Al Capone's Secret Missouri Hideaway

Al Capone remains one of the most notorious crime figures in American history. His place in the crime annals of Chicago history is confirmed and Capone is famous - or infamous - for his many deeds. His spirit is said to haunt both Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as well as Alcatraz, both prisons where Mr. Capone "did hard time". During his lifetime, he had several hideaway spots where he went to escape the long arm of the law but his hideouts were always discovered by the police. He may, however, have had a hideaway that remained a secret.

On the shores of Lake Taneycomo, in a small lake front community called Rockaway Beach, Missouri, there has long been a legend that Al Capone once summered at the site. At first, the idea may seem impossible but it may just be true.

Although today Rockaway Beach is a quiet, almost sleepy tiny town on the shores of the lake, frequented primarily by fishermen and others who seek the peaceful surroundings of the Ozarks. Located just minutes away from the bright lights and major amusements of vacation mecca Branson, Missouri, however, Rockaway Beach still draws a few tourists who like to play in Branson but stay where it's quiet.

A few of those tourists are drawn by a local legend that Al Capone spent his summers here, away from Chicago and far from the law officers who sought him.

Across the waters of Lake Taneycomo are the ruins of what was once a summer home, one of the simple two-story wooden cottages once common to the area. This one, however, is special because it has long been rumored to have been the summer hideaway for Al Capone.

Now accessible only by boat, the ruins of this summer house may hold the key to the truth behind the legend but since it is located on private property, any secrets here may soon be lost to the elements and the passage of time.