| Washington State Park | |
|---|---|
 Washington State Park CCC pavilion | |
  Location in Missouri Show map of Missouri Washington State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Washington County, Missouri, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°05′02″N90°40′27″W / 38.083779°N 90.674222°W /38.083779; -90.674222[1] |
| Area | 2,157.57 acres (873.14 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 673 ft (205 m) |
| Established | 1932[3] |
| Administered by | Missouri Department of Natural Resources |
| Visitors | 306,387 (in 2023)[2] |
| Website | Official website |
Washington State Park Petroglyph Archeological Site | |
 An eagle petroglyph at Washington State Park | |
| Nearest city | Fertile, Missouri |
| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000352 |
| Added to NRHP | April 3, 1970 |
Washington State Park CCC Historic District | |
 Stone shelter built by the CCC | |
| Nearest city | Potosi, Missouri |
| Area | 710 acres (290 ha) |
| Built | 1934 (1934) |
| Built by | Civilian Conservation Corps |
| Architectural style | Rustic |
| MPS | ECW Architecture in Missouri State Parks 1933-1942 TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 85000517 |
| Added to NRHP | March 4, 1985 |
Washington State Park is a public recreation area covering 2,157 acres (873 ha) inWashington County in the central eastern part of the state ofMissouri. It is located onHighway 21 about 14 miles (23 km) northeast ofPotosi or 7 miles (11 km) southwest ofDe Soto on the eastern edge of theOzarks. Thestate park is noted for itsNative American rock carvings and for its finely crafted stonework from the 1930s.[4]
The carvings, orpetroglyphs, carved in fixeddolomite rock, are believed to have been made around 1000 to 1600 CE and to give clues to the lives of the prehistoric Native Americans who once inhabited this part of Missouri. It is also believed that the park served as ceremonial grounds for theseMiddle Mississippi people who were related to the builders of theCahokia Mounds inIllinois.
Most of the carvings are of birds, arrows, footprints, turkey tracks, human figures, and various geometric shapes and patterns. The three petroglyph sites in the park are thought to be all that is left of a more extensive site. They make up almost 75 percent of the known petroglyphs in Missouri and contain over 350 symbols.[5]
The petroglyphs were listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1970 as theWashington State Park Petroglyph Archeological Site.[6][7]
The park was built during theGreat Depression of the 1930s by theAfrican-Americanstonemasons of theCivilian Conservation Corps known as Company 1743.[8] Their efforts left the park with the historical stone structures that still stand today: hiking shelters, picnic pavilions, and the stones that make up the 1,000 Steps Trail.[9][10] Fourteen buildings and stone structures are included in theWashington State Park CCC Historic District, a nationalhistoric district listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1985.[11]: 445–466
Park activities include camping, fishing, canoeing, hiking, and swimming in both theBig River and an olympic-sized pool.[4]
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