifacts found in an area now covered by the waters of Truman Reservoir. On the south wall is a life-sized painting of the Missouri Leviathan, a creature once thought by scientist Albert E. Koch to have roamed the area. Actually, the bones of this extinct “creature” were that of many Mastodons and other creatures that Koch discovered in the area in 1840. Ramps on each side of the rotunda lead to the observation deck. A social history time line depicting the exploration and settlement of the Osage River Valley is displayed on the north wall for viewing as visitors walk up the north ramp.