Linn Creek is known for its waterpark, sports fields & outdoor appeal
Linn Creek is a tiny town of around 200 people that predates even the Lake of the Ozarks. A popular stop for steamboats on the Osage River, Linn Creek was named after the trees that grew along the shoreline and became the county seat of Camden County in 1855. But after the lake was created in 1931, it flooded the town and forced residents to relocate to a higher elevation 7 miles southeast. While it’s no longer the county seat, the people of Linn Creek have access to top-notch recreation, open land and a highly rated school district that it shares with its southwestern neighbor, Camdenton. “There are some very nice aspects about Linn Creek,” says Ed Schmidt, a 20-year resident and Realtor for Lake of the Ozarks EXP Realty. “They have a city hall with a small police force, a bunch of soccer fields and our largest waterpark in the area.”
Memorial parks, dinner theater and the Lake of the Ozarks
SuperSplash USA is a 20-acre waterpark with a wave pool, waterslides, cabanas and lawn games at the Key Largo Landing area. There are a couple of playgrounds between Linn Creek Memorial Park and Jack Thornhill Memorial Park, and there are 12 soccer fields on the northwestern end of town. The Camden County Museum hosts dinner theater inside an old school building, and summer concerts are held at the 10,000-seat Ozarks Amphitheater in Camdenton. Linn Creek also has a ramp into the lake that allows residents to go boating, fishing or waterskiing.
Ranch-style homes and luxurious lakefront properties
While a few houses are within the city limits, most ranch-style homes can be found north in the countryside close to the lake. “Camdenton homes were set up on traditionally small lots, so it’s home after home going down multiple streets and blocks,” Schmidt says. “Linn Creek is a little more spaced out in its acreage.” Some homes built between the 1970s and 1990s are less than 2,000 square feet with half-acre lots, costing $100,000 to $300,000, while 3,000 square-foot homes are made with brick, vinyl and stone masonry and range from $300,000 to $600,000. Raised ranch properties with quarter-acre to 1-acre lots, boat houses and home security systems are $600,000 to $900,000. Luxurious lakefront properties with vaulted ceilings, hydromassage bathtubs and boating docks cost between $1 and $2 million.
A gastro pub, winery and Walmart
There are a handful of restaurants and businesses around Linn Creek. The Lowlander Gastro Pub is in the center of town and serves craft beer and smash burgers with live music in the beer garden. Seven Springs Winery is around 7 miles north and offers grilled paninis and wraps alongside 15 wine varieties. There are many more small businesses east of the highway, including a beauty store, a lumber shop and a baby boutique store, plus there’s a Walmart less than 2 miles southwest.
Sharing schools with the community of Camdenton
Linn Creek is zoned for the Camdenton R-III School District, which earns a B-plus on Niche. “They’re one of the highest paid teachers in the three-county area,” Schmidt says. “They built a brand new high school and they have two grade schools – one that’s been redone, another one completely new.” Both Dogwood and Hawthorne Elementary have Gifted and Talented programs and B ratings on Niche. Fifth and sixth-grade students go to the B-plus rated Oak Ridge Intermediate School before moving on to seventh and eighth grade at the B-rated Camdenton Middle. Camdenton High School has a career and technical center and also earns a B.
A quick drive to Osage Beach
U.S. Route 54 is the main road through Linn Creek and leads 3 miles south to Camdenton and 11 miles north to Osage Beach, which also has the 24-hour Lake Regional Hospital. The OATS Transit system provides public transportation throughout Camden County 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
