Scenery from Missouri. Lake of the Ozarks. View of the Lake of the Ozarks from the Visitor center. Lake of the Ozarks was created by the construction of Bagnell Dam by Union Electric Company of St. Louis in 1931. Located five miles above Bagnell, the dam created the finest vacation spot for the entire midwest. Filling the valley with water to form the Lake of the Ozarks.