More than 350 people came from neighboring states and as far away as France and England. One man, who had come from Dallas, said it was the only nudist spot that he found in the entire country where he could watch the eclipse.

This was the first total solar eclipse in the continental U.S. in 38 years. The last one occurred February 26, 1979. For most of greater St. Louis area, the last total solar eclipse was in 1442. Totality crosses only through the US, no other country. It has been coined the “Great American Eclipse”.