The Neosho National Fish Hatchery — the nation’s oldest operating hatchery — is located both physically and emotionally in the “heart” of Neosho.

“I instill the belief at every opportunity that without our community we’re nothing. The community of Neosho and the surrounding area is why we’re successful,” said Dave Hendrix, hatchery manager. “We strive to do our job well; that makes it easy for folks to support us. It’s our community that made the difference. We work to continually nurture those relationships.”

Established in 1888, the hatchery’s mission is to raise endangered pallid sturgeon for recovery efforts in the Lower Missouri River, raise rainbow trout for Lake Taneycomo, protect the endangered blind Ozark cavefish, raise freshwater drum to serve as “host fish” for rearing the Neosho mucket mussels, and to provide environmental education.

Averaging an annual count of 45,000 visitors, the hatchery is a busy hub of activity.

“We see a lot of our locals. We are and we strive to be very accessible. We also see a great many new visitors,” Hendrix said. “They walk, they feed the fish. The hatchery is a very park-like environment. We reach the whole gamut.”

The hatchery has a three-tenths mile walking trail that is paved with asphalt. The trail circles the hatchery and winds around the ponds, raceways and buildings. The hatchery also has scattered picnic areas and is lined with trees that are currently reaching their peak fall color. Many local residents use the walking track for exercise on a daily basis.

“This is a family-oriented place and especially so during the fall season. We see lots of folks making trips out to the hatchery to enjoy the beautiful colors of the trees. We have the aquariums on the side of the building lit up and we see lots of couples sitting out here just enjoying the scenery,” Hendrix said.

The hatchery also enjoys the support of some local citizens who have organized as “Friends of the Neosho National Fish Hatchery.” A few years ago the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked all the national refuges and hatcheries to “grow” friends groups. The Neosho group has been considered by many highly successful and influential in spreading awareness of and support for the hatchery.

“When I go into a store to get one item and it should take say, five minutes, often I’ll be gone three or four hours, because people just love talking about the hatchery,” Hendrix said. “And I don’t mind. I could answer questions and visit with folks all day about what we do. We want to be open to our supporters. We don’t take our position and our support for granted.

“I just see this hatchery as a huge draw. We have a wonderful trifecta here in the George Washington Carver National Monument, the Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center and the hatchery,” Hendrix said. “We have been elevated to a position where we can provide more education on our environment, helping our visitors learn how to keep what’s been given to us safe. I see us continuing to reach out nationally. It’s going to happen!”