Places near me Random place
All the United States Missouri Rocheport River Gnome
AO Edited

Rocheport River Gnome

This whimsical statue marks the high water level from the Great Flood of 1993.

Rocheport, Missouri

permatour profile photo
Added By
permatour
  permatour / Atlas Obscura User
  permatour / Atlas Obscura User
  permatour / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Rocheport, a relaxed Central Missouri town nestled between St. Louis and Kansas City, is known for its art galleries, antique shops, cozy bed-and-breakfasts, and scenic cycling along the Katy Trail, all set against its rich history as an early 19th-century trading post. Adding to its unique charm is the River Gnome, a meaningful marker right by the Missouri River and the trail.

This gnome marks the high water mark of 377 feet from the Great Flood of 1993, which affected the Midwest, and the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and their tributaries experienced devastating high water levels. The gnome is a small monument and a heartfelt tribute to a local family impacted by the disaster. It stands as a testament to Rocheport’s resilience and its ability to come together and rebuild after tough times.

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Know Before You Go

The statue is at the corner of Central and 1st Streets, right next to the Katy Trail State Park. Ample parking is available nearby and on the surrounding streets.

Community Contributors

permatour profile photo

Added By

permatour

Hetaira Thais profile photo jlord7 profile photo

Edited By

Hetaira Thais, jlord7

Published

August 20, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Related Tags

Gnomes Floods Water Rivers

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Missouri

Missouri

United States

Places 192
Stories 7

Related Places

  • Koshi Barrage

    Bhardaha, Nepal

    Koshi Barrage

    This structure, built more than 60 years ago to manage devastating seasonal floods, is known to attract a rare species of freshwater dolphin.

  • The nilometer of Rhoda Island near Cairo

    Cairo, Egypt

    Nilometer

    An ancient instrument used to measure the waters of the Nile so Egyptian farmers would know whether to expect famine or flood.

  • The Thames Barrier as seen from Woolwich.

    London, England

    Thames Barrier

    The world’s second-largest flood defense barrier has protected London for decades.

  • The monument displays the high water mark from several historic floods.

    Grand Forks, North Dakota

    Flood Memorial Monument

    An obelisk commemorates historic floods that hit two towns along the Red River of the North.

  • Sunset over the reach, with wasteway in foreground.

    Helen, Washington

    Hanford Reach National Monument

    The only undammed section of the Columbia River in the United States has been preserved, ironically, by its proximity to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

  • Bonneville Dam

    North Bonneville, Washington

    Bonneville Lock & Dam

    Boats and fish both find their way through this massive hydroelectric structure.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member