Stockton Lake Trail - Rutledge Area

In the 18th century, French explorers found the present-day area to be under the control of the Osage Indians. Settlement by American homesteaders prompted other Indian tribes, such as the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw to settle in this area. The presence of these Indian tribes led to the 1825 treaty which expelled the Osage Indians from Missouri. In 1963, the Amis Construction Company of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma began construction of the Stockton Lake Dam. Originally estimated to cost about $40 million, the project was completed in 1969, with the total cost around $73 million. Upon completion, the dam’s purpose was expanded from primarily flood control to include power generation and recreation. Stockton Dam impounds the northward flowing Sac River and its major tributaries, Little Sac River, Big Sac River, Turnback Creek, and Sons Creek. The resulting Stockton Lake Reservoir is located in Cedar, Dade, and Polk counties.