CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Mo.- The gates blocking the popular Liuindenlure access of the Finley River have been removed.
Thursday was the last day the Adams family had to remove the barricades, and despite filing a motion this week to stay the original injunction, the barricades were still removed.
David Romano, President of the Finley River Access Coalition, believes the Adams removed the gate.
The swimming spot has been closed since March 2020, when the barricade first went up. Since then, it has become the center of a court battle to decide if that section of Canyon Road was private of county property.
In August, the judge ruled in favor of the Plaintiffs in this case and has given the Defendants, Mike and Carla Adams, 20 days to remove the concrete barricades and gate blocking public access to the popular summer spot.
“The judgment gave us everything we were asking for,” says Romano. “We want this to be a good place for everyone; residents, members of the public who just want to benefit from the natural beauty that the Ozarks has to offer for everyone, not just a few.”
Evidence presented at the trial led the judge to determine Lindenlure had been used by the public for decades.
The judge also found Canyon Road had been maintained by Christian County for more than ten years.
Romano says Canyon Road dates back to the 1850s, and photos show Lindenlure was a public gathering place as far back as the 1920s.
“We’ve got photos of 1940s cars parked under the bridge, 1970s, the hippies with their long hair all out by the water. This is a major part of this area’s history.”