Johnson Shut-ins State Park
| Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park | |
| Missouri State Park | |
 A portion of the park's natural water park pictured after the 2009 reopening
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Missouri |
| County | Reynolds |
| Elevation | 1,106 ft (337 m) |
| Coordinates | 37°32′14″N 90°51′01″W / 37.53722°N 90.85028°WCoordinates: 37°32′14″N 90°51′01″W / 37.53722°N 90.85028°W |
| Area | 8,646.51 acres (3,499 ha) |
| Established | 1955 |
| Management | Missouri Department of Natural Resources |
| - Visitors Center | Black River Center |
| - coordinates | 37°32′52″N 90°50′51″W / 37.54778°N 90.84750°W |
| Visitation | 301,663 (2014) |
  Location in Missouri
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| Website: Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park | |
Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area covering 8,647 acres (3,499 ha) on the East Fork Black River in Reynolds County, Missouri. The state park is jointly administered with adjoining Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, and together the two parks cover 16,050 acres (6,500 ha) in the St. Francois Mountains region of the Missouri Ozarks.
The term "shut-in" refers to a place where the river's breadth is limited by hard rock that is resistant to erosion. In these shut-ins, the river cascades in many rivulets over and around igneous rocks worn smooth over many eons. It is used by park visitors as a natural water park when the water is not so high as to be dangerous.
The bedrock of the area is an erosion resistant rhyolite porphyry and dark colored diabase dikes of Proterozoic age. Waters of the East Fork Black River became confined, or "shut-in," to a narrow channel following fractures and joints within the hard igneous rock. Water-borne sand and gravel cut deeply even into this erosion-resistant rock, carving potholes, chutes and canyon-like gorges.
Originally the park was the homestead of the Johnston family, a family of scotch-irish immigrants. In 1905 the Johnston family sold the land, most of which was purchased by Joseph Desloge. There is a Johnston family cemetery on the grounds. Most of the park, including the shut-ins and two miles of river frontage, was assembled over the course of 17 years and donated to the state in 1955 by Joseph Desloge (1889–1971), a St. Louis civic leader and conservationist from the prominent Desloge lead mining family, which has continued over the years to donate funds for park improvements.
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Wikipedia