Castlewood State Park

Summer day at Lincoln Beach, early to mid 20th century

In the early 20th century, the area of the park was a developed resort town, Lincoln Beach.

Lincoln Beach existed from about 1915 into the 1940s, with its highest popularity in the 1920s. The Missouri Pacific Railroad ran regular service from St Louis to Lincoln Beach, and the resort hosted around 10,000 visitors on summer weekends.[5]

Venues included the popular Lincoln Lodge and the Lone Wolf Club, a private speakeasy serving liquor illegally (prohibition was in effect from 1920 to 1933).[5][6]

There were a couple hundred buildings here, ranging from clubhouses to dance halls to general stores. A place to get a haircut, a place to get ice cream, and a place to get some whiskey.

— Jeff Bonney [6]

After World War II, visitor numbers steadily declined, due to factors including the advent of air conditioning and the switch to automobile transport (which allowed people to choose spots alternative to the railroad-served Lincoln Beach.[4][5]

By the 21st century, few traces remained of Lincoln Beach. All the buildings were destroyed over time, and the man-made beach itself was entirely washed away by regular flooding. A few foundations and ruins survive in the woods, and the concrete grand staircase which runs from the bottomlands up into the bluff remains in use by hikers, as does another, wooden, staircase.[5]

Castlewood State Park was established as a state park in 1974.[7]

The park has a history of fatalities due to the Meramac River. Since June 30, 2004, there has been a total of 12 deaths along the river within the park [7]. Of the 12 drowning deaths, only one was the resultant of intoxication [8]. The most deadly of incidents occurred on July 9, 2006. Five children died in a mishap along the river during a church outing. Joseph Miller, 16, lost his footing on one of the river's unexpected drop offs and was swept away by an undertow. Damon Johnson, 17, attempted to rescue Miller, but was also swept away. Damon's siblings, Dana Johnson (13), Ryan Mason (14) and Bryant Barnes (10) tried to rescue him. Deandre Sherman (16) also waded in to try and save their friends. All of the children, with the exception of Joseph Miller, drowned [9].

Retired hydrologist for the Army Corps Of Engineers, Gary Dyhouse, remarked that the slope of the Meramac River is steeper than all other rivers in the area. According to Metro West Fire Chief, Mike Krause, these sudden drop offs, combined with the river's swift currents, is what causes swimmers to drown [8].