Those driving by the Neosho National Fish Hatchery will notice — along with the new building — new landscaping and a new parking lot.
Dave Hendrix, the hatchery’s manager, noted there are just a few “punch list” items to be done and then the new visitors center will be open for business.
Adjustments include installation of porches on the west, north and south, and adjustments to the walls in the bathrooms and landscaping.
“We are still shooting for October finishing up, moving in and the dedication tentatively for either the end of November or sometime early December,” Hendrix said.
Crossland Construction was awarded the bid for the work on the new 9,800-square-foot visitors center.
The two-story visitors center – located on the north side of the hatchery grounds near McKinney Street and Missouri Highway 86 — will have an exhibit hall, bookstore (operated by the Friends of the Neosho National Fish Hatchery), cavefish environments so that people will learn about the cave fish, an area about the rail car, a lot of educational displays, a 80-seat auditorium, a wet lab classroom where classes can come and learn and then a lot of interactive exhibits for both children and adults.
The rail car was very instrumental during the early days of the hatchery, where fish were transported.
“They have been using the rail car since 1879 and ended in 1947,” Hendrix said in an earlier article. “We were established in 1888, so I am sure that we started in 1889, at least. It lasted a long time
“We are going to have an area that is going to highlight the rail car era. We were going to have a miniature rail car in there, but there was not enough room.”
The second story will house offices for hatchery personnel and a library for public use.
The aquariums and the exhibits will be coming in September, the hatchery manager noted. There will be three aquariums – one at 2,500-gallon and two at 500-gallons each.
“One (of the 500-gallon tanks) will house rainbow trout, the other will focus on sturgeon,” he said. “The big one will have a combination, what I call ‘The Big Six,’ like channel catfish, paddlefish, sturgeon, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and largemouth bass.”
“We are beyond excitement,” Hendrix said, commenting on the feelings of he and his staff. “It will serve our community better. We are very, very excited about that.”
The hatchery is the oldest operating federal fish hatchery in the United States. It was established in 1888.
