Trophy bass came from the new lake, but not as humongous as the one shown in this 1935 largemouth parade float (right). It was made by Lake of the Ozarks Post 193 of the American Legion.
Toots and Jack Stotler operated this thriving business from 1933 until selling to Buford and Anna May Foster in 1945. The Fosters changed the name to Night Hawk Café. A stunning large neon sign with a flying night hawk whose neon wings flapped hung over the sidewalk. The parents of Leland Payton, senior author of Damming the Osage (and James Fork of the White), went on dates to the Night Hawks, driving in from Versailles. Highway engineer Louis Payton rented a room in Versailles and met Ann Lewis Daniels at the Baptist Church. (From See the Ozarks: The Touristic Image). Their Saturday night dates usually included a stop at the Night Hawk Cafe. Continue reading »