Ozark recreation and community connections make Salem a destination
From spring to fall, rural Salem buzzes as tourists travel to explore the Ozarks. The community is a few miles from destinations like the National Scenic Riverways and Montauk State Park, which support months of trout fishing, kayaking, camping and floating. At the end of a long day of recreation, visitors join locals in exploring Salem’s restaurant scene, small businesses and annual events. Permanent residents enjoy the city’s year-round active lifestyle and build long-lasting connections with neighbors. “People are very caring here,” says Catherine Wynn, the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce executive director. “It’s a small town with small town stuff, but the community is full of good people.”
Locals return to Salem for the lower cost of living and spacious lots
Neighborhoods have extra-wide roads lined with sidewalks, mature trees and grassy lawns. Bungalows and ranch-style homes are standard across the city, but there are also New Traditional, custom-built and Cape Cod houses. Unique options like log cabins and cottages with catslide roofs occasionally pop up along the landscape. Prices vary widely from $80,000 to $350,000 based on size, age, condition and custom architecture. The city has several housing initiatives, from home rehabilitation and flipping programs to full and partial demolitions.
Wynn says that most people are natives to the area or are longtime residents. “I’m starting to see a lot of people like me, who moved away for college or to start a family and end up moving back here,” she says. “The West Coast seems to be a popular place for people to come back from for retirement because the cost of living is so much less here.”
Trout fishing and camping draw visitors to Montauk State Park
Salem is within 50 miles of many Ozark riverways, conservation areas and forests. In particular, the city is about 20 miles from Montauk State Park, which has access to the Current River. Trout season attracts most tourists from March to October, but dedicated anglers still visit during winter for catch-and-release season. The state park also has campgrounds and cabins. Inside the community, Salem City Park is a recreational catch-all. It’s home to the Salem Community Center, several athletic fields, a playground, a skate park and a seasonal outdoor swimming pool.
According to First Street, Salem has a minor risk from flooding, but Wynn says a historic flood in November 2024 damaged several parts of the city and Montauk State Park. First Street also says that Salem has a major risk of wildfire over the next 30 years because of increasing heat and dry conditions. The local forest service and conservation organizations often prevent large-scale fires by doing controlled burns and closely monitoring Salem’s timber industry.
Commercial corridors have diners, museums and antiques
A three-block downtown area along Fourth Street offers antiques stores, eateries and salons. Main Street is the city’s central dining corridor. Main Street's Country Corner Cafe is a traditional American diner, while Regine’s Common Kitchen serves everything from cheeseburgers to chicken gizzards. Around the city are more shopping options, including a Walmart Supercenter, Dent County Farm Supply, Country Mart and Wells Package & Gun.
Attractions include the Dent County Museum, which is typically open on Sundays from May to September. The Ozark Natural & Cultural Resource Center’s colorful mural welcomes people to explore area brochures and rotating exhibits. Bonebrake Center of Nature and History has sprawling gardens, historic home tours and seasonal events, like the annual Cookie Walk.
Rally races and holiday events have national and global attendance
The community hosts large-scale events throughout the year. March brings the RallyAmerica 100 Acre Wood Road Rally, a high-speed event where cars zip around dirt road tracks and fly through the air during the cattle guard jump. “They’ve had big names from all over the globe participate,” Wynn says. “There are teams from Sweden, France, England, and, of course, Missouri.” In the fall, the Honoring Our Heroes Marathon gets nationwide attention. “They are now a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, which is really cool because that’s not something you’d expect from a small town like us,” Wynn says. During winter, thousands flock to the cultural center for Trees and Trains, a sprawling exhibit of over 50 twinkling Christmas trees, rumbling toy trains and other displays. “I have a big collection of nutcrackers, so I usually do a whole nutcracker display there,” Wynn says.
Salem has major highways and industries, from timber to healthcare
State Routes 19 and 32 create the city’s central intersection. Highway 72 connects commuters to Rolla employers in about 26 miles, but Salem has many job opportunities. Local employers include the timber industry, The Doe Run Company, US Foods and Salem Memorial District Hospital. Masters Industrial Park invites even more industry by offering tax incentives to incoming and expanding businesses. For travel, locals are roughly 42 miles from Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport.
Students attend local public schools and Southwest Baptist University
Students start at William H. Lynch Elementary, followed by Salem Upper Elementary. The schools have B-minus and B Niche ratings. Next is Salem Middle, which has a B-minus, and Salem Senior High, which has a C-plus. The school has a construction trades program with paid apprenticeships. The city is also home to a satellite campus of Southwest Baptist University, a private Christian college.
