Assisted Living residents go on an adventure

Our Assisted Living residents recently enjoyed a short road trip and adventure to Lone Elk Park.

The residents took a driving tour of the park, which gave them a chance to see a number of animals in the wild.

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Lone Elk Park opened in 1971 as a wildlife management area. There you can find bison, elk and deer, wild turkey and waterfowl.

According to the St. Louis County website, the land once was part of the Tyson Valley Powder Plant that was used for storing and testing ammunition during World War II. After the war, it operated as a county park with herds of bison and elk. But when the Federal Government took back the park after the Korean War, the wildlife herds were destroyed in 1958 for safety reasons. One lone bull elk survived.

Eventually, St. Louis County reacquired parts of the land area and changed the name to the befitting Lone Elk County Park. The park brought in more elk from Yellowstone National Park in 1966, and six bison from the St. Louis Zoo in July 1973.

Our trip to the park ended up being a fun day for all involved, and a great way for us to reconnect with the natural world.

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