Wouldn’t you like to visit Lakeside Park?

Lakeside Park for many years was a popular amusement and recreation center just east of Carterville. The lake was made with a low dam that widened a stretch of Center Creek.

The park was built and served by the Southwest Missouri Railroad System.

The Webb City Area Genealogical Society has been fortunate to receive two unfamiliar photos of Lakeside Park from Mr. and Mrs Guy McMullen and John Burrington.

Frank McCutcheon is identified as the clerk in the photo of the Lakeside carstop refreshment stand.

We can see round boxes of candy, cigars, and cheese on the left side of the photo. One of the cheese boxes is labeled COTTAGE, and the lower box is labeled SWISS. The boxes are not in full view, but we assume that the rest of the labels would say CHEESE. To the right of Mr. McCutcheon is a box with the label DEL-RAY.

A large bunch of bananas hanging behind McCutcheon also catches our attention.

We have not been able to find any information about McCutcheon. If you are a relative or know any information about him, please call or come to the Genealogy Room on the third floor of the Webb City Public Library to let us know.

Also, let us know if you have other photos that you would like to donate or share for future generations.

We can scan your original photos and return them to you. A permanent copy will then be stored for others to see. Our phone number is (417) 673-0398.

The other photo (below) is of the hotel that was at Lakeside Park.

The two-story structure is on the hill in the center of the photo, with the streetcar tracks in the foreground. Also note the covered landing platform, where patrons waited for the next streetcar.

Note the sloped terrace, where Lakeside Park is spelled out, probably with shrubbery. Several visitors can be seen near the porch of the hotel and along the walkway.

Unfortunately, Lakeside Park closed along with the streetcar system, and other than the dam and bridge abutments, there is only faint physical evidence that it was ever there.

We have a lot more information and photos about Lakeside Park at the library, including Jerry Pryor’s book on the “Southwest Missouri Mining Area,” by Arcadia Publishing.