Wandering around Forsyth MO in January 2019!

It was mid January, 2019 and I got it in my head to do a drive-around in Forsyth Missouri. As I live there and am curious, I wanted to tally up any changes that I could observe. For those with any interest, the town has a population of about 2,300 - It's been around since 1837 and is named after John Forsyth, 13th United States Secretary of State. A Civil War battle was fought there and it is currently the County Seat of Taney County, Missouri!

For such a small Midwestern town, Forsyth enjoys over ten eateries, which might explain why some of the locals (me included) are just a tad overweight...


Bull Shoals bridge and roundabout!

It had been a month or more since I had visited the site of the new Bull Shoals bridge and roundabout construction area, just to the east of Forsyth on Highway 160. I was happy to see that most everything had been done and found the roundabout to be very easy to navigate. I really did think that the traffic flow is vastly improved both now and in the years to come. Kudos to MoDot for a job well done!

Peggy's Park Place closed!

I was with some consternation that I learned that the Park Place convenience store had closed. A friend had texted this news to me and so I drove down to the store, located near the Bull Shoals bridge, to see what was going on. The sign on the door plainly indicated that the venue had 'gone out of business'. Sad.





Shadowrock Lodge not yet open!

While I was in the area, I stopped by the Shadowrock Lodge to try and learn whether or not they planned to open the bar and grill anytime soon. I had observed various workmen over there, from time to time, but saw no real indications (signs, etc) of any sort of opening date. When I drove by on January the 19th, there was no one present on the premises, as best I could tell.




Mexican- Burrito restaurant closes!

What had been a laundromat many years ago, and which had been the site of numerous restaurant startups, the latest edition aka the Mexican-Burrito restaurant had apparently also taken a siesta and was now closed. I was unable to get any information as to whether or not the establishment will re-open or will remain closed.


That leaves just Oaxaca as one of the only venues left to get authentic Mexican cuisine and I've heard a rumor that it too may be relocating soon...



Charlie's restaurant still up for sale!

Now going into its second year of being for sale or lease, the former Charlies Steak Ribs and Ale restaurant remains available. When it was open, Charlies was arguably one of the most upscale restaurants in the area. (That honor perhaps now going to either Fat Daddy's or the Long Horn Family Dining establishments). In any case, I was hoping to see this fine establishment under new ownership very soon!


Shadowrock and River Run Parks!

On a better note, both Shadowrock and River Run were looking great. I noticed that the entrance to River Run, off Highway 76 had really been cleaned up (pic at left), making the Park area easy to see from the road. Both parks were open, which was somewhat surprising, as during the last government shutdown under Obama, River Run was closed! That said, it was looking as though all we really had to worry about come the spring of 2019 would be heavy rains... I'll try and keep tabs on this at my weather site.

Update: March 8, 2019 - River Run was closed. Why? I had no clue. Please see this post!

www.taneyweather.com

Bull Shoals bridge blown!

Live video here!

Forsyth Mo. - At around 10:12 AM on a chilly Oct the 16th, the 65 year old Bull Shoals bridge superstructure was dynamited free of its supporting pillars. And it was a breathtaking event for hundreds of area residents, who gathered just to the west of the location, for a couple of reasons. For one thing, the blast was enormous as the entire structure came down in less that a second. For another, most of us were not prepared for it as the was not 'just before blast' warning given. So, everyone was shouting, 'did you get that'? Still, all in all, I was blessed to have witnessed something you just don't see every day!

In the field where I was located, I was surprised to see so many cars, this for an event that was word of mouth only. Yet, for all of that, emergency services were everywhere, both on land and water to make sure everyone was safe.

In this close up you can see how the blasts sheared the supports at the pillar hinge areas. The superstructure beams had been cut by acetylene torch beforehand. I understand that the remaining pillars will be removed once the steel superstructure and road bed is removed.
So it was, we locals bid a fond farewell to what had been a fixture in the Forsyth Missouri area for as long as many had been alive!

Demolition of Bull Shoals bridge getting near!

Forsyth MO. - Construction works and demolition experts were busy on Monday, October 15, 2018 getting the old bridge that spans Bull Shoals near Forsyth MO ready to be brought down. And while I'm not at liberty to disclose that actual date or time, I can state that it will be soon.

That leftover bridge could be utilized!!

Forsyth MO. – Sometime in the coming fall of 2018, the new bridge over Bull Shoals will be completed. When that happens, it's my understanding that the old bridge will stay, be sealed off with foot and bicycle traffic still being allowed.

While looking at a picture of that bridge (above), it occurred to me that there is a decent amount of space along that span! Space that perhaps could be utilized to some extent in future years.

Specifically, I was thinking about small vendor stalls being erected along one lane that could be made available to anyone who wanted to walk up and purchase whatever it was being sold. Of course, parking spaces would be needed at the end opposite the turnaround. I was thinking something like 20 or so spaces where someone could park their vehicle and then stroll along the bridge. Perhaps even steps could be created just before the turnaround area to give walkers access to and from Shadowrock Park. Now, I'm aware that this would be a tall infrastructure order. The area would need power, water and toilet and waste facilities. Still, if done right, it would be unique...

Such a setup, if done properly, would be sure to garner some national press. Something that would be very good for our area.

Highway 76 Bridge repair in 2013!

If any of the rumors I’ve heard are true, the bridge that crosses Bull Shoals just east of Forsyth Missouri will be shut down sometime in 2013 for the better part of a year. This is needed to be done as major repairs are needed to this structure that goes back to 1953.

The problem this will cause is obvious. The highway is a major artery for much of the commuter traffic that runs between cities like Forsyth, Taneyville and Cedar Creek to and from the Branson area. Likewise, many area businesses would be severely affected by any disruption in existing traffic patterns.

So, a solution must be found that would cause the least amount of disruption, not only to existing traffic patterns, but also to state budgets. One idea I had would be for a group like the Army to come in an erect a pontoon bridge adjacent to the existing one. A bridge wide enough to handle two-way traffic would be expensive, but if built in sections, could be used at other locations to satisfy future needs.