My Genealogy Hound

Ha Ha Tonka, Missouri Garage, Castle and Lake Vintage Postcard

(The name Ha Ha Tonka is alternatively spelled as Hahatonka.)

A vintage postcard view of the Ha Ha Tonka Castle and grounds at Hahatonka, Missouri. In 1904, 5,000 acres were purchased in the area by a wealthy businessman of Kansas City, Robert McClure Snyder. Snyder's intention was to build a home for his use in retirement but before the home was completed, he was killed in 1906 in one of the first car accidents in Kansas City. The home was later used as a lodging resort for tourists to the area.

The home burned in 1942 leaving only the stone walls of the structure. The embers from the fire spread also to the large garage (the blue-gray roofed building) and it was likewise completely destroyed.

Today, the impressive stone ruins of the castle, garage, and water tower are the centerpiece of the Ha Ha Tonka State Park and open to the public. The castle ruins sit close to the edge of a high bluff which offers a magnificent view of the area.

Hahatonka is in Camden County, Missouri.