Devil's Elbow - Route 66
By 
Introduction
Devil's Elbow, Missouri, The community got its start back in 1870 and was named for a particularly bad bend in the Big Piney River. Lumberjacks would float logs down the river and they would seem to always jam at this place. There was a large boulder in the river at this point that some lumberjacks swore was put there by the devil himself just to cause them grief.
1
It Starts With A Sign
Out Side Waynesville, Mo
2
The Old Hwy - Know As the Hooker Cut
I Always Remembered The Grass - The tale is that it took all day for a truck loaded with an airplane to go from the bottom of the hill to the top out of Devil's Elbow. That was when they started cutting down the big hill that you see in the postcards known as the Hooker Cut.
3
Then The River
Many Memories Of Great Float Trips Here
4
A Look Back At The Bridge
This Bridge Goes Over The Piney RIver
5
Then You See Them
The Signs
6
Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ Pit - Canoe Rental
This Is The Place To Get A Bite To Eat After A Tough Day On The River
7
Historic Elbow Inn
The historic Elbow Inn dates back to the 1930s when it was the Munger Moss Sandwich Shop. Built by Nelle & Emmett Moss, the business was moved to Lebanon in 1946 when old Route 66 was realigned through Hooker Cut. This was once the deepest rock cut in America. When Route 66 was realigned in the 1940s through here it bypassed Devil's Elbow.
8
The Old Steel Truss
The beautiful old steel truss bridge crosses the Big Piney River at Devil's Elbow and dates back to the early days of Route 66.
9
The Piney River
10
The Post Office
The old Miller's Market and Post Office in Devil's Elbow was built in 1954.
11
McCoy’s Store
Charles McCoy built McCoy’s Store and Camp in 1941 to serve as Devil's Elbow's store. Rooms in the upstairs were rented out to travelers on old Route 66.
12
The Train
Here Is The Train Bridge Over The Piney River
13
The Back Way Out
It Is Hard To Believe You Could Drive In And Out Of Here On This Road With 18 Wheelers . . .
14
Another Of The Piney
15
Ozarks Fall Afternoon At In The Devil's Elbow Area
16
Hey If You Are Ever In The Area Here Is A Place To Stay
17
Map 1
18
Map 2
19
Devil's Elbow - The End !
If you are going west on Route 66 towards Lebanon the Mother Road winds through the beautiful Ozark Mountains through the small communities that add so much color to an already colorful place. The communities of St. Robert, Waynesville, Buckhorn, Laquey and Hazelgreen all have wonderful examples of Route 66. Most of these communities depended on the tourist trade. Numerous cabins and resorts dot the area. Hope You Enjoyed The Tour !
20
One More - I think I Have Jumped Off That Tree
Wonderful list! Thanks for sharing. Looks like a beautiful place. I love picture #14.
This was VERY interesting! Did you stay here?
Great list. Great photos.
The tie hackers of old are responsible for many of the names of the eddies on Big Piney River. One involved Rafter Pike, who was taking a large raft of ties from Texas County to St. Louis. (From the Big Piney, to the Gasconade River, to the Missouri River and then Old Man River). Over halfway to Devil's Elbow, there is another big bend in the river where Pike wiped the raft out, lumber ties scattered everywhere. That eddy has been known as 'Pike's Defeat' ever since.
My favorite is a narrow eddy on the upper Big Piney that was always a strain for the rafters to negotiate. It became known as Ink Stand Eddy, since rumor had it that the rafters would end up with hemorrhoids the size of an ink stand (found on old school desks) from their efforts there.
Enjoyed the tour.
The tie hackers of old are responsible for many of the names of the eddies on Big Piney River. One involved Rafter Pike, who was taking a large raft of ties from Texas County to St. Louis. (From the Big Piney, to the Gasconade River, to the Missouri River and then Old Man River). Over halfway to Devil's Elbow, there is another big bend in the river where Pike wiped the raft out, lumber ties scattered everywhere. That eddy has been known as 'Pike's Defeat' ever since.
My favorite is a narrow eddy on the upper Big Piney that was always a strain for the rafters to negotiate. It became known as Ink Stand Eddy, since rumor had it that the rafters would end up with hemorrhoids the size of an ink stand (found on old school desks) from their efforts there.
Enjoyed the tour.
By 
By 
By
4 Comments