Location Challenge: Lake of the Ozarks State Park, MO

Through May 30, the Documerica, State of the Environment traveling exhibit is live at the U.S. National Archives in Kansas City, MO 400 West Pershing Road, next to Union Station. Check it out and we hope you take on the location challenge right there! Can you match this 1974 Union Station photo by Charles O’Rear?

Last Monday, we challenged you to match Documerica photos from White Cloud, Kansas. Today we’re going back 39 years to Memorial Day around Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Missouri. Take a moment to reflect on the lakeside litter as you make your picnic plans. How far have we come from what we carry out and recycle?

If you live nearby, or are headed to this area in the future, try to match these scenes today and submit them to State of the Environment on Flickr. Let us know which Documerica image inspired you, as the best entries will be considered for a side by side display in the U.S. National Archives Exhibit: Searching for the Seventies: EPA’s Documerica Project planned for March – September, 2013 in Washington, DC.

Original caption: Pleasure craft on Memorial Day sail near Bagnell Dam churn lake water, already muddy from heavy spring rains. Private homes and resorts line the shore. May, 1973 by Bill Kuykendall.

Original caption: Sublime indifference? Tourist sunbathes on Lake Ozark shore within yards of unsightly rubbish heap. 6/1973 by Bill Kuykendall.

Original caption: This dump at sunrise beach is scheduled to be covered over. 6/1973 by Bill Kuykendall.

Original caption: Dusk over the grand glaize arm of the Lake of the Ozarks at Osage Beach. Lights from commercial resorts and private vacation homes are reflected in the water. Largest reflection in middle background is from “Osage House.” Streaks of light in water are from cruising boats. 6/1973 by Bill Kuykendall.

These images give a sense of our choices while on vacation enjoying the great outdoors in 1973. What does it look like now?

Telling the story of change is up to you. Share photos of the landscapes, the people and the way of life for State of the Environment. For a fun challenge, if you aren’t living nearby to match one of these scenes, search the full Documerica collection to locate and match images closest to you. Then and now entries will all be considered for the larger exhibit.

When you follow that link above, you’ll come to a search page like this. Simply type in your town or state to see images of the past. Enjoy, have fun, and we can’t wait to see your contributions to this historic project!

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.