We’ve been looking at the former farmsteads and cemeteries around Weldon Spring that were bought up and demolished for the federal government’s armaments plant during World War II and after (we recently discussed the processing of uranium in the area).
This time, off lower Hamburg Road, we found some evidence of an old railroad spur as well as other evidence of human habitation, including an old dump.
There was even evidence of a failed dam project, which we’ll discuss in two days.
When we almost reached the river, we began to find piles of stone.
Then, just one hundred feet from the Missouri River, we found an old quarry. Despite looking for evidence of its former use, we were not able determine its years of operation.
Near the Katy Trail, we found this old bridge, which was almost completely washed out on either side of the concrete span.
With its former military location, I’m sure there is some interesting history behind the quarry. I wonder how deep the water is?
There’s evidence that over 50,000 barrels of radioactive waste were dumped in this quarry.
Yikes, glad we didn’t stay long!
I wonder if the water was ever tested for radiation
The quarry that was used for dumping chemical waste was about 2 miles southwest of here. It is off the Hamburg Trail in between the Katy Trail and Hwy 94. The waste was removed to the containment dome at the Weldon Spring Site, and the quarry has since been filled in.
The sitemaps published by the Department of Energy show this lake but it is not labelled. So I don’t think chemical waste was stored here.
Having said that, I would think twice before swimming…..