Cape Fair
Cape Fair, west-centrally located at the intersection of Mo. 76 and Mo. 173, is a lake-oriented community that
hosts one of the more unusual events in Stone County each year.
Hundreds of people attend OinkLawn Downs, the lively name for the popular pig races the tiny town hosts each
June for the past 20 years. A part of the two-day festival Cape Fair Days, other activities are a craft and flea market, car show and street dance.
Locals visit Cape Fair’s convenience store for more than the necessities. A hot lunch is prepared daily and served to customers who sit
together at the big community table.
Comfortable resorts, camping facilities and a large marina are part of the community. Residential areas range from low-maintenance weekend
cottages to luxurious multi-level homes with views of the lake, river and creek views. Cape Fair appeals to active retirees and to people who
pursue careers in other towns and return to their secluded homes each evening.
History
Long before Table Rock Lake was part of the scenery, there was a legend behind Cape Fair’s name. Pioneers made friends with native
Americans of the Delaware tribe, and from a high hills, the natives pointed out the area were Flat Creek and the James River came
together. The pioneers decided the area looked like a perfect cape, and the natives translated the description into Fair Cape,
which became Cape Fair, according to the Stone County Historical Society.
Cape Fair’s earliest pioneer was probably James Yoachum (Yocum) in 1790, and more families arrived in 1835.
Cape Fair was the site of the first powder mill west of St. Louis, as well as a distillery and cotton gin.
A flood in 1885 took out many of the community’s businesses. Table Rock Lake has replaced Flat Creek and the
James River at Cape Fair, and an active tourism industry has grown.
“My husband and I made a trip down here in 1968 and just fell in love with the area and started looking for a place
to retire. We bought our property in 1972 and moved in 1988. It’s like we died and went to heaven. We really love
it, you know, we really do. We like the quietness. If we want to go to a show over in Branson, we go over and
attend the show and then we come back. ”
Helen Creel |
|
