Originally opened as a campground in the late 1920’s by the resident Freeman family ( who lived in the large Craftsman style home at the edge of the property) it was named “Camp Joy” and travelers who were touring the Ozarks were so delighted with the setting they started asking for a public bath & a pool. The pool , the largest in the state was completed in 1933 along with the first permanent structure, a changing room which was followed by clusters of charming rock cabins placed throughout Camp Joy. Three of these cabins along with the Freeman Bungalow home still stand today & are being renovated to full use . As evidenced in accompanying photos the next names were the Mount Joy and Joy Motor Court. which evolved to the majority of cabins being removed & replaced by the three conjoined Motel buildings built in sequence beginning in 1954 with the third and final one completed in 1974.
