freshare.net
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources today announced that the Missouri state park system will receive an additional state park in the future, thanks to a generous donation of a Jefferson County resident.
Don Robinson of Cedar Hill approached the Missouri Department of Natural Resources about leaving his estate to the state park system after his death. The donation will include at least 843 acres of land, his house and other structures, and a trust fund to help maintain the area once it becomes a state park.
Mr. Robinson, who prefers to be called Don, describes the land as “wild and wooly with lots of canyons.” The area is southwest of Eureka and bordered on the north by St. Joe Infirmary and on the south by Sand Cut Road. It is located on Don Robinson Road, which is listed in the street guide.
The land is in the upper watershed of the LaBarque Creek, a high quality stream supporting 36 species of fish. Its location is key to LaBarque Creek Watershed Conservation Opportunity Area. The property features sandstone box canyons, cliffs, and glades, upland and bottomland forests and 328 recorded species of plants. Native shortleaf pine occurs in the area, and may represent the northernmost location of this species in Missouri.
“We are very pleased to know that we will be receiving this property in the future and we thank Don for his generous donation,” said Doug Eiken, director of the department’s Division of State Parks. “Our state park system includes examples of natural landscapes of statewide significance, and we will preserve and enhance the natural qualities found at this new state park. This property is not only significant but it also represents an area for recreation near the St. Louis metropolitan area.”
Eiken also stressed that the donation is significant because it includes a trust fund for the property. “The trust fund gives us the financial resources to manage and maintain the property,” he said. Eiken added that this type of financial support is very important to the operation of the state park system and is vital to any expansions in the future.
Robinson, a self-made businessman, became successful by producing and marketing a cleaning product and by developing subdivisions. He began buying land in the Jefferson County area in 1964 and continued adding property until it reached 843 acres, “the exact same size as Central Park in New York City,” he says.
When Robinson first bought the land, he said a farming neighbor told him “all you can raise up there is hell.” “But I liked it because it was hilly and rough,” Robinson said.
His love for the rugged land is one reason he decided to donate it to the state park system through his estate. “I wanted to make sure that it was kept in one piece and that it would not be changed. I know that you (the department) will take care of it and that way, someone else can enjoy it, too,” he said.
The land currently is still considered private property but Robinson is willing to answer questions about the property and he can be reached at 636-274-2424.
For information on state parks and historic sites that are open to the public, go to http://www.mostateparks.com or call the Department of Natural Resources toll free at
800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf).