For almost 25 years, the Jefferson County Parks Department has supervised and maintained Rockford Beach, an 8.2-acre park that provides river access and a place to play along the Big River in House Springs. Long before the parks department began overseeing the area, however, it had a rich history of commerce, recreation and even some shenanigans.
In the 1800s, House Springs was the “big metropolis” in the larger farming community that made up west Jefferson County. The long-gone Rockford Covered Bridge was completed in 1873 and saved farmers from having to ford the Big River, according to Della Lang in her book On the Road to History.
In 1875, shortly after the bridge was completed, Henry Vandercruyssen built his first grist mill along the Big River on what is known as the Moder Farm. He built another near the covered bridge in 1882, Lang wrote.
Grist mills and their accompanying dams were built along the Big River to harness the water’s power to grind grain into flour. Some, however, found other uses for the set up.
By 1929, the Rockford Mill belonged to a Mr. Froshe. Prohibition was in effect, the Great Depression was right around the corner, and in House Springs, some shenanigans were going on, Lang wrote.
“In May 1929, the Jefferson County Sheriff, accompanied by August Rose, Raymond Gasche and several other deputies, raided the Rockford Mill property near House Springs. They found a large still, producing 400 gallons per day of 180 proof unadulterated hooch,” according to the book.
Froshe, who lived at the mill, was arrested. His accomplices, however, escaped. The still and all the bootlegging equipment and supplies were taken to Hillsboro as evidence.
“Froshe paid the usual $200-$500 fine and was released,” Lang wrote.
If Froshe was caught, he was undaunted. The perennial entrepreneur later turned Rockford Beach into a summer resort, according to Lang.
“He built two bath houses with (showers) and installed a water system making it one of the most modern summer resorts on Big River,” she wrote.
Rockford Beach was operated as a summer getaway until the 1950s.
The Jefferson County Parks Department entered a lease agreement with the Missouri Department of Conservation for the property on Feb. 10, 1992, and, with the use of a quit claim, it was transferred to the county on Oct. 14, 1997, Recreation Division manager Craig Leutkemeyer said.
Today, the park is temporarily closed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is making repairs to the deteriorating dam under the direction of the Environmental Protection Agency to address environmental concerns.
Leutkemeyer said that, hopefully, the work will be done and the park will reopen before the Fourth of July weekend.
“But there are no guarantees,” he said.
Once the park reopens, residents can once again play along the river. Shenanigans prohibited.
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