Ozarks Alive (2025)

27/07/2025

Hot summer days like today have me thinking about Springfield's Fassnight Park — and specifically, its distinctive pool.

The refreshing pool and native-stone bathhouse were installed in the 1920s – during the park’s early years as a city enterprise – and have attracted generations of locals. (Random fact: Its native-rock work was largely done by a Swiss builder.)

There are notable points about this piece of Ozarks history. The Works Progress Administration had a role at Fassnight Park years ago, and the park was also a draw for local softball teams. In a world where many communities struggle to keep their outdoor pools, I'm glad this nearly 100-year-old pool has survived – despite attempts to remove it in the 1970s – as a through-line for generations of families.

Read all about its history here: https://www.ozarksalive.com/stories/fassnight-park-part-of-springfields-early-beautification-efforts

26/07/2025

4/4 pies for the win! Entering contests at the Ozark Empire Fair is a tradition that began when I was a kid — and today was another great day. It brought a first and three second places for pies I entered, all based on recipes from our vintage Ozarks cookbooks.

I love all of the pie recipes I baked — peanut butter banana, peach plum, creamy apple, and black walnut and raisin — and am grateful they all placed.

However, if any were to get a blue ribbon, it makes me really happy that it was for that raisin and black walnut pie.

It comes from Champion, Missouri, that little hamlet in Douglas County about which I often share and is close to my heart. I found this recipe while looking through cookbooks on the porch of the community’s rural store. It was shared by Vergie Smith for that cookbook, which was published by the nearby Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department in the 1980s.

I would encourage everyone to participate in your local fair’s contests. The camaraderie — and yes, the competition — offer such a fun way to build connections, continue tradition and hone skills. If that idea intrigues you, please check out what options are possible in your part of the Ozarks.

26/07/2025

This picture shows a good Ozarks story – a bunch of them, in fact.

It’s a moment I witnessed yesterday at the Cassville Democrat. I stopped by the newspaper as part of a story for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks about grant funding the paper received as part of a downtown revitalization project. (More on that later.)

While I sat in the waiting room, I caught this shot of Kyle and Jordan Troutman, the husband-and-wife team behind the newspaper that has served Barry County since 1871.

They came to the paper when it was corporately owned. That’s a reality for many hometown papers across the Ozarks, a shift that often results in smaller papers and newsroom sizes. Kyle arrived as its editor in 2014; later, Jordan joined the team.

But today, the Cassville paper represents a piece of good news: In 2023, the Troutmans purchased the paper, bringing it back into their local hands.

That’s one of the good stories shown in this image. Others are felt if not seen visually here, because "good" journalism documents the entirety of a community’s life, helping keep folks informed and accountable, as well as proud of where they live.

Which brings me to the most heartwarming moment of my visit.

There was a moment when I stepped inside Kyle’s office to take a photo of him sitting at his desk. I noticed a framed white piece of paper with a handwritten note on the opposite wall, hanging alongside many of the awards the paper has won.

I asked what it was, and the Troutmans told me it was from the late Bob Mitchell, who — prior to that corporate ownership — had been the paper’s longtime owner and editor. He’d written a couple of years ago to tell the couple they were doing a good job.

I’m thankful we have folks like the Troutmans who feel local journalism is important – both behind the scenes, but also who see its worth and support it financially.

26/07/2025

Pie-making advice: Don’t try out untested pie recipes as entries at the local fair. That idea makes no sense. Use tried-and-true recipes so you’ve had time to perfect them.

But I don’t always listen to my own advice…

It’s fair day today, and I’ve got four pies (all based on our vintage Ozarks cookbooks!) I’ll be dropping off for judging this afternoon. Two are pretty close to the recipes I’ve made before and got good reviews. The other two are also based on tasty recipes, too…but have a couple of unexpected twists that came to me last night. No idea how they taste since I’ve never tried them this way before — but let’s see how this goes!

25/07/2025

Banks are about legacy, and in Ozark County, Missouri, that translates into historic preservation.

Century Bank of the Ozarks' former home on the Gainesville square is being remodeled — complete with the restoration of historic details — into a space that can live on in new ways. It’s thanks to Chris Harlin, the bank’s CEO, who decided to buy back the bank's longtime home and spend time and resources to restore it in a way that recognizes its history.

“We sold this in 1995, bought it back in 2020 – and I’m glad we did,” Chris tells me.

I visited the building – which served as the bank’s second home from the late 1920s to 1969 – with Chris and a couple of other local folks a few weeks ago, so there may be more progress than shown in these photos. Now seemed like a good time to share about this project, as the bank celebrates its 131st anniversary this week. It was founded in 1894, and today is among a limited number of Ozarks banks that remain locally and family owned.

Even in the middle of construction, historical details were clear as we walked into the building – from its tiny checkered floor tiles, to the door on the vintage vault that’s still in place. The old cannonball safe was there, too, until it was moved across the square to the current bank.

“We’ve moved it – and it was a job,” Chris said of the 4,500-pound safe that fell into the river when it was being transported from West Plains to Gainesville by mules and wagon about a century ago.

When we visited, Chris wasn't sure what the future specific use of the building would be. But regardless, at this point the main goal is shoring up the building so it can be used again, and do as much as possible to recognize original details – like that tile work, which is comprised of many small pieces.

“We’ve got some flooring that will match up to it a little bit,” he says of what will cover most of the floor, but will showcase that original tile: “We’re going to try to find a good spot and expose it, like a three-foot square, and put clear epoxy over it so you can see through it.”

He’s also working with the W.F. Norman Corporation in Nevada, Missouri, which has produced tin ceiling tiles since the late 1800s, to recreate the ceiling tiles that once were present in the former bank.

“I sent them all the pieces that used to be in here and they’re recreating the exact ceiling,” he says.

This historical preservation project isn’t the only one that Chris has made a priority. The family restored the towering Harlin House, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and invested in a colorful “Ozark County” mural on the town square. I’m also very grateful that the bank has been a sponsor of Ozarks Alive these past two years, allowing me to tell more stories in Ozark County.

You don’t always see preservation done simply for preservation’s sake, and it’s neat to see someone take this approach – both because it’s personal, but also because it helps the community to have another building ready and able to serve as a community space once again.

24/07/2025

Ozarks communities need champions like Kim McCully-Mobley, a teacher, journalist, nonprofit leader and all-around unofficial ambassador of Aurora, Missouri.

I visited Kim this morning for a story for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks about the next mural (of several) she's championed around Aurora that proclaim local history and remind "All Roads Lead Home."

Those words serve as a mission statement for much of what Kim does in Aurora, a Lawrence County community of about 7,200 people. It's also home to the houn' dogs, the school’s mascot represented by a small black and white pup named Winston who appears all over town.

We sat in an office-like space in the community's former armory, constructed during World War II as "a joint city, state and school project," notes the Lawrence County Record.

Today it's home to the Aurora Houn’ Dawg Alumni & Outreach Center — where Kim serves as co-director — and is filled with memories manifested through memorabilia and photos. Faces peer up from the past, reminding of their role in making the community what it is today, too.

Nearly 10 locals popped to see the mural's progress while we visited, all who knew each other (and Kim) and were linked by that shared history. Those connections are fundamentally what drive that sense of place.

"It always comes down to good people, taking some chances, grace and relationships," Kim recently posted on Facebook of her work, which also includes a new role as coordinator of the Aurora Area Community Foundation.

For our rural communities to retain their unique flavor and flair, they need champions like Kim. The value she and others like her bring goes beyond “things.” It's also the spirit they create: An enthusiasm that's contagious and makes people feel like they belong, and by belonging, they should care, too.

23/07/2025

Among its many notable qualities, the Ozarks is home to a famous phone booth.

In Prairie Grove, Arkansas, is this Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth. Installed about 1960, it was so appreciated by locals that when it was hit by an SUV about a decade ago it was repaired — and subsequently added to the National Register of Historic Places.

I learned of this landmark a couple of weeks ago, and was so intrigued that I drove 90 minutes (one-way from Eureka Springs) to see it for myself. It's technically famous because it represents a period of time and technology that has nearly disappeared, but it's also neat because the local phone company maintains the booth and offers free local calls.

Read the full story here: https://www.ozarksalive.com/stories/airlight-outdoor-telephone-booth-a-landmark-in-prairie-grove-arkansas

22/07/2025

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing much about our lives — including how we see our past as it's used to alter historical Ozarks images.

An example is using AI technology to animate photos like the ones shown here so they become videos. It may seem harmless enough — and very cool — to see a historical image walking, eating or doing other typical tasks before our eyes. It's captivating to me, too: As the people and things within the image suddenly come "to life," it feels easier to connect with the past.

That said, I'm not implying that AI shouldn't be used. I use technology to transcribe recordings of my interviews, for example, which has saved me a lot of time as I'm writing articles for Ozarks Alive. But in the case of imagery, the bottom line: It has the potential to create confusion or misunderstanding, and that should be taken into account as this technology is used and continues to expand its capabilities.

Even if we tell our brain those things aren't real, I think it's pretty hard to keep our subconscious from absorbing elements from that as truth. This gets even more challenging as we live in a world where we are progressively less sure what we see hasn't been edited or is an outright fabrication. This has long been the case, but it's going to become far more prevalent as the speed, ease and access we have to these tools increase.

So, what do we do?

I spoke with Dr. Jonathan Groves, communications professor and journalist from Drury University about this question. His thoughts: Disclosure and transparency. If an image has been altered, be sure to label it as such.

"I think it's kind of like historical fiction," Dr. Groves told me. "You want people to be into it, dig into it, but it can be very confusing that what they're seeing isn't actually history."

My points in posting all of this today...

- Think long and hard about how you use AI to interpret historical images (or anything, for that matter). The "cool" factor doesn't override ethics or appropriate use.

- When you see images that appear to be historical — animated or ones that look a little too crisp or good to be true — take them with a grain of salt. Double check where they're from in the context with which they're being used to present.

- Most important: If or when you use AI to create or alter images, be sure to disclose that.

It's wonderful when history is relatable. Let's just make sure we do it in a responsible way — especially in a world where it's increasingly difficult to know what's real and what's not.

22/07/2025

For more than 135 years, the Barry County Campmeeting has brought people from surrounding states to the Missouri Ozarks for faith and fellowship. It was first held in 1889, and has been meeting annually ever since, leaders say.

In the past, folks came and camped, staying more than a week for multiple services a day. Today, the tradition has evolved into a week of nightly services and dinner at the rural Log Church, which has a permanent tabernacle – built in the 1950s – where services are held.

“I believe that the people who started this – it was pleasing to God, and I think they prayed this into existence,” said Carolyn McNabb, pastor of the Log Church. “It’s just stayed by the grace of God. It’s not anything we have done.”

Read all about it here: https://www.ozarksalive.com/stories/barry-county-campmeeting-a-religious-tradition-since-1889

21/07/2025

La Roux Bistro is now open to the public on Springfield's historic Commercial Street!

I shared about the opening of this new restaurant a few days ago with particular nod to Joseph Gidman, its owner, who moved to the Ozarks in his youth and has now opened not one or two or three but four (!) food-based businesses in this distinctive part of Springfield.

Today takes things to a new level with La Roux's French- and Louisiana-inspired fare, ranging from dishes like fried green tomatoes to po boys and much more on its lunch and dinner menus. A particular note is that Joe's restaurants are quite allergen conscious, so if you have food sensitivities, there are potentially options for you here to consider.

Learn all about La Roux here: https://www.ozarksalive.com/stories/la-roux-bistro-brings-french-inspired-flavor-to-commercial-street

(Thanks to I Love Springfield, MO! for sponsoring the creation of this story!)

21/07/2025

For more than 135 years, the Barry County Campmeeting has gathered friends for days of worship and fellowship. The first year was 1889, leaders say, and it’s been going every year ever since.

In its early years, the tradition took place beneath a tent, and people camped over the days of services. Since the 1950s, they have met at Log Church near Purdy, where a permanent tabernacle was built in the 1950s.

Today kicked off this year's series of meetings, and I got to attend tonight's service. Watch for a full story on this tradition soon...

20/07/2025

When "The Shepherd of the Hills" was published in 1907, it was a moment that would have major implications for the Ozarks.

The novel drew tourists to the hills to see the people and places they read about in its pages. They visited what became known as "Shepherd of the Hills Country,” a set of landmarks in the Branson area that even a century-plus later are still relevant.

I’ll be telling that story in my next segment of “Notable MO-ments,” a monthly series on KSMU - Ozarks Public Radio that's funded by Missouri Humanities. As part of that reporting, I visited The Shepherd of the Hills homestead yesterday, where an outdoor drama based on the book has entertained audiences (and become enshrined as a story of its own) over 65 seasons.

As I stood in Old Matt’s Cabin, one of the key landmarks of Shepherd of the Hills lore, I was struck by the layers of history before my eyes. There's the cabin, where feet have trod since the beginning; the contrast of traffic that now buzzes by; and the hills that have united eyes for generations.

The Shepherd of the Hills story is still a living, evolving part of the region. Watch for more soon…

Ozarks Alive

27/07/2025

26/07/2025

26/07/2025

26/07/2025

25/07/2025

24/07/2025

23/07/2025

22/07/2025

22/07/2025

21/07/2025

21/07/2025

20/07/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share