Maramec Spring, a major Ozark spring on the Meramec River near St. James, is both a notable natural feature and the heart of a historic industrial landscape. In a karst region of springs and caves, its powerful flow helped operate the Maramec Iron Works from 1826 to 1876, regarded as the first commercially viable iron facility west of the Mississippi. During the Civil War, the works supplied iron for cannonballs and for James B. Eads’ gunships built in St. Louis. Today the surrounding property is preserved as a public park with trout facilities, museums, historic remains, and national recognition for both its natural and historic importance.

St. James, Missouri · USA