Camping comes back to Old Greenville, sites open May 20, 2019

Editor’s note: This article appeared in May 2019 and does not refer to May 2020 camping dates

GREENVILLE — All 107 camping pads have new asphalt. Upgraded electric is complete. Sewer and water connections have been added.

The grass seed is down, and all the Old Greenville Campground needs to be complete now is the families who have enjoyed the outdoors and historic town site here for generations.

Two years after closing for major renovations, as well as repairs following a windstorm and floods, the date has been set.

Old Greenville Campground will be open by Memorial Day.

The reservation system will accept entries as of May 13. The campground will reopen starting May 20, according to project manager Bart Dearborn, who took over in February from retiring project manager Cindy Jackson.

Some of the renovations can be seen this weekend, when the 41st annual Black Powder Rendezvous is held at the recreation day use area. Activities will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It will include living history encampments, black powder shooting competitions, vendors and children’s games.

Memory Lane will reopen for this event, Dearborn said. Residents will be able to see some of the campsites from the trail. Memory Lane will close at the end of this event and reopen May 20.

Dearborn toured the repaired areas this week, after meeting with residents in the town of Greenville to discuss future efforts to preserve more of its history (see sidebar).

“Cindy saw an opportunity with that storm and what took place, to do something that I think every manager dreams about, renovating a park from top to bottom. In May, we’re going to deliver that,” said Dearborn.

A ceremony to celebrate the grand reopening will be held at 2 p.m. May 21, with Col. Bryan Sizemore, the St. Louis district commander, and other dignitaries.

The Corps began the approximately $1 million project after a Memorial Day windstorm in 2017 took down about 100 trees. The campground was already closed when the storm hit because of a flood.

Jackson said at the time upgrades had been planned to take place in phases. Because of the need for extensive repairs as well, it was decided to remain closed until renovations were complete.

Work has progressed slowly, with some weather delays. It was also completed through the efforts of a limited number of maintenance workers, rather than a full construction crew. The cost savings of doing much of the work inhouse are what allowed these projects, officials have said.

“The reopening will be the bulk of the park. The main thing is to get the public back into the park and give them the opportunity to come camp again,” said Dearborn.

While the front and middle campsite loops will be open May 20, it is possible the back loop may still be closed, Dearborn said. The Corps has been working to resolve drainage issues at some of the sites, and wants to be sure grass has reestablished before camping resumes.

Other work has been done to clear the tree line in some areas between the camping area and the water. Additional bank stabilization work is planned in May, to help preserve a trail and other areas.