Biracial family told not to use showers at KOA campground in Stanton

The mother of biracial children said she and her children were told by a KOA campground manager in Stanton, Missouri, they weren't welcome to use the facility's showers -- an echo of the Jim Crow discrimination era. The campground later apologized. The incident occurred at the Stanton / Meramec KOA Journey campground in Stanton, just … Continue reading Biracial family told not to use showers at KOA campground in Stanton

A chat with Meramec Caverns owner Les Turilli

The Washington Missourian newspaper recently sat down with Les Turilli Sr., owner of Meramec Caverns in Stanton, Missouri, who talked about its troubles in 2016 and the cave's storied history. Meramec Caverns, which has been open to the public since 1933, doesn't sit on Route 66. Instead, it's about three miles from the Mother Road. … Continue reading A chat with Meramec Caverns owner Les Turilli

Meramec Caverns reopens today

Meramec Caverns in Stanton, Missouri, will reopen and resume partial tours today after a three-month closure because of cancer-causing fumes believed to have come from a Superfund site. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that the upper portions of the caves with ancient mineral formations no longer pose a health risk … Continue reading Meramec Caverns reopens today

Meramec Caverns may be closed until mid-summer

Toxic fumes have forced the closing of Meramec Caverns near Stanton, Missouri. until at least mid-summer. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the historic roadside attraction off Route 66 closed March 10 after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found trichloroethylene vapors above the acceptable limit in the caverns. TCE is a solvent used mainly to remove … Continue reading Meramec Caverns may be closed until mid-summer