OurOzarks Feature Sections
TIVALS ANTIQUIN' & FALL FES
Down The Road
in Christian County, Missouri
Hiking Our Ozarks
in Pickle Springs
Homesteading the Ozarks
Canning & Memories
Through The Lens
featuring local photographers
In The Christian County Articles
OurOzarks .com
Bald Knobbers Alf Bolin Mill Histories Civil War.....and Much More!
The Ozark Mountain region is made up of the St. Francois Mountains, Salem Plateau, Springfield Plateau & Boston Mountains. A gradient area of the Ozarks drifts across the Mississippi River into SW Illinois, and is captured within the Shawnee Hills.
Our Ozarks Magazine
Find Your Way...Find Yourself
Vol 1, Issue 4
Sept/Oct 2016
Editor/Publisher Jeffrey Haskins Staff Photography Jeffrey Haskins Carolyn Thornton
Mission Statement The mission of Our Ozarks is to help preserve the history, culture, beauty and all that is the Ozarks. Our Ozarks Magazine is published bi-monthly. Any correspondence can be directed to the editor at: Our Ozarks 266 Red Cedar Ozark, MO 65721 or email us at OurOzarks@yahoo.com Phone: (417) 209-4872 Find More Great Photos and Information on our website at OurOzarks.com!
In This Issue Fall Festival Guide
Page 1
Antiquin' The Ozarks & Junkin' For Pleasure
Page 2&3
Off The Book Shelf (Feature on Wayne Glenn)
Page 8
Through The Lens
Page 18-19
Scan the QR Code with your smart phone or tablet to visit Ourozarks.com
Hiking Our Ozarks Page 28-29 Homesteading The Ozarks
Page 34-35
Our Thanks to Wayne Glenn and the Christian County Historical Society and credits also to these sources: • Christian County, Its First 100 Years by Christian County Centennial.
Subscribe Today Only 19.95 per year (6 issues) Visit Ourozarks.com
• Bald Knobbers by Mary Hartman
OurOzarks.com Our Ozarks Magazine
Fall Festival Guide
The cool winds of autumn not only usher in an abundance of color to the Ozarks, but opens the gates to the multitude of fall festivals, fairs and crafts shows of the region. Music and laughter fills the streets and sidewalks of the towns in the hills and hollows, while a vast array of foods fill the stomachs of festival goers. And the wares of craftsmen and artisans tend to find new homes with those same attendees. We'll spotlight some of the activities available for your enjoyment, and you can find a full listing at the OurOzarks.com website!
September 2016 September 3 2nd Annual Fire Fall Music Festival in Patterson, Missouri The 2nd annual Fire Fall Music Festival features Hunter Hathcoat, the John D. Hale Band, Powder Mill, Shyner, and the Moonshine Bandits! http://firefallfestival.com/ Sepember 3 44th Annual Railroad Days in Crocker, Missouri 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Family friendly street festival celebrating Crocker’s railroad roots Cost: FREE admission www.facebook.com/CrockerCityHall/ September 8 Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Show in Springfield, Missouri Ozark Empire Fairgrounds & Event Center E*Plex in Springfield, MO. More than 500 quilts on display, including special exhibits, challenge quilts, antique bed turning, and a silent auction. Also featuring free lectures, door prizes, and a chance to win a gorgeous opportunity quilt. September 8-10 The 44th Annual Seymour Apple Festival in Seymour, Missouri Over the three day event you can be entertained with 100+ craft and various vendors, FREE live entertainment, and on Saturday enjoy a 5K run, parade, Johnny Appleseed contest, decorated bike contest, several apple contests and auction, apple peeling contest, apple princess contest, and so much more.
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Page 1
Antiquin' In The Ozarks
Scan the QR code below with your smart phone or tablet to go directly to the OurOzarks.com site for a full listing of Antiques & Flea Markets to find your way around shopping, dining and more!
Look for even more Antiquin' in the next issue! The Ozarks are rich with antique shops and flea markets, weekend swap meets, estates sales and auctions. Nothing better than taking in a road trip and finding that little treasure of a shop that you never knew about and coming home with a new prize for the collection, and eating at a newfound favorite restaurant. Our Ozarks Magazine introduces you to our guide to Antiquin' & Flea Marketing in the Ozarks. Not only will you find great information here, but also a complete listing of shopping and dining in the Ozarks can be found on our website! Find maps, more detailed information on places to visit and more tips & information on Antiquing! Use our QR Code above on your smart phone or tablet to launch the web page, or find Antiques & Flea Markets under Shopping on the OurOzarks.com menu. Our Ozarks Magazine and website cover the entire Ozarks. Find information on Missouri and Arkansas, as well as coverage on certain portions of Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois at times! Our Ozarks is dedicated to preserving the beauty, history and culture of the Ozarks, as well as bringing affordable advertising & marketing streams to both small and large businesses in the region. Enjoy this special section on Antiquin' in the Ozarks!
Page 2 Our Ozarks Magazine
JUNKIN' FOR PLEASURE With A Purpose Refurbishing something that might earlier have been construed as junk is a growing trend, probably helped along by the likes of Pinterest. Some wonderful pieces of furniture and art have come out of it. And a little less of our resources may end up in the land fill or burn piles as a result. The artwork and crafts that have come away from refurbishing runs the gamut, from using old pallets and broken or weathered furniture, to pieces of pipe and rusty farm implements that are transformed into modern art. Randy Clair of Marshfield, Missouri has found the world of refurbishing, and more specifically the realm of Steampunk. Maybe we should define Steampunk before we push on with Randy’s story. Steampunk originated in science fiction/fantasy stories that featured steam technology and Victorian or Edwardian style, rather than the flash of modern science. Think Jules Verne. Or H.G.. Wells. Even Harry Potter fans will recognize a bit of the characteristics of old dress and old fashioned ways of doing things such as riding behind a steam locomotive, thrown in amongst a fantasy of magic. The charm of the Victorian era (1837 to 1901), or the Edwardian (1901 to 1910) are hard not to like. Even the roaring twenties and post-war eras fall within the realm of Steampunk. This leaves a lot of room for individualism, which probably is the true attractiveness of the Steampunk genre.
the Steampunk designs were born. Randy Clair was first introduced to Steampunk by casual mention. He and his wife, Jan, had dabbled with antiques and made numerous shopping excursions looking for treasures for their sales booth. It was before one such trip that Randy asked his cousin Christa what was popular with buyers. Christa, who owns Cookies Antique World in Highlandville, Missouri answered “old rusty things and Steampunk items.” Steampunk? Randy began Googling and the images caught his attention. He remembers his thoughts at the time, “I thought, this is cool! I can do this.” The wheels started turning in his head, and Randy soon had his own Steampunk works churning out. Randy is a native of Marshfield, Missouri and his roots to the area go back six or seven generations through both his parents. He is also a jeweler, and real estate broker by trade as he owns Clair’s Jewelry and Clair’s Land Company, both in Marshfield. Doing custom jewelry work apparently helps his creative flair with his Steampunk art. Randy Clair is a fairly good jewelry designer, having won several awards in the last few years. He became the first jeweler from southwest Missouri to win both (Continued on Page 5)
And, of course, modern day followers of books and movies must have their respective collectibles. And so
Foxwood Antiques
387 N 21st St Ozark, MO (417) 300-4466
Hours M-F 10:00 to 5:00 Sat 9:00 to 5:00 Sun Closed ...........................
Foxwood Local Antique shop specializes in unique and unusual items. From advertising to industrial for stocking the man cave to rustic decor. Find that item for the unusual collection. Located in a great antique & flea market community. Stop by a check out our inventory! Find Us On Facebook!
OurOzarks.com
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Antiques, Primitives, Collectibles 60 + Booths Kerry & Brenda May, owners Antique Shop (417) 581-5914 Mon - Sat: 9:30 - 5:00 Sun: 12:00 - 5:00 Tea Room (417) 582-1331 Tues - Sat: 10:30 - 2:00
Find Us at facebook.com/springcreekantiquesozark
107 South 3rd Street PO Box 1336 Ozark, Missouri 65721
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Junkin' Cont'd from Page 3) the Best of Show and the Jewelers’ Choice awards at the Missouri Jewelers Association competition in 2014. He repeated in taking those same awards in 2015 and so being the first to ever take those honors in back to back years. Not finished with the accolades, Randy captured the Best In Show award at the Midwest Jewelers Conference jewelry design competition in Kansas City in April of 2016. He also competed in New York City in 2014 and 2015 in the Jewelers of America jewelry show. He placed in the top 15 pieces of custom design jewelry in that national event. Randy began learning the jewelry trade while living in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1979. It wasn't long before he found himself moving to Springfield, Missouri to be the first assistant manager at the newly opened Helzberg’s Diamonds in 1981. Two years later he would take the leap in opening his own store, Clair’s Jewelry. On evenings and weekends, you will often find
Randy behind the bass in the cover band RHS Silverwood. Clair’s Jewelry is found at 206 N Clay St, Marshfield, MO 65706. His Steampunk lamps and art can also be found at Cookies Antiques in Highlandville, Missouri. Below are a couple of Randy's new creations. They look even better in person. The polished iron and brass mesh well together, and added colors bring out the best in each piece! Want to find out more about Steampunk? The Big River Steampunk Festival is held throughout historic downtown Hannibal, Missouri each Labor Day weekend. Stroll along pedestrian-only historic Main Street among buildings dating from the 1840s-1890s. And shop for Steampunk costumes, accessories, gadgets and more from the 50+ vendors. Visit their website for more info: bigriversteampunkfestival.com/index.html
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Ozark Antique Mall 200 N 20th St Ozark, MO (417) 581-5233 Hours Mon-Friday 9AM -5:30 PM Saturday 9 AM-6:00 PM Sunday 9 AM-5:30 PM WE HAVE OVER 200 DEALERS WITH A LARGE VARIETY OF ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES & MORE. WE HAVE BEEN SERVING THE OZARKS FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
Scan QR Code to Visit
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COOKIE'S ANTIQUE WORLD 8180 Hwy 160 South. Highlandville, Missouri (417) 443-5000 Hours Mon-Fri: 9AM - 5:30PM Sat: 9AM - 6:00PM Sun: 10AM - 5:30PM Open 362 Days A Year! 8000 Square feet of Antiques & Collectibles with over 80 booths! A traditional Highway 160 stop for antique shoppers since 1999!
Over the years it has been our pleasure to serve our customers locally and those who visit from states near and far. It is our sincere hope that when you visit us your experience will be one that encourages you to return. Our personal love of antiques creates an at home feel to our mall and promotes a relaxed and welcoming atmoshpere. You are cordially invited to Cookie's Antique World to shop, browse, or just to visit.
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Off The Shelf Books from Ozarks’ Authors Wayne Glenn,
Christian County Historian and Author
You can't begin to discover Christian County, Missouri without one of your first thoughts being of Wayne Glenn. Most of the Ozarks' people, at least in radio land, know Glenn as "The Old Record Collector" from his voice on KTXR-FM radio. When not spinning old songs, Glenn can be found searching out old record collections or looking through dusty old photo albums in search of a bit of history, or perhaps putting pen to paper as he writes another book on the area. Glenn has published twelve books on certain topics of Christian County and the Ozarks, and even put out a DVD titled “A Fun Trip Around Christian County”. His newest book, “Nixa as Mayberry in 1960,” is a 464 page panoramic view of Nixa during that era of simpler times. Glenn states he currently does not have any another books planned for the future. Most of his past titles are sold out, but can be found here and there in flea markets, or used book stores, or occasionally on Ebay or Amazon. The complete list of Wayne Glenn's books are as follows: • Mid the Hills, A History of Nixa 18352001 • A Photo History of Nixa & Vicinity • Down the Road from Nixa • The Ozark of the Ozarks -- A History of Ozark • The Ozarks Greatest Hits: A Photo History of Music In The Ozarks • A Snapshot History: Clever, Hurley, Boaz, Brown’s Spring, Oto, Possum Trot, Union City, Union Ridge • Down Home—A Nostalgic Trip To Spokane • A Souvenir of Christian County: 150 Years of History • Wayne Glenn's Christian County Memories • Christian County History A to Z • Sparta: A Photo Legacy • Nixa as Mayberry in 1960 • The 939 Original Land Owners of Christian County The radio jockey and author hasn't always been behind the mike and typewriter, but the interest in radio and history has always been there. His work in radio began the summer after he graduated high school from Nixa, Missouri in 1965. He worked as an unpaid intern at KGBX before heading to college that fall at Southwest Missouri State in Springfield, Missouri (SMS, as it was known then. Now known as MSU). He began a hobby that same summer. A lifetime of collecting old music records has led to Glenn's well known radio moniker of "The Old Record Collector".
Glenn would get his teaching degree in 1969, marry his wife, Nira Kane, in 1970, and start teaching that same year. His teaching career would take him first to Fair Grove, then a four year jaunt to Clever while spending the summers getting a second degree in school administration., before landing back at his alma mater of Nixa, Missouri in 1974. It was during that time back at Nixa that he also returned to radio. In 1975, he started doing a 15-minute show on KWTO called “The Country Music Scrapbook” that was sponsored by Nixa Hardware and Mallams Drug Store in Nixa. He would juggle that work as he returned to Clever as high school principal for two years. Glenn then returned to Nixa as principal of the middles school. That fall of 1977, he began his radio shows on KTXR and in 1983 retired from the education field and went on air full time. His "Remember When" show continues now on Saturday and Sunday evening. So how did his love of Ozarks' history develop? Wayne was born to Myron and Irene Glenn, while they lived near Jamesville, which sits near the mouth of the Finley River where it flows into the James River. They had also graduated from Nixa schools and in 1949, when Glenn was 2, they moved closer to Nixa. Many of the Glenn family ancestors of the area can be found buried at the Glenn Cemetery which lies south of Nixa near the Finley River. William Alexander Glenn brought his family to that valley from Marshall County, TN in 1855 and is buried there. He and his wife Magdalene Collins, farmed 640 acres there between 1855 and when the Civil War began in 1861. Their cabin would have set just up on a knoll next to where the cemetery now sits. So an interest in the area was natural, and in 2001 Glenn began writing his first book on the area, “Mid the Hills, A History of Nixa 1835-2001” We wish to thank Wayne Glenn for the use of photos used in parts of this issue, and for information gleaned from his years of tireless research!
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Down Christian County has often been noted as being one of the fastest growing areas in the country. But the communities within its borders still carry a reasonable semblance of small town America. The county seat of Ozark is laid out along the winding Finley River and at the intersection of US Highway 65 and State Route 14. Formed in 1859 from sections of Stone, Taney and Webster counties, Christian County is rich in history, with the likes of the Bald Knobbers running through
The Road its hills and hiding out within its caves. The area was not without its strife during the Civil War, with the Battle of Dug Springs taking place on August 2, 1861 (at the time that skirmish received more headlines than nearby Battle of Wilson's Creek!). With tempers still on edge following the war, the courthouse was burned on August 20, 1865. Tales of gold & silver and boomtowns built around purported healing springs. And for those who lived in the area for sometime, you couldn't forget Sheriff Buff Lamb and his flashlight wielding brand of justice! Take a journey with us as we explore Christian County, Missouri...then and now.
in Christian County, Missouri The Origins of the Towns & Communities Ozark The Christian County seat is located in Ozark. The area of the town was first settled in the 1830s, and at that time was called Hoover’s Mill, named after the man who owned the mill there. On July 28, 1840 the postal name would be officially changed to Ozark. The city just celebrated its 128th year as an incorporated city. (Continued on Page 20)
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our pick of best food & drink in Christian County PIZZA
Hook N Ladder in Ozark AJs in Sparta Rocco's in Nixa
A hard choice. Hook N Ladder has amazing crust and great flavor on their pizza and sauce. AJs and Rocco's are local favorites in their communities!
ITALIAN
Salvatories in Ozark
Hands down choice. Fantastic flavor with great pricing, and in the style of the old country-you won't go away hungry!
BBQ
Dickey's in Nixa Dave's BBQ in Ozark
The local favorites!
HOMESTYLE Rosie Jo's in Ozark Another local favorite!
BREAKFAST Sands Cafe in Ozark
Located in one of the older shopping centers of Ozark, but do not let that fool you. Clean inside and a must breakfast location if coming to Ozark for some antique shopping! Can be crowded for breakfast, but service is quick and what you expect from a breakfast cafe. Serves lunch as well.
BURGERS Bairs All American Sports Grill in Nixa Double E Burger in Highlandville
Without a doubt! Great assortment of mouth watering burger styles on menu. Locations also in Republic and Springfield. If headed down Hwy 160, Double E Burger in Highlandville is a great stop!
APPETIZERS & DRINKS Big Whiskey's in Ozark
You can actually make a meal out of appetizers!
SOUP, SANDWICH or SALAD Lolas in Nixa
Lolas has tea room atmosphere, great for breakfast or lunch, and of course do not pass on desert!
CHINESE
Golden Dragon in Ozark
If you are just looking for an egg roll and simple entree, this is the spot. Bonus, they know how to make egg drop soup to perfection. Recommend their barbecue chicken!
MEXICAN El Charo in Ozark, La Fiesta in Nixa
We frequent El Charo in Ozark quite often. A Tex-Mex style menu. Good flavor and large serving portions, plus great margaritas! If looking for south of the border meals in Nixa, La Fiesta is a must with a more authentic style menu.
COFFEE HOUSE Walkabout Coffee Shop in Nixa Need a cup of Joe?
PIES & DESSERTS Lolas in Nixa Double E Burger in Highlandville
Try the strawberry cake at Lolas! Can't pass by Highlandville and not have fried pie at Double E!
BAKERY
TwentyOne Cakes in Nixa Stacey's Sweets in Ozark
Can't go wrong with cupcakes or cakes for those special occasions.
FROZEN TREATS CruisinUSA between Nixa and Ozark
Great Custard! And you can also grab a sandwich. Cruise In car shows from March thru September!
DON'T FORGET Corner Cafe in Clever and Gold Star Restaurant in Billings Down home food!
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Smallin Cave has one of the largest cave openings that clears 55 feet in height and is a hundred feet wide. Open year round, with limited hours during months of January and February. 9:30 to 5:00 Monday thru Saturday 1:00 to 5:00 Sunday (continued on Page 29)
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Howard Garrison-
Art, Gambling, Booze and Fried Chicken One of the more colorful citizens of Christian County would be Howard Garrison. A noted artist, but also a restaurateur with a somewhat notorious air. Garrison had strong roots in the area, his father (Landon Garrison) being born at Garrison Springs, a beautiful spot in Ozark, Missouri; and his mother (Amy Roberts) was the daughter of prominent banker and stockman from Sparta (William Roberts). His wife, Emilette Bray, was the daughter of a noted miner, stockman and slave holder. Landon Garrison and his younger brother John had moved to Billings, Missouri in the western end of the Christian County panhandle to take advantage of the influx of citizens (mostly German) because of the Frisco railroad line. They built a saloon, but soon found themselves at odds with the law as the temperance movement looked to find ways to entrap the entrepreneurs and do away with liquor in the area. Eventually the nondrinkers won, and liquor sales were outlawed in Billings and the Garrison’s business dried up. The tone was set for Howard Garrison’s life. The Garrisons moved to Ozark, Missouri after Howard had graduated high school and the young man sought his way in the world as an artist. During the early 1920s, Howard seemed to disappear and rumors have abounded as to possible jail time, or was he attending art school in St. Louis. What is known is that he came home with a bit of money and bought five acres from the Biers family on the Finley River. In 1925, he had his father build the Blue Moon cafe on that land. It was a small log cabin setup that seated 30 people and sold gasoline. The Blue Moon took on a different air in 1927 when they offered fried chicken and booze. Like his father, Howard was going against the grain in selling whiskey...Prohibition was in full swing. Howard brought in a local cook to fry up the fried chicken that soon became a hit. Mary Ellen Marley was a daughter of a previous slave and she and her husband would end up being life long friends of Garrison. Likely sensing upcoming brushes with the law, the artist turned bootlegger, sold the restaurant to his sister (possibly protecting the holdings from any legal entanglements). It was not long after that sale that Howard received his first arrest for selling alcohol to a minor. A change of venue to nearby Booger County (Douglas) resulted in a minor sentence. But in 1928, Garrison would again be arrested, this time for “possession of a gambling device”…a slot machine. He received fines, including one for contempt of court, but a suspended sentence meant no jail time. William Vandeenter had also grown up in Garrison Springs
and was the son of a physician. William turned to the legal profession and rose through the ranks to become U.S. District Attorney for Western Missouri. The old neighbors were to meet again as Vandeenter swore to enforce the laws on alcohol firearms and gambling. The evening of March 2, 1929 Vandeenter would follow through on that promise by operating a sting upon Riverside, with agents outside buying liquor and inside playing cards. Howard, his brother Ralph, and Mary (the cook) were arrested. Riverside was shut down for an extended period while Howard spent two years at the Sherman Reformatory in Chillicothe, Missouri. The restaurant would reopen in 1930 under a couple different managers until Garrison’s return from jail in 1931. Despite the depression years, Riverside would continue to grow in popularity, attracting noted diners and socialites, including then Senator Harry S. Truman. However, Garrison’s popularity with law enforcement wasn’t at an end. In 1937, he would serve a few months in the Douglas County jail for operating a gambling house after his arrest by Christian County Sheriff Joe Monger. Jack Engel became friends with Garrison and did work for him around Riverside. He was arrested, along with Garrison, in 1943 for operating gambling devices. After serving a year probation, Engel kept his nose clean thereafter. Engle would go on to be a civic leader and later developed Fremont Hills, and his family would eventually own the Riverside Inn. Flooding affected Riverside at many times throughout its history as is sat right on the banks of the Finley River. But it would take World War II to cause the biggest physical affect on Riverside. Gas rationing drained customers away and Garrison would open operations in Springfield, Missouri in 1941 under the name Town House at 525 St Louis, just east of the Shrine Mosque. Riverside remained closed most of the war, but would reopen in 1944 and he kept both the Town House and Riverside running for a time. Garrison would marry May Nadine Abbott in 1945. Garrison hadn’t made amends with law enforcement totally and in 1949, Christian County Sheriff Clay Hodges arrested him after finding two slot machines at Riverside. Again, Garrison requested a change of venue to Douglas County and received a minor sentence. In 1951, Howard Garrison and his partner Howard Ritzinger sold the Town House property to Sears. In 1952, Garri-
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son and May would divorce. Riverside would flourish during the 50s and 60s, but later Garrison began to focus on his art in the 70s. He moved away from his apartment at the Inn and took a home up the road at the little village of McCracken which was just outside Ozark. Garrison egan pushing for art shows there, but art shows did not garner the attention as perhaps he had hoped and his colorful character began to fade into the backdrop, even though he still made appearances at Riverside On June 27, 1974 Howard Garrison would die of a heart attack and was buried in Ozark Cemetery next to his old friends from Riverside, Mary Ellen and William Marley. His estate was left by will to be split among family members. In 1978, the son of his old friend Jack Engel would take over the Riverside Inn. Eric Engel and his wife Lisa Engel would operate the restaurant until 2009 when they finally succumbed to the ravages of floods that had battered riverside since its beginnings and sold the buildings and land to the government as a flood settlement. Riverside Inn would be no more. Not long after that, the Riverside Bridge that had sat along the restaurant since 1924 was condemned due to also suffering damages from flooding that deemed it unsafe. That bridge still remains closed. It was opened for foot traffic for a time, but yet further damage from flooding occurred and the bridge was completely closed.
Mills of Christian County
More and more settlers began navigating through the hills and hollows of the Ozarks as the westward expansion of the United States surged in the early 1800s. Native American tribes like the Delaware in Christian County, Missouri were pushed ahead of that wave of pioneers. As those as those men and women dropped their seeds into the new soils, and looked to the timbered land of the Ozarks, the industrious businessmen followed and began raising mills along the springs and streams. Small, simple lumber mills could be found in many spots, and some would have small grist mill stones to grind out the corn and other grains for their families, and perhaps a neighbor or two. As the small communities grew, the mills grew with them, and the larger mills would take on names that would be remembered by future generations. Mills could be found up and down the Finley River (originally often noted as Findlay Creek, or Finley Creek), or the larger James River, or down smaller streams like the clear waters of Bull Creek. Many of those mills carried on with a robust business through the latter part of the nineteenth century and into the early 20th. But like all other grist mills, with the change in industrialized technology, they began to fade away or fall prey to fire or flood. It is likely that mills of the upper Finley that were still operational, or the remains of those closed, were washed away in a devastating flood in 1909. The John McHaffie Mill was perhaps the farthest upstream operation on the Finley. In the latter 1830s into 1840s, they McHaffie’s operated a successful tannery and also a small timber mill that may have also ran a rudimentary grist milling operation. A few miles downstream would later be the large James Mill established by Adam James and Sylvanus
The Ozark Water Mill and Covered Bridge circa turn of the 20th century. Photo courtesy of Wayne Glenn Kissee. It was located near the Patterson Spring, not far from Petelo. Unknown if still in operation in 1909, but any remnants of the mill were likely destroyed in the flooding that year. Sylvanus Kissee’s brother was Alexander Kissee, miller and founder of Kissee Mills in Taney County, Missouri. The James Mill was a large operation. Nearer to Ozark, was the Gardner Mill. A previous owner of a mill there had likely been a David Walker, who had owned the land around 1845, but unknown if separate mill structures were operated for each, or if the mill had just switched hands. It is known that the Walkers of that areal had married into the Gardner clan, so always a possibility that the mill ownership just followed a generation of the one of the families formed out of the marriage. The Gardner mill was located away from the Finley River in Parch Corn
Continued on Page 14
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Photo courtesy of Wayne Glenn Price Mill at Montague, Missouri along Tory Creek. Water Mill Flour as held by Doctor John Gideon who attended school with Alf Bolin. Hollow and is north east of the what is now known as Green Bridge over the Finley River. Nearby is the Gardner-Stone-Walker Cemetery. A pond provided the water for the mill race to turn the water wheel of this grist mill. The mill at Ozark, Missouri still stands, but only after changes throughout the years. But here we can find the start of the county seat, and begin to map out the outlying mills of the area. Many of the mill names are forgotten, and some of the towns where they stood are faint memories. Ozark was not originally given that name. The spot where the Finley River still flows by one of the old mills was once called Hoover Mill. A few men had chosen the best of the bottom lands of the Finley in those early years. Near to them, the “Wagon Road” came from Springfield and crossed the waters and proceeded towards what is now Forsyth. It was also known as the “Ozark Trace”. Even though they were technically squatters at the time, as land sales had not been officially set up by the government for the wilderness, James Kimberling claimed land along the Finley as a squatter in 1833 (Greene County had just been named and the land along the Finley were part of that county at that time). Soon after, John Hoover would arrive to the area with his family and make a deal for a spot of land on which a small dam and mill would be built. A post office soon followed, taking up home within the mill, and the community would be called Hoover’s Mill. On July 28, 1840 the postal name would be officially changed to Ozark. John Hoover would pass away in 1845, leaving the 10 acres and mill to his son John and grandson Sylvester Harper. In 1848, John sold his share to brothers named William and Hervey Massey of Springfield, apparently deciding to pull up stake and head to the
gold fields of California. Hoover would show back up in history shortly after the close of the Civil War in 1865. Apparently up on charges of larceny for some misdeed, Hoover remains a suspect in history of burning the Christian County Courthouse given that the evidence against him went up in flames with the courthouse. The mill would pass through several owners over the years; Hervey Massey would sell out his share to brother William after just four years, and then that same month, William would sell to Doctor Thomas White. It was at that time that Dr. White bought out the remaining share owned by the grandson Sylvester Harper. Interestingly enough, since Harper had been a minor at the time of his inheritance, his affairs had been handled by Benjamin Hooten. Hooten would establish his own mill at Riverdale and would later live in Stone County in a well known community called Hooten Town. A new dam was built by Dr. White at the Hoover Mill, but he would sell the mill shortly thereafter. On September 13, 1858 two more brothers entered the picture with that purchase. John and Joseph Weaver, along with their brother-in-law William Lawing, took over the mill. By the time the Civil War began, the trio had increased the size of the mill, and it was then known as the Weaver-Lawing water power sawmill and flouring and grist mill. It is of interest that even though the family allowed rebel forces to use the mill
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during the war and were slave holders, the Weavers and Lawings were loyal to Union interests, and Joseph Weaver even fought on the Union side. Following the war, a covered bridge was built across the Finely at the mill site in 1870. Unfortunately, in 1909, flood waters would destroy the bridge. The Weavers would eventually sell their interests to Lawing. In 1883, Lawing would sell half the interest of the mill to his son William Lawing Jr. The son would get full interest of the mill by 1888. In November of 1899, the mill burned to the ground and the site was sold off to a partnership of William Duncan, James Tindle (yes, of Tindle Mills in Springfield) and William Chapman. Duncan sold out to the other two shortly thereafter and the other two men would rebuild the mill. Chapman would also buy the Riverdale Mill. During this same time period, there was another mill just downstream. The Frisco Railroad had laid tracks through Ozark in 1883, and the Chadwick Flyer had began chugging through Ozark to Sparta and on to Chadwick. Samuel McCracken teamed up with John Schmook and Augustine Yoachum to build a grainery and install a large steam driven flouring mill beside it. Yoachum was one of the more wealthy men of Christian County and his father had operated a flouring mill (apparently at the mouth of the Finley where it pours into the James River. A location known then as Jamesville just inside Stone County. That mill would later be known as Robertson Mill). Schmook would move on to mining interests near Aurora, Missouri and Yoachum and McCracken competed with Lawing for several years. And if we remember William Duncan, the old partner of the Lawing Mill, he became a partner in the competing mill site! In 1905, the Lawing Mill owners bought out the competing mill and consolidated the two into what was known as the Ozark Water Mills. It wasn’t long before all operations were moved to the original mill upstream and ownership was converted to a group of local investors until 1922. In 1909, the covered bridge at the mill was washed out during a flood. It was replaced with an iron bridge and the roadway that crossed there would eventually become the old Highway 65 in the 1920s. As with most mills in the Ozarks, you can find an
overlap of owners who left one milling setup and would later be found at another. Jim Gardner is noted as running the mill at Linden (then known as Kenton), until selling his interest and moving on to the mill in Parch Corn Hollow where he established the previously mentioned Gardner Mill. The Hawkins family is another name that floated about the milling world of Christian and Stone County. Upstream a few miles from Ozark, the Linden Mill was operated a time by the Hawkins family. The Hawkins family had operated mills at the Yoachum mill site at Jamesville that had been ran by the Robertson Brothers before the Civil War. Thomas Hawkins was the elder miller, but when the mill washed out in the early 1880s, his son Alonzo “Lon” Hawkins took his milling experience and began work for John “Peg Leg” Nelson at the Nelson Mill on the James River near Wilson’s Creek. Lon would begin his own milling operation at Linden around 1900. And when the Ozark Water Mills burned once again in 1921, the Hawkins family opted to purchase the site and close the Linden Mill in order to build a more modern mill at the Ozark site. Fire would destroy much of the mill and outbuildings in 1939, but the Hawkins family would rebuild the structure that still stands today. Although it was known as Hawkins Mill, the family operated it under the name “Ozark Mill and Elevator Company”. Other members of the Hawkins family would start milling operations in Springfield, another successful Hawkins Mill in the area. The mill operation passed down through the Hawkins family, with Lee Hawkins being the final miller when he sold the property to Johnny Morris of Bass Pro in 1993. Heading downstream from Ozark we come upon what was once the Riverdale Mill. It was around 1840 that Benjamin Hooten built the dam and mill on the Finley River at Riverdale. Owners changed over the years and the mill landed in the hands of Homer Gilmore. Many improvements were made to the dam and in the 1890s a large three story mill had taken on the landscape and a general store and post office established, and Riverdale became an official town. Gilmore also operated a ferry across the Finley at Riverdale beginning in1890, and that ferry operated until a bridge was finally constructed. Gilmore sold the mill site to former Christian County Sheriff David
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Mills Cont'd Walker in 1902. Flour from the mill carried the moniker “White Rose Flour” until a fire burned the mill down in 1926. A smaller grist mill was built back on the site, but it offered only modest use for the community. Among those who attended school at the Eastern Star schoolhouse near Riverdale were the notorious Ma Barker family. We head off the Finley and go north to the James River west of Nixa, Missouri. There we would have found a man named “Peg Leg” Nelson. There has to be a story there. John “Peg Leg” Nelson was the son of Samuel Nelson who was pivotal in a lot of Stone and Christian County workings. Samuel laid out the Stone County seat of Galena and supervised the building of the courthouse for the newly established county. He was also be chosen to help pick the location for another new county to the north called Christian. Samuel Nelson also had his own grist mill operation on Crane Creek, south of the Robertson Mill area of Jamesville. Samuel would serve and die during the Civil War, and young John
Nelson would also serve and lose a leg, thus gaining his nickname. After the war, Peg Leg worked for the Hawkins family at their mill and would later run a hotel in Ponce De Leon amongst the “healing waters” of the springs there. In the late 1880s, Nelson moved to the Griffin Mill site on the James River, just east of Wilson’s Creek near the Delaware access. Young Lon Hawkins would work for Nelson there before moving on to open his own operation at Linden. The Nelson Mill site had its origins back in the 1830s or 40s when it was operated by the Howard family and then after the Civil War it was owned by the Griffins. A post office operated there for a time and the township was called Griffin. The mill site lay along the north side of the James and approximately three miles upstream from what is now known as the Delaware Access. West and south of Nelson’s Mill were the towns of Union, Boaz Clever. And around 1900 the Missouri Pacific Railroad began pondering where to lay the rail lines that would run between Springfield and Stone County. Land speculation ran rabid in each of the community hopefuls. The Estes family at Union (then
(Above) The Hawkins Mill as it now stands in Ozark, Missouri. Now owned by Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro. (To the left on facing page is another shot of the mill with the iron bridge that crosses the Finley River where a covered bridge once stood around the turn of the 20th century.
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known as School, Missouri) were such speculators. They built a large 3 story mill in the downtown area that would operate from 1902 until 1907. But then the railroad made their decision...the rails would run through Clever. Wiley Estes was determined to keep his mill near the railroad as it meant success for his business. So land was bought in Clever along the tracks and they mill was moved. The old mill was dismantled and moved to the new location and Clever had a mill. Prior to all the railroad speculation, the town of Boaz had a mill as well. Matthew Kerr operated a small mill during and after the Civil War just south of the town. Although small, the mill went by the name Jumbo. It was a modest operation that counted on wet weather operations due to limited water flow. Kerr’s son, Babe Kerr would move to Ozark and become a bartender. Babe would go on to own the locally famous Kelly and Kerr saloon in Springfield, Missouri. Many a bottle embossed with the Kelly and Kerr name can still be found in the Ozarks. Just west of Highlandville, Missouri there once was a town called Montague (also called Tory) on Tory Creek, which flows into the James River. A flour mill and general store were owned there by a W.H. Price. The Price Mill brand of flour was labeled Water Mill Flour. Currently the location is home to Mountain Springs Trout Park, a privately held trout farm.
Other mills that have been noted as being in Christian County are: Kimberling Mill (the same Kimberlings who owned the Ozark Mill site). This mill would have been located on Bull Creek in southern Christian County. They later also owned a mill at Silver Lake Branch in Stone County. The Carter Mill operated at the mouth of the Wood’s Fork where it empties into Bull Creek. John Owen operated a steam mill in Billings starting in 1874. William Thomas Drace, a physician who served as a surgeon in the Civil War, later owned a mill at Billings (not sure if the same mill site or another). Drace left the medical profession due to a loss of hearing and went into farming, and later the flour milling business in Howard County, Missouri. He would move milling operations to Billings in 1888. When that mill burned, the Kastendieck-Blades Mill was erected in 1891. Schupbach Mill, which was a steam mill at Chestnut Ridge, but little other information is available. Chestnut Ridge is south of Ozark, near Saddlebrooke and to the west of Highway 65. Southwest of Chestnut Ridge was the town of Reno. Following the boomtown trend at the “healing springs” of Reno, a lumber and grist mill operated there. The Sparta Mill at Melton Pond (east of Sparta near the new high school). A roller mill operated there for a time. Richard Jones Mill on Bull Creek just upstream where Red Bridge crosses Bull Creek (southeast of Ozark and off Highway W on Red Bridge Road). It was later known as McCoy Mill. The town that grew up around the works there was called Bulls Mills.
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THROUGH THE LENS Jay is an US Army Veteran of 34 years and makes his home in the Ozarks. Born in Fayetteville, Arkansas and currently the Executive Chairman for the Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas. Other examples of his work can be found at Facebook under Jay Stout Photography.
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Nixa
Nixa, Missouri was at first known as Faughts through the 1870s. At that time a post office was opened and the name Nixa was selected. One of Nixa's early civic leaders was Nicholas A. Inman, a blacksmith who moved from Tennessee in 1852. Inman established a partnership with Joe Weaver and opened a blacksmith shop in Ozark. Inman's family home site of 160 acres adjoins the present day corporate boundaries of Nixa. As the community continued to grow and new settlers and businesses opened in this "crossroads" site, a post office was opened. At a town meeting held to select a name for the community and post office, it was suggested that the town be named after Inman because of his years of service to the community. Another suggestion that "nix" best described the community, as it was "nothing but a crossroads" and the letter A added as a reference to the middle initial of Inman. Nixa would become an incorporated village on June 10, 1902.
Clever
Clever was located along the Old Wire Road which ran from St. Louis to Springfield, and then on to Fort Smith, Arkansas. The Butterfield stage also ran through from 1858 to 1861 and had its stop nearby at the Ashmore Station just northeast of Clever. Thus the town area provided a great spot for a trading post. A post office was established in 1896, and it is thought that a man named Tom Lentz gave it the name because the people there were so clever.
Billings
Just a year after Christian County was formed in 1859, a post office was formed for the community in the panhandle of Christian County. The official name at that time was Elba. In 1871 the name was changed to Billings. In 1860, barely a year after Christian County was formed, the community had grown to the point that it needed a post-office. One was established and formally named Elba, Mo. The name Elba was to be short lived. In 1871, the Frisco Railroad extended its lines to the area, and one of the officials donated a good sum of money for the building of a Union Church. John Billings was his name, and the community adopted the name as an honor to the man
Highlandville
Highlandville has an interesting history. Originally called Dutch Store, the town began as a trade stop on the wilderness road. Frank Kentling was a German immigrant who opened a trading post that became known as the “Dutch Store”, due to the language Kentling and his wife spoke. Kentling's wife, Katie Heide, had been married to a William Heide who was the bandmaster for the court of Maximilian. Katie was the lady in waiting for the Empress Charlotte, a daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium. The Heides came to Mexico with Maximilian during his rule there, but when he was executed in 1867, the couple fled to the U.S. When Maximilian was executed in 1867, the Heides fled Mexico, but the husband would die of injuries suffered in an earthquake. Heide would later marry Frank Kentling, and the pair would eventually end up on the Wilderness Trail location that they would build their trading post. A post office was added and Frank chose the name of Highlandville.
Spokane
Spokane is located just south of Highlandville on the old Wilderness Trail. A post office was established in 1892. At first the name of Lead Hill was selected, but rejected by the post office as there was already such a town in Missouri. Spokane was suggested and accepted as the official name.
Sparta
A Mr. J.J. Bruton is noted as having built the first house on Sparta’s main street. His mother came from Sparta, Tennessee and it is thought this is the origin of the town’s name.
Chadwick
The area of Chadwick was first a village just east of the where the town now sits and was called Log Town (all of the buildings were made of logs). It was later moved to the nearby cornfield that would become Chadwick. The town was named in honor of a foreman of the railroad crew, John Chadwick, who supposedly died after being kicked by a mule and was then buried at the Chadwick location. The post office was established on June 27, 1883. Chadwick would become a roaring town of timbermen, railroaders and miners during those railroad years. The Frisco Railroad line would come from Ozark and through Sparta before making its turn-
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around at Chadwick to head back. The train was the Chadwick Flyer. It would run until 1934.
Oldfield
This small community is three and one-half miles southeast of Sparta. It is located on Highway 125, at the junction of Highway T. Home of Oldfield Packing Plant and the Oldfield Opry which still holds live music events.
Garrison
South of Chadwick is the small town of Garrison at the junction of Barber and Swan Creeks. A mill was supposedly in the area at one time along Barber Creek. The town was name after “Uncle George” Garrison, the man who built the first store and was the first postmaster in 1884. Other Towns that still exist or did exist: Abadyl It was 3-1/2 miles north of Elkhead and had a store and school house at one time. Aisle, also known as Bengal, and also Boston Aisle was established as a post-office in 1889, and was renamed by the Post Office Department. It was discontinued in 1904. It is located on Highway T just southeast of Oldfield, Missouri along Elkhorn Creek. There was the Boston schoolhouse located here, or sometimes called Sand Springs School. It was originally a mining town. Boaz Boaz is a Biblical name chosen by a part time minister named Lemuel Crank. Crank had first settled in Stone County and opened a store and post office in 1890. The town was called Crank. Crank soon moved to the area now known as Boaz and started a new store and post office in 1893. It is likely he had set his eyes on the area as it was being considered as a spot on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The line ended up running through Clever instead. Bruner East of Sparta on Highway 14, Bruner was settled by a James Rathbun. He started a store and as postmaster attempted to name the town Rathbun, but that name was rejected as there already was a town of that name in Missouri, so he chose the name Bruner. Bull's Mills Located off Highway W, southeast of Ozark on Red Bridge Road. Just north of where the bridge crosses Bull Creek. Now private land and was a mill site and wilderness village. A cemetery still sits nearby.
Cassidy This community was established along the rail lines soon after the Chadwick branch of the Frisco railroad was built. It now sits as part of Fremont Hills, located a couple miles west of Highway 65 on County Road CC. The town died when the rail line closed in 1934. Chestnut Ridge Thought to be named for a man named Chestnut who hauled freight out of Springfield to early settlers of the section. A post office was established in 1901. Christian Center Located a couple miles down Highway W just outside Ozark. Hiram Grissell built a store there in 1903, and gave it the name because it was near to the center of Christian County. John Bilyeu bought the store in 1909 and ran it for forty more years. Delaware, also known as Griffin or Nelsons Mill This post office was between Nixa and Billings, along the James River bottom. A Delaware village before the Native Americans were moved west in the early 1830s. A couple mill sites would be built nearby throughout the years. (Authors Note: I spent my high school years farming that bottom land) Eau de Vie Meaning “Water of Life”. Located east of where Saddlebrooke now sits, in the extreme southern portion of Christian County along the Taney County line. Along with Reno, and Ponce De Leon in Stone County, it was a boomtown during the 1880s and through the end of the century as word spread of the healing powers of the mineral waters. Stores, hotels, dance halls, churches, a mill, schools, blacksmith shops and homes were built. The fad lost its faithful followers and the town dried up, leaving only the springs. There are little remnants of any of the town now. Elkhead East of Bruner on Highway 14. Glesa This was a post-office three miles west of Abadyl and almost due north of Bruner. Hope This was a county post-office 12 miles south of Ozark. Keltner This small community is located on Highway T, near the intersection of Highway DD. Southeast of Oldfield and past where Boston stood. Kenton, also known as Linden, and later Lindenlure On Highway 125 at the Finley River bridge crossing. First established in 1874 by a William Friend and had a grist mill, school house, blacksmith shop, a distillery and three general stores.
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BALD KNOBBERS During the Civil War the Ozarks faced bushwhackers, either outlaws looking to take advantage of the weak and innocent as the able bodied men were off to war, or by insurgents of both sides who looked to find “recruits”. Innocent blood was shed and mothers were left to fall to their knees as their young sons were dragged away, or family members were shot because they were suspected to be supporting the enemy. Homes, barns and mills were burned. After the war, the later growth of the railroads brought not only more citizens, but also more unsavory characters who preyed on the innocent. Memories were still fresh and it was easy for hardened men to turn to their own devices to bring about justice for the wrongs being done to their communities. As with any vigilante force, “justice” is the perception of those behind the gun and noose. Such a vigilante group started in Taney County, Missouri and would become known as the Bald Knobbers as they met upon a certain bald hill. Justice would spill over into murder and robbery. Vigilante would become the outlaw that was hunted. After an acquittal of man for murder that occurred in broad daylight, the community was up in arms and ready to begin forming community watches and vigilante justice. Nathaniel Kinney called a meeting. The 13 men would draw up the bylaws of the new community justice organization that would go by
Image of a Bald Knobber adorns a marker on Christian County square in Ozark the names of Citizens Committee, and also Law and Order League. In early spring of 1885, a mass meeting was scheduled atop Snapp’s Bald near Kirbyville, Missouri to recruit the countryside into the fold. The Bald Knobbers were born. Men were organized
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Buff Lamb, Man Behind The Badge..and Flashlight Old timers from Christian County, Missouri and the surrounding counties will recall Buff Lamb and his flashlight wielding days as county sheriff. Louard Elbert “Buff” Lamb (1924-2001) was in law enforcement from the 1940s through the 80s, and began his work as a city officer at Ozark at the age of 23 and later became Chief of Police.. Buff ran for sheriff of Christian County in 1961, but lost that election. He returned to the ballot in 1954 and won that election and began a long, and sometimes controversial career, as the man behind the badge of Christian County. Lamb was born in Kentucky, and headed for parts unknown at the age of 13. He was known to have joined the Jack Raum rodeo as a bull rider and bronco buster, and even put in time as a motorcycle daredevil. He moved to Ozark around 1945 to work for a rodeo owner and in 1947, he appeared in Christian County as a clown at the rodeo. But there was no fooling around with Buff’s brand of strict justice, and he often enforced that with the business end of his long flashlight. It garnered him respect from outside the county, at least the criminal element tended to give the county a wider berth due to that reputation. He would serve as sheriff until he lost an election in 1973. Buff spent the time away from law enforcement working the Alaskan pipeline, only to return to Christian County and win another election to sheriff in 1977. He would continue as sheriff until 1985. There were often allegations of corruption, or misuse, theft or outright abuse by Buff Lamb, but none were ever substantiated with any facts other than innuendos. Buff was just a year into being sheriff in 1965 when a couple thousand college kids hit the resort town of Rockaway Beach on Lake Taneycomo. Later that night, a drunken throng hit the roof of a dance hall and began taunting the police with bottles, rocks and fireworks. Help was requested from surrounding communities and Buff responded with a flashlight
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Origins of Towns Cont'd from Page 21 McCracken This was a regular stop on the Chadwick branch line of the Frisco, on the eastern edge of Ozark. Minersville This was a post-office, southeast of Ozark on Swan Creek. Montague Southwest of Highlandville on Tory Creek. Price Mill was located here & now home to Mountain Springs Trout Park. Olga This community was in the northeast of the county, five miles from the Douglas County Line. Pembina This community was 3 miles north of Kenton.
Buff Cont'd
Petelo There was a large Native American village here at one point along the large spring (Patterson Spring). A mill was later established in the area, but no remnants are now there. Named after the Indian Chief of the tribe of the area, Petelo. John L. White was the first white man known to settle in the Petelo area. Reno This community was 4 miles southwest of Chestnut Ridge and was the site of another mineral springs boomtown. There were two hotels, a dance hall and saloon, as well as three stores. A steam saw mill and grist mill were also located there. Riverdale A grist mill was operated during the time of the Civil War and thereafter. A ferry also took passengers and supplies across the Finley at this point until after the turn of the 19th century. Located east of Highway 160 and south of Nixa, at the junction of Pawnee Road and Riverdale Road.
and a dog. When he went into the crowd they scattered and his legend grew.
Saunders This community was six miles southwest of Chadwick.
His notoriety grew appreciably after another incident with a biker group (some have stated it was the Hell’s Angels). The bikers had been causing problems in Springfield, Missouri and once pushed out of town, they headed south towards Ozark. Buff supposedly met them in the middle of the road with a rifle in hand. He warned them not to cause any trouble.
Selmore Selmore, four miles south of Ozark on what is now Selmore Road (previously old Highway 65).
One of the bikers supposedly tried to run over Buff, but the hardened sheriff just stepped aside and kicked the bike and sent it and the rider into the ditch. After a bit of a standoff and stare down, the bikers apparently thought better of their odds, even though they outnumbered Buff and his deputies. They turned their bikes and left. Tales began about Buff that probably built him up a bit larger than life, but it is probably a good certainty that most of them were close to true.
Union City, also known as Union Near the Christian-Stone County Line, a mill was built in
Sto This was a county post-office on the southeastern edge of Christian County near the Taney County line.
1902. Later, in 1907, the mill was physically moved to Clever.
Nearly every young person in the county was aware of Buff Lamb, and his flashlight. As were those from other towns that came to cruise the Ozark square on weekends. One rumor was definitely true of Buff, if you were underage and he found liquor in your car, it went into the squad car and more often than not, the minor would be sent away with a stern warning. He lived by his own rules at times, and by today’s standards, Buff and his flashlight would likely face many accusations.
L.E. "Buff" Lamb with his dogs and patrol car in Christian County. Photo courtesy of Wayne Glenn)
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Bald Knobbers Cont'd from Page 22 into legions of vigilantes that would look to protect Taney County. Frank and Tubal Taylor had attacked an elderly couple and were in jail, and on April 15, 1885 they were pulled from the cells by the Bald Knobbers and hung. A sign was hung about Frank that read: “Beware! These are the first Victims to the Wrath of Outraged Citizens. More will follow. The Bald Knobbers. By the middle of the 1880s, the Bald Knobbers had spilled over into Christian County and were centered about the Sparta and Chadwick area, and other nearby communities. Sparta had become quite an economic center along the Frisco Railroad line, and the turnaround point for the rail line was Chadwick. Chadwick was quite the lively and often rowdy mix of money and tired workers looking for liquor and “fun” at the end of the rail line. There was plenty of crime for vigilantes to chalking up suspects for justice! Dave Walker, a farmer near Chadwick, Missouri on Bull Creek became the leader of the Christian County group. Bull Creek Dave, as he was known, had the group meet in a cave just off what is now Highway H that runs from Sparta to Forsyth. It of course became known as Bald Knobber Cave. The Christian County Bald Knobbers became known to be a little too self-indulgent in their perception of justice, and were just often mean spirited for no other reason than sport.
beaten and whipped. Later, Edens bragged about killing one of Dave Walker’s dogs. This was overheard by Walker’s son, William. Even though Dave Walker apparently was intent on still disbanding, it was agreed by the group that again whipping Edens would be their last act. That night they would shoot Charles Green and William Edens, and leave elder James Edens seriously injured. The members were hunted down by Sheriff Zach Johnson and deputies, and four members were sentenced to hang. Those condemned were Dave Walker, William “Billy” Walker, John Mathews and his nephew Wiley Mathews. Wiley would escape before the hanging, and only the Walkers and John Mathews would face the gallows on May 10, 1889. Bull Creek Dave and his son William are buried in the Abundance Cemetery in Sparta. John Mathews is buried on his homestead near Chadwick, and the land is now part of the Mark Twain National Forest but remains marked with a headstone and other stones about the grave site. While the Walkers and Mathews lay in jail, the Anti-Bald Knobber groups in Taney County looked for their own brand of justice for the havoc that Kinney and his outlaws caused for them. An assassin was picked and in August of 1888, Billy Miles entered a store and shot Kenney three times with a pistol. Miles immediately surrendered and his claim for self-defense was quickly accepted.
In 1887, after the Taney County Bald Knobbers had disbanded, Dave Walker had sought to do the same with the Christian County group. Unfortunately, a man by the name of William Edens had boasted that if the Bald Knobbers came to whip him, they had better come count their dead. Later, he was taken from his home and indeed
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The Legend of Alf Bolin
Murderer, Thief and Downright Scoundrel
John Gideon, a schoolmate of Alf Bolin when they were younger, once wrote this of Bolin, "Alf was six feet one inch tall, dark complexioned, black hair worn down on his shoulders and parted in the middle, black eyes, forehead very broad and not more than an inch high, mouth very broad and lips very thin. He never laughed and very seldom smiled. He was broad-shouldered, slender-waisted and weighed about 165 pounds." Who was Alf Bolin? A murderer and a thief in the Christian, Stone and Taney County areas and immortalized in tale. Bolin’s family had moved to the Ozarks from Tennessee and settled on the border of Christian and Stone County in the area of Hooten Town. Young Alf would work for local men during his time in that area, hiring out to the likes of Calvin Cloud and Samuel Nelson who had built a mill along Crane Creek. Alf and the Bolin family appeared to be making their way in Missouri. Things changed drastically when the Civil War began. Alf had declared he would not fight for either side, and kept his word when he avoided service by hiding out in the woods as the war began. Rumors abound as to what really happened. Did Union forces beat his mother when she refused to give up Alf’s location when they came to recruit him? Or did he just become an outlaw of opportunity as the women, children and unable stayed behind while the men were off to war? Regardless of the reasons, Alf Bolin and a couple of his cohorts would become bushwhacking criminals. Bolin’s gang stayed out of the limelight for the most part, until just after the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Jesse Galloway was a noted soldier, having fought as a captain in the Mexican War and also a captain of the Home Guards during the Civil War. Galloway was home near Spokane, Missouri after the battle when Alf and two other men came calling with no good intentions on September 29, 1861. Galloway was outside the home with two of his children when Bolin and the men rode up. Shots rang out and Galloway went down and it has been said that the men began to ride their horses back and forth across his body. Bolin became a very wanted criminal at that moment. Numerous crimes, including more murders, would follow and Bolin appeared to often target Union soldiers and their families. His evil seemed to know no lines of decency. On October 10, 1862 Bolin went to his old employer, Calvin Cloud, apparently bent on stealing a gun. Cloud was shot dead outside his barn. Bolin fled the area after that,
avoiding Stone and Christian County for the most part, and focused on robberies around what became known as Murder Rocks just south of Kirbyville, Missouri in Taney County. Here the gang would ambush travelers along the Harrison Road coming from Springfield leading down into Arkansas. A large reward had been placed for the head of Alf Bolin and historical accounts note the amount running anywhere from $1000 to $5000. Ironically, it would be a Rebel sympathizer who would be called upon to collect the reward. There are varying stories as to the name of the Confederate involved. Some say a man named Richards, others say Foster. We will just call him Foster. The story goes that Foster told his captors that he knew Bolin and how to catch him…if they released him. Union officers agreed and Foster sent word to his wife of a plan to trap Bolin and she agreed to help. A Union soldier by the name of Zachariah Thomas of Pennsylvania volunteered to join the plot. Zachariah would dress as a Confederate soldier and walk to the Foster cabin and feign illness. The wife would then send word to Bolin that a Rebel friend needed help. It was the cold end of January or first of February in 1863 when Bolin came to the cabin. Bolin fell for the ruse and it has been said that while he lit his pipe at the fireplace, Zachariah struck Bolin across the head with a plow rod. When the unconscious Bolin started to moan, he was struck again and this time was killed from the blow. Union troops then converged on the scene and Bolin’s body was set to be taken back to Forsyth. Proper identification was required, and after all, the reward was for Bolin’s head. So Bolin was beheaded and his head stuck away in a box to be taken back to Ozark, Missouri (some accounts note that the head was removed as the body had begun to stink so bad from decomposition that it was decided on the head was needed). The widow of Calvin Cloud was chosen for the task of identification. (I would imagine this was a macabre show of justice and revenge, rather than true identification as many knew Bolin and could step forward to identify his remains). The pregnant widow was brought to Ozark and confirmed that it was Alf Bolin. Or so goes the tale. It has been said Bolin’s head was displayed in the window of a general store on the Ozark square for several days, or atop a pole at the square. Nonetheless, the days of murder and causing mayhem had ended for Alf Bolin.
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WELCOME TO BIG SPRINGS TRADING COMPANY! The Big Springs girls are serving delicious food in a cozy little restaurant a couple miles south of St. Joe, Arkansas, right near the Bufffalo National River. We specialize in house-smoked meats, like our rather addictive bacon and tender brisket. Whether you’re visiting the river or headed to Branson, stop by and enjoy a meal, visit with some local characters, or take some of our Arkansas smoked meat home or on your adventure.
Place your order or make reservations now! (870) 439-2900 or Visit our website at Bigspringsrestaurant.com
WE SHIP NATIONWIDE! OPEN ALL YEAR!
14237 North Highway 65 in St. Joe, Arkansas
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Hiking Our Ozarks Pickle Springs Natural Area
Pickle Springs is one of those hiking ares that you pause before sharing. Why? Despite its rocky surfaces and lush surroundings, the natural area is a delicate ecosystem where you will find any number of common plants of the Ozarks, as well as more rare varieties. Keeping to the trail is an embrace upon Mother Nature that you understand what your own mom taught you as a child..."Look with your eyes, not your hands".
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Smallin Cave Cont'd Offers a one-hour guided tour on an elevated concrete walkway (no stairs). Because Smallin Cave supplied water and shelter for early people, archaeologists have documented 9,500 years of human history from Native American thru the pioneer days and the Civil War.
Named a Natural Landmark Area in 1974, Pickle Springs is part of the Missouri Conservation lands and is open to the general public. There is no camping and keep to the marked trails to avoid disturbing the delicate ecosystem. Campgrounds are available in nearby Hawn State Park which is approximately 9 miles away to the farthest area. It is found by taking AA east from Pickle Springs (you will be turning left as you come back from Pickle Springs) for about 3 miles and then turn left on Hawn Park Road. LOCATION Pickle Springs is approximately 8 miles outside Farmington, Missouri in Sainte Genevieve County (Farmington is just across in St Francois County). Take Hwy 32 east approximately 5.5 miles and then turn right on State Hwy AA. Travel 1.5 miles and then turn left on Durlac Road, Pickle Springs will under a half mile ahead. GPS: 37.800111, -90.301788
They also offer an adventure tour that they call the wild tour which allows the guests to experience the cave beyond the trail and lights. The wild tour is offered year round and is a 2 hour tour that takes guests on an off trail trip that involves wading through water in the stream and pools and into areas not seen with the normal tour. There are some unique photography opportunities on this tour, as well. Civil War Tours for 2016 run from September 17th through November 5th on Saturday evenings. The tour lasts from 7:00 P.M. to approximately 9:00 PM, and includes a dinner of ham and beans, fried 'taters, and cornbread around the campfire. After dinner, the guests take a lantern-light tour of beautiful Smallin cave (if you like Civil War history, this tour is a must-do!). Unlike the daily one-hour guided tours, both the Wild Tour and the Civil War Tour must be reserved, so guests are encouraged to call 417-551-4545 to make arrangements for their visit.
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The Civil War in Christian County Christian County was no stranger to the Civil War. Bushwhackers were the main threat to the area, and intrusions by both North and South Forces on their way back and forth to battle positions within Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. The site of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek lies just north of the Christian County line and just eight days before that battle, The Battle of Dug Springs would occur in the county just outside Clever. While Christian County did not really pose a threat to either side of the field, nor a necessarily economic value, it was strategic in that it lay along routes between Forsyth and Springfield, and further points south in
Arkansas. Milling operations were probably the greatest attraction for forces to attempt to hold positions as food resources were needed for soldiers and horses. Forces were likely to be found along the Ozark Mail Trace Road as they traveled through the county and along the Old Wire Road leading towards Fayetteville and Fort Smith in Arkansas. Early battles in Wilson’s Creek and Dug Springs probably solidified the area as a strategic holding buffer for forces in Springfield. Largely forgotten by most, the Battle of Dug Springs was a pivotal skirmish leading up to the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon had Union troops at Springfield, Missouri and Missouri State Home Guard Major General Sterling Price had
Confederate soldiers in Cassville, along with Rebel forces manned by Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch and Arkansas State Troops under Brigadier General Nicholas Peace. Lyon was out-gunned in troop numbers by the Confederate forces. A false report that McCulloch and Price had not pulled together yet, led Lyon to hope that he could strike each separately. So on August 1, 1861 he led 5,800 Union men out of Springfield and down the Old Wire Road. The march ended at Dug Springs in order for the men to quench their thirst amid the summer heat. Meanwhile, McCulloch and Price’s 12,000 troops were encamped at Crane Creek, just a few miles from Dug Springs. An advance force of Union soldiers ran into the picket lines. The Northern troops were four companies of infantry and an artillery battery. The Southerners retreated from the possible artillery fire and rejoined their own advance guard and a skirmish ensued between the opposing forces. Word was sent back to McCulloch that the Union army had arrived. A small contingent of men was sent as support, but ordered not to battle… just test the strength of the enemy. On the Union side of command, Nathaniel Lyons had given the orders not to battle as well, just hold the line and fall back if pressed. Towards evening, the Confederates pressed forward towards Dug Springs. It would later be called a gallant charge, but the choice of the Union Cavalry mounting a saber charge into the enemy lines would be ill-fated as close quarter gunfire unhorsed most of those men and ultimately led to the Union forces dropping back. But equally ill-fated was the subsequent pursuit by the Southern forces. When Union artillery fire rained down, the Rebels broke in confusion and fled.
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Confederates would count one dead, two missing and a few wounded. The Union Federals would suffer four killed and seven wounded, all but one from the cavalry saber charge. McIntosh, who had not yet made it back to Crane Creek, declined to assist Rains, but did rally most of the fugitives. Although exact losses will never be known, Rieff reported, “one man partially scalped with a saber, one dead from exhaustion, one missing, never heard from, and a few slightly wounded.” State Guard casualties were probably equally light, and the Federals suffered four killed and seven wounded, all but one cavalrymen from the impetuous saber charge. The small battle was important as it was a blow to the Price-McCulloch relationship as McCulloch drew the opinion that Price’s troops were “put to flight by a single cannon-shot." McCulloch would attempt to move on the Federals who were now retreating back to Springfield, but realized they would get there before he could engage. So the Confederates halted for the night and the next day moved into the valley of Wilson’s Creek. Two days later, on August 10, 1861 the Battle of Wilson’s Creek would begin. A year to the day after the Battle of Dug Springs, the first battle of Ozark would occur. The town of Ozark was divided in loyalties, as officials and businesses appeared to support the Rebels, while the citizens were loyal to the Union. Union forces would move into the town early in the war in order to control the mill and courthouse positions. The mill would remain
in operation during the war, and would be occupied by both sides at one time or another. Unlike a lot of mills throughout the area, the mill was not burned. Perhaps because the owners, John Weaver and William Lawing were slave holders, thus appeared to Rebels as sympathizers, but the mill owners were solid supporters of the North. The Union camp at Ozark was named Camp Brown, named after the Brigadier General Egbert Brown, who controlled the 14th Regiment that was stationed there. Also at Camp Brown was Captain James Robertson, who left his mill at Jamesville to join the war effort. The first “battle” of Ozark occurred on August 2, 1862. Colonel Lawther marched his Confederate troops from the White River in Taney County attacked the Christian County courthouse. Union forces would hold position and Lawther would retreat back to the south. Looking to now be in Ozark for the long haul, Union troops established barracks and built a small, primitive wooden fort. Confederate troops would return to Ozark on January 7, 1863 as General John Marmaduke marched 1500 men to Ozark. Union forces were aware of their approach and retreated, leaving the Rebels to take Ozark. The fort and barracks were torched, but the mill and courthouse were apparently left unharmed. Marmaduke continued on north to engage in the second Battle of Springfield. Union forces held at Springfield and Marmaduke was forced to retreat to Hartville, Missouri. Life returned to a bit of normal after that retreat, long enough for the criminal Alf Bolin to be captured and killed, and his decapitated head to be displayed on the Ozark square in February 1863. As the rest of the war continued on in other parts of the state and country, businesses reopened
August 24, 1861 Harper's Weekly illustration of the Battle of Dug Spring.
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Homesteading The Ozarks Harvest days means some front porch sittin' & snapping beans...
The Joys of Canning
honey-like aroma of pears drifted through the house, and the feeling of satisfaction in a job well done sat upon us like a beam of sunlight from Heaven.
So, your dining room table and floor are covered in newspapers, tomatoes, squash, green beans and peas. It’s an affair many gardeners face as they set out to preserve the harvest. What to do with all of this food? Friends and family are hiding from us in fear of us having another grocery bag of fresh produce to give them. It may be time to start preserving. I remember a time when my wife and I were really just figuring out the whole food preservation thing. We both grew up in families that prided themselves in the art of food preservation; perhaps there were a few times we should have paid a little more attention.
Then it happened…
by Tom Faber, Briarhill Farms
It was 1990 something and an apparent bumper crop of pears was upon us. Hours of picking, peeling, and cutting had come & gone, and now the canning began. We were delighted at the prospect of delicious home canned pears to enjoy throughout the winter and in to the spring. A sweet almost
About 5 days after canning countless jars of pears in pints and quarts and storing them safely in the pantry. We came home one evening not to the sweet almost honey-like aroma of pears, but rather the stench of a cheap poor quality beer-like noxious gas. It was the kind of smell that takes your breath away and leaves you gagging and begging for fresh air. It was easy to locate the source of this acrid, nostril burning invisible cloud of torture as there appeared to be (what I thought at the time) liquid napalm dripping from the pantry and was fixing to eat its way through the floor and beyond. What went wrong? How could this happen? Who’s going to clean this up? The point of this story? There is no point, I missed out on pears that year and was really ticked off about it. But I suppose there is always a lesson to be learned in circumstances like this. Lessons like; there are old, tried, and true recipes for food preservation out there. They are old for a reason, because they work. Also, don’t be afraid to consult with someone who’s been doing this for a while. Wisdom can always be gleaned from those who are wise. Lastly, don’t be afraid to fail. Learn from those mistakes, and figure out what you can do to avoid them in the future. Be safe, always use proper precautions when you are preparing, and preserving. Your family’s health depends on it.
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...and canning in a hot kitchen!
Memories The summer of 1966 I was thirteen years old and my parents planted a garden. Instead of the normal two or three hills of cucumbers that most people plant, we somehow ended upon with three very long rows and apparently it was a fine year for a bumper crop. My Grandmother Loma wouldn’t let anything go to waste so she decided to teach me to make pickles. Since Bread and Butter pickles were my favorite we agreed that would be my first batch. She came over with a dozen pint jars and before the day was finished my beautiful jars of pickles were sitting on a tee-towel on the cabinet and I was listening to make sure each jar lid “popped”, signaling that they had sealed.
of Grandma her house would heat up with the pressure cooker building steam. It was hard work but let me tell you, to see all those fruits and vegetables lined up on the shelves in her basement was one beautiful sight to behold. You never went to visit her that you didn’t leave with a few jars of canned goods and a dozen eggs from her chickens. Although, I haven’t canned since she passed, it’s a nice feeling knowing I have the skill to preserve my own food. I learned from the master and she taught me well. by Karla Schupback Pennington, Pennington Supermarkets of Ash Grove, Missouri
As the days wore on and the cucumber supply swelled, I was scrambling to find enough jars. I was on the phone to Grandma on an hourly basis asking for more lids, jars, spices, or onions. I think my Grandfather (Fred) made at least two trips a day to the store for more canning supplies for me. What started out as pints had now graduated to quarts. By the time the summer was over I had canned over 165 jars of Bread and Butter pickles. I’ll bet a nickel there are still pickles in that old cellar. In the coming years Grandma taught me to can jelly, green beans, beets, corn and tomatoes. I loved our “garden talks” as we spent hours chatting in her weed free patch of ground. She wouldn’t have air conditioning so
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FALL FESTIVAL GUIDE (Continued from Page 1)
September 3-5 65th Annual Clothesline Fair in Pea Ridge, Arkansas At this Ozark Arts & Crafts Exhibition, which started in 1951, explore more than 100 craft booths with vendors demonstrating and selling their wares. Living history, musi-cal entertainment, and square dancing are all important parts of this celebration. Re-freshments available through the Prairie Grove Lions Club and other local non-profit vendors. Craft vendors will need to register with the Arts Center of the Ozarks (ACO) at (479) 751-5441, or visit the ACO website www.acozarks.org. Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park Admission: Free, parking on park grounds $5 Sept 8-10 St James Grape and Fall Festival in St. James, Missouri Street Market, Queen Pageant, 4-H/FFA Livestock Show & Sale, 4-H/FFA Exhibits, Lucy Wortham James, Open Exhibits, Kids' Games, Carnival, Live Entertainment, Demoli-tion, Derby, Wine & Beer Garden, Parade September 9-11 21st Annual Japanese Fall Festival in Springfield, Missouri Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden Nathanael Greene / Close Memorial Park Interactive dance, music and other cultural activities from Japan. September 9-11 21st Annual Arkansas Hot Air Balloon State Championship in Harrison, Arkansas Friday evening is the hare and the hound race. Saturday morning more race competi-tions. The evening events will continue with balloons tethered to the ground for the ex-citing balloon glow. Tethered rides will be offered to the public for $5.00. http://www.arkansasballoonfest.com/ September 9-10 22nd Annual Ash Flat Eagle Fest in Ash Flat, Arkansas Friday: Prison Band at 6 p.m. Saturday: Forever Young Band at 6:30 p.m. Food and craft vendors, inflatables, kid and adult baking contests, door prizes, money drawing, bike giveaway, 50/50 raffle, and music all day (gospel, country, bluegrass.) Ash Flat Ball Park September 10, 2016 Parkland Ballon Festival in Farmington, Missouri The Parkland Balloon Festival sponsored by The Farmington Tourism Bureau, the City of Farmington, and the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce is set for Saturday, September 10, 2016 beginning at 12:00 pm. The "Balloon Glow" portion, featuring 12-15 balloons, will begin at dusk. Stay tuned for a set schedule of events! Static Aircraft Display from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm at the Farmington Regional Airport. Activities throughout the day at Engler Park: Vendors, Food, Live Music, Kids Games, Train Rides, Bounce Houses, Face Painting, Petting Zoo September 10 Lake of the Ozarks Air Show in Camdenton, Missouri Camdenton Memorial Lake Regional Airport Phone: 573-346-0300 September 10 39th Ozark Quilt Fair in Springdale, Arkansas 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History Admission: Free www.shilohmuseum.org September 10 16th Annual Fall Festival in Osage Beach, Missouri 10 am to 5 pm Osage Beach City Park The 16th Annual Osage Beach Fall Festival will include free ac-tivites for kids, such as a petting zoo, four large inflatables/bounce houses, Bow Wow contest, fishing and pellet shooting, and displays. There will also be great food, art and crafts boots, live entertainment and an evening concert at the park. http://www.osagebeach.org September 10 Capital Jazzfest and Capital Street Art Fair in Jefferson City, Missouri The Capital Jazzfest and Capital Street Art Fair takes place SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2016 in downtown Jefferson City. It is free and open to the public. The chalk art competition starts at 1:00 pm, and the music starts at 1:30 pm. The results of the chalk competition will be announced around 5:00 pm and the music will end at 8:00 pm. It is family friendly. Location: The stage will be at the corner of Madison and High streets, with the chalk art competition running on High street, from Jefferson to Monroe streets. Cost: FREE and open to the public. Contact: (573) 635-6866, info@capjazz.org for the Jazzfest, (573) 635-8355, artsadmin@capitalarts.org for the chalk art competition. September 12 – 17 Crawford County Fair - A Rooting Good Time in Mulberry, Arkansas There is something for everyone featuring a full carnival on the midway, food booths, pageants, a 4-H livestock auction, commercial exhibits, tractor displays, horticulture exhibits, arts, community booths, bluegrass & gospel music, and we can't forget about those famous Lions Club burgers at The Shack! September 13 – 17 Baxter County Fair in Mountain Home, Arkansas County fair, rides, exhibits, livestock. Baxter County fairgrounds Admission: $5 www.baxtercountyfair.org Sept 15 Republic Steam O Rama in Republic, Missouri Steam engines, tractors show and swap. Antiques and food vendors. September 15 - 18 10th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest in Osage Beach, Missouri Events include spectacular scenic rides, more than 200 biker friendly bars and restau-rants, great parties, vendors, and rockin' concerts at night! http://www.lakebikefest.com September 15 Fall Little Niangua Mountain Man Festival in Roach, Missouri 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Mountain men and traders capture the days of the 1840's as they dress in their 19th cen-tury attire and live in genuine tee-pees and canvas tents during the rendezvous. You can experience a segment of living American history at its very best as these mountain men compete in black powder shoots, tomahawk and knife throwing contests, fire start-ing and tall tale telling. You can shop Trader's Row for unique hand-crafted gifts, folk art and artifacts from the past. There is always an array of artisans, story tellers, gun-smiths, re-enactors and blacksmiths to guide you through a journey back in time. You will experience the sights and sounds of a real frontier rendezvous, the smell of camp-fires and the enchantment of walking in the footsteps of early pioneers. http://gorvcamping.com/mountainman.htm
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September 15th - 17th Hootin an Hollarin Gainesville, MO Crafts, music, contests and food! Bed and outhouse races. September 15 -17 Music, arts and crafts.
The 43rd Annual Autumn Daze Festival in Branson, Missouri
September 16 -17 Laurie Hillbilly Fair in Laurie, Missouri Activites and attractions for young and old. Bands, carnival rides, and games. http://www.cityoflaurie.com September 17 Annual Wilder Days in Mansfield, Missouri We will be having our 2nd Annual Fiddle Contest on Wilder Day. Venders and volunteers from the community gather to show midwestern hospitality to visitors during the celebration. Arts and crafts, food and historical presentations September 17 Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival in Conway, Missouri From Conway, Missouri take Highway Y and follow the signs. The park is at the corner of Starvy Creek Road and Bluegrass Road. Sep 17, 2016 7th Annual Mayor's Cup Regatta in Jefferson City, Missouri The Capital City Sailing Association is hosting the 7th Annual Mayor’s Cup Regatta, first race at 1:00pm Saturday afternoon. This event is open to all sailors. If you are interested in participating, please contact the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Department for more details. Race starts at 1pm, open house prior to race Location: Binder Lake Sailing Facility, N Binder Lake Drive Cost: Free September 17 – 18 Cider Days in Springfield, Missouri Enjoy attractions and activities like pumpkin painting, live entertainment presented across the event’s three stages, children’s activities, arts and crafts vendors and, of course, fall-themed eats. Experience the very best of the fall season with the entire family! September 17 – 18 Annual Cane Hill Harvest Festival in Cane Hill, Arkansas All you can eat breakfast served Saturday and Sunday. Live music. Cane Hill Museum and Country Store will be open. Arts & crafts, food, quilt show, demonstrations, living history presentation, horseshoes, petting zoo, and children activities. Apple butter, sorghum, and lye soap for sale. 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Admission: Free September 17 -October 23 Harvest Fest at Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park in Springfield, Missouri Recurring weekly on Sunday, Friday, Saturday beginning Sep 17, 2016 through Oct 23, 2016. Springfield, MO September 21-24 19th Annual Petit Jean Fall Swap Meet near Morrilton, Arkansas Swap meet and car sale with 600 spaces. Open car show on Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Military vehicle rally Thursday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. www. museumofautos.com September 21-24 17th Annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville, Arkansas Generates monies for local profits. Motorcyle rally, rides and of course, Blues & BBQ. September 21-25 Plein Air Painting Competition, Show & Sale in St Genevieve, Missouri Time Varies for Events Where: Historic District Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670 Following the European tradition of capturing the atmosphere of the outdoors, con-temporary artists are invited to join the realms of the famous regionalist artists of the 1930s by painting outdoors in the scenic Sainte Genevieve area. Among the highlights: multiple paint outs & competitions, generous prizes, social events. Admission: $35 for Participating Artists For more information: ArtsSteGen.org (Plein Air Painting page) September 22-24 32nd Annual Heart of the Ozarks Bluegrass Fall Festival in West Plains, MO FREE beans and cornbread Thursday night with paid admission 5 –to 7 or until the beans run out! Biscuits & Gravy Saturday morning! Prices vary from $5 to $10, or passess available. Park Opens Sunday Before Festival For more information, contact the Ozark Welcome Center 1-888-256-8835, tour-ism@ westplains.net. September 24 16th Annual Oktoberfest in Old Munichburg (Jefferson City) Missouri Come have some fun at Jefferson City's 16th Annual Oktoberfest celebrating the south side German heritage. Activities will include German dinners, german music and danc-ing, Muenchberg Beer/Wine Garden, Kids Korner, Dachshund Derby, craft show and car show. Cost: Free Admission September 24, 2016 Fall Festival in Farmington, Missouri The Farmington Downtown Development Association will hold their annual Fall Festival in downtown Farmington 10 am til 3 pm September 24 19th annual Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival in Carl Junction, Missouri The largest, longest-running bluegrass festival in the region. This free admission, fami-ly oriented event is held under a beautiful canopy of shade trees next to the creek in Carl Junction's Center Creek. Event includes: 8 bluegrass bands, car & bike show, arts & crafts booths, food vendors, 5K race, Center Creek duck race; chili cook-off; and chil-dren's activities. FREE admission. Bring your lawn chairs. VIP Parking available. Shut-tle service available. Service animals only. No alcohol. Presented by the Carl Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. Proud partner of the Joplin Convention & Visitors Bu-reau. September 24 38th Annual Ozark Memories Day in Dover, Arkansas Lion's Club Pancake breakfast 6:30-11 a.m. Parade at 10 a.m. All-day activities, children's games, musical entertainment, Dutch oven cooking demonstrations, pie contest, craft booths and demonstrations, bump and jump, commercial booths, petting zoo, po-ny rides, horseshoe tournament, and a variety of foods. Chicken dinner at 5:30 p.m. with musical entertainment. Admission: Free doverchamber.net September 24 31st Annual Turkey Festival in Eldon, Missouri The 31st Annual Eldon Turkey Festival will be Saturday, September 26th, 9:00 am-5:00 pm in downtown Eldon. There will be over 170 food, crafts & merchandise vendors in attendance, live entertainment on 3 stages, with headline band, "Eight Track, The Old-ies Band". http://www.eldonchamber.com
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Fair Grove Heritage Reunion. September 24 & 25, 2016 Gather around the mill for arts, crafts and Antiques! September 26-October 1 Butler County Fair & Iron Horse Festival in Poplar Bluff, MO Parade, Collegiate Timbersports, Tractor Pull, Demolition Derby, Rodeo, New Carnival on the grounds, Monster Truck Ride, Car Show, BBQ Cook Off, 4H Animals, Canned Food, Petting Zoo, Arts and Crafts, Kids' Power Wheel Demo Derby, and Lawnmower Races. The 2016 Iron Horse Festival will take place Saturday October 1st at 10 am until 4 pm. Live entertainment all day, free kids zone, triathlon, car show, veterans program, grape stomp, food vendors, craft vendors, farmers market, tons of demonstrations, art muse-um activities, river races, and so much more. September 29 -October 2 Jacob's Cave Fall Swapping Days near Versailles, Missouri One of the largest outdoor swapmeets in the Ozarks, plus small animal swap. By, Sell, Trade and Look. Check website for vendor pricing. $5 Parking for shoppers. www.jacobscave.com/jacobscaveanimalswap.htm September 30th, October 1st and 2nd 43rd Annual Ozark Arts & Crafts Show in Ozark, Missouri Friday & Saturday, 9am to 6pm - Sunday, 9am to 4pm www.ozarkcraftfair.com
October 2016 Every Weekend in October! Hermann Oktoberfest Held every weekend in October, the Hermann Oktoberfest has become a beloved tradition for thousands throughout the Midwest. Food, Beer, Wine and festivities! http://visithermann.com/hermann-oktoberfest/ October 1 Folklife Festival in St. Joe, Arkansas Ozark artists and craftspeople together for a day of musical performances and demon-strations to celebrate Ozark culture. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tyler Bend Visitors Center, Buffalo National River. Admission is Free. www.nps.gov/buff October 1 27th Annual Hardy Homesteaders Day in Hardy, Arkansas Step back in time to enjoy the "good ol' days" with no air conditioning or running wa-ter. We have a great time and want you to come and join us when the fall foliage will be at its peak. Dress contest, chuckwagon cooking, open fire cooking, turtle racing, demonstrations of blacksmithing and weaving. Kids can ride the self-propelled merry-go-round and lend a helping hand at scrubbing clothes in a wash tub. Kettle beans and hoecakes are free. Free handmade quilt giveaway. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Admission is Free October 1 Pumpkin Daze in Republic, Missouri Giant Pumpkins! There's no better way to experience the spirit of autumn in the Ozarks. Join us on Main Street in Republic for crafts, games and food! October 1 Ozarko Marching Band Festival at Missouri State University High school bands from across the region compete on the Missouri State campus in the 41st annual OZARKO Invitational Marching Band Festival 2016 October 10 Jefferson City MultiCultural Fall Festival The Jefferson City Multicultural Fall Festival promises a great day of entertainment, food, vendors, and a special children's activity area embracing the diverse cultures found in mid-Missouri. Experience the community’s diversity in downtown Jefferson City. 10am-3pm. Cost: Free October 1st thru 29th 50th Annual Maple Leaf Festival in Carthage, Missouri The Maple Leaf Festival kicks off on October 1 with a Lobster Boil at 4:30 at the Historic Phelps House. Each week drums up new experiences, and the weekends find you enjoying 5k and 10K runs, pageants, auto cruise-ins, quilt shows, and other great festival activities, including of course, enjoying the autumn colors along the historic streets of Carthage! Full event listings at carthagechamber.com/mapleleaf October 1 Versailles Olde Tyme Apple Festival in Versailles, Missouri The Versailles Area Chamber of Commerice is proud to host the 37th Annual Olde Tyme Apple Festival. This award-winning festival is enjoyed by thousands of festival-goers from all over the state and beyond. www.versailleschamber.com/applefestival October 7 – 9 37th Annual Ozarks Fall FarmFest in Springfield, Missouri Largest farm and ranch show in the Ozarks will feature the latest in agricultural technology and rural living. Over 800 booths and have over 500 head of registered livestock on display. Vendors will feature a variety of animal health products, trailers, livestock handling equipment, livestock waterers, feed, tools, trucks, forage equipment, agricultural services, rural living items and livestock exhibits. October 7-8 5th Annual Leslie Mountain Man Rendezvous in Leslie, Arkansas See pre-1840 history come alive. Public, private, and home schools invited on Friday. Vendors on site. The mountain folk once again will descend on the historic town of Leslie for the annual Leslie Mountain Man Rendezvous. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission: Free www.searcycountyarkansas.org/ October 7 – 9 Fall Festival Arts & Crafts Fair And Midwest Steak Cook-Off in Van Buren, Arkansas More than 100 exhibitors display fine artwork, handcrafted items, antiques and collect-ibles. Rain or shine. Friday evening concert. Saturday and Sunday offer arts & crafts & entertainment. www.oldtownvanburen.com/ October 7th, 8th, 9th 50th Apple Butter Makin' Days in Mount Vernon, Missouri Over 400 craft and food booths, a parade, and lots of entertainment October 8 Homegrown Festival in Siloam Springs, Arkansas A street festival showcase of locally handmade goods, curated vintage, food trucks, and live music. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission is Free www.mainstreetsiloam.org October 8 Old-Fashioned Day in Benton, Arkansas This is Benton's oldest festival which benefits the Benton Senior Activity & Wellness Center. Come check out the arts & crafts, food, entertainment, inflatables, animal adoption, skillet throwing, and more. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Admission is Free Benton Senior Activity & Wellness Center
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October 8 Taste of Springfield & Oktoberfest in Springfield, Missouri Springfield's premier culinary event features local restaurants, beer sampling, booths for specialty vendors and local music. This event is in the heart of Springfield’s entertainment district with more than 40 restaurants and 20 nightclubs within walking distance. October 8-9 48th Annual Heritage Festival in Arrow Rock, Missouri Arrow Rock was one of the first town's to host a heritage craft festival, and its festival continues to draw thousands each year. This year's festival features lost-art crafts demonstrated and sold by costumed artisans, live music and entertainment, great food, and the historic ambiance you won't find anywhere else! Admission is $2 per day and includes parking. Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. October 12-16 9th Annual Spanker Creek Farm Arts And Crafts in Bentonville, Arkansas An extraordinary outdoor market. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission: Free www.spankercreekfarm.com October 13-16 War Eagle Mill Fall Craft Fair near Rogers, Arkansas Features handmade craft, high quality cuisine and great live music. More than 200 craft fair vendors in all. A great opportunity to shop, eat and dance. Not all areas are acces-sible to people with disabilities. Admission: Free www.WarEagleMill.com October 13-15 2nd Annual Rodeo Of The Ozarks Arts & Crafts Fair in Springdale, Arkansas 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Admission: Free www.rodeooftheozarks.org/arts-crafts-festival/ October 13-15 Bella Vista Arts And Crafts Festival in Belle Vista, Arkansas Over 300 booths provide art pieces and craft items, always hand-made. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission: Free www.bellavistafestival.org October 14 -15 Apple Butter Days & Fall Festival in Linn Creek, Missouri 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Many crafters with a variety of items. Open 9 am to 4 pm both days at the Craft demon-strations, quilt raffle, apple butter and apple pies available. Admission free. Chili and soup lunch available for donation. www.camdencountymuseum.com October 15 Old Fashion Square Gathering in Ozark, Arkansas Throughout the day, there will be music, games, good food of all kinds, and free entertainment. 9 am - 5 pm Admission: Free www.mainstreetozark.com/html/square_gathering.html October 15 Rock The Block Art Fair in Heber Springs, Arkansas Rock the Block Art Fair is a one-day, outdoor, fine arts fair. Fall is the perfect time to experience the recreational opportunities of the area, stroll through historic downtown, listen to music, and browse the art fair in search of one-of-a-kind art. All participating artists are juried for inclusion in the fair to maintain a high quality of handmade art and craft. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Admission: Free October 15 9th Annual Fall Family Day in Batesville, Arkansas Bring the entire family for crafts, games, and fun to celebrate our local history. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Admission: Free www.oirm.org October 22 Oct 22, 2016 Springfield, MO
Antique Festival of the Ozarks in Springfield, Missouri
October 22 53rd Annual Wiederkehr Village Weinfest in Wiederkehr Village, Arkansas Celebrate the harvest with wine, food, and music. Dance the Polka, stomp some grapes, enter the Stein Stemmen or Baum Stossen, tour the cellar and vineyard, enjoy the 12th Annual Dog Show, enjoy local arts & crafts vendors. Fun for the family. Rain or shine. 10 am- 10 pm Admission: Free www. wiederkehrwines.com October 22 Fall Festival in Bull Shoals, Arkansas The Ozarks are beautiful this time of year with gorgeous weather, colorful scenery, and trout fishing is at its peak. This one-day event will include nature programs, lake and river cruises, campsite decorating contest, games, and arts and crafts! Bring your lawn chair and join us at the Trout Dock Amphitheater for a bonfire and live music. Hear gospel, bluegrass, folk, and country music. Contact the park for further details. Admission: Free except for lake and river cruises bullshoalswhiteriver@arkansas.com Oct 22, 2016 3rd Annual River City Fall Festival in Jefferson City, Missouri The Master Gardeners and Jefferson City Parks and Recreation will be holding their third annual River City Fall Festival. The festival is a day of family fun with craft and food vendors, live entertainment, a petting zoo, wagon rides, pony rides and pump-kins. Come spend the day in our garden. 10am4pm Cost: Free October 28-29 34th Annual Bean Fest & Great Arkansas Championship Outhouse Races in Mountain View, Arkansas Beans and cornbread, music, dancing on the courthouse stage, handmade crafts and outrageous outhouse races, all on Saturday. Also includes crafts and music on Friday. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Admission: Free www.yourplaceinthemountains.com October 29 25th Annual Downtown Fall Festival & Chili Cook-Off in Russellville, Arkansas Started in 1992, Russellville's Downtown Fall Festival & Chili Cook-Off is a fun-filled street festival held each year on the last Saturday in October. This day-long celebration hearkens back to the "good ole days" when carnivals set up on the streets of Rus-sellville's Downtown. The day's activities include a chili cook-off, tour de pumpkin bike ride, K-9 capers dog show, 5K/1K run, children's costume contest, car & truck show, pony rides, arts & crafts, pie contest, games, live music and lots of great festival food. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission: Free www.mainstreetrussellville.com October 29 Ozarks Bacon Fest in Springfield, Missouri Mmm..Bacon! A salute to Bacon, Bourbon and Beer, plus much more! Music and laughter!
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