Bennett Spring State Park in Missouri grew from a 19th-century mill settlement centered on a powerful spring that feeds the Niangua River. The site was first developed by the James Brice family in 1837, later joined by Peter Bennett’s family, whose larger Civil War-era mill gave the spring its lasting name. After the Bennett mill burned, Missouri acquired the spring and surrounding land in 1924 and 1925 to create the park. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built much of its enduring infrastructure and reshaped the spring branch to support trout habitat. The park is especially known for trout fishing, while its CCC-built historic core is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.