Another special event!

And if one amazing program isn't enough, how about TWO! On December 13, at 10:00 a.m., join us again for a visit from Cowboy Rick Hamby, his wife Arkansas Bev, and Dennis "Wichita" Crider, as they share stories of their stagecoach journeys in the original 1888 coach from Silver Dollar City! The coach will also be out front, for you to see and enjoy. There is a beautiful new book with amazing photos of the journeys, which will be there for you to see and buy, if you wish (a wonderful Christmas gift for Western-style friends.) And you will hear the special connection this authentic stagecoach has to Ozark County (I'm not going to give it away -- you'll have to come and hear for yourself.) Rick and Bev have a radio show called Great Moments in American History, which airs on KUKU 100.3 FM, in Willow Springs. Dennis is an award-winning photographer and musician. All in all, the morning of December 13 is going to be really festive at the Historium! This event is free and open to all, so plan now to join us! Maybe we'll even rustle up some campfire coffee …

A Special Bicentennial Celebration!

Please Join Us! On December 6, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., at the Ozark County Historium, we will have a special guest. None other than Henry Rowe Schoolcraft himself will be on hand to tell us about his historic trek through the Ozarks TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO! In fact, it was on December 6, 1818, that Schoolcraft and his traveling companion, Levi Pettibone, camped along Lick Creek in present-day Ozark County! The two men are sometimes referred to as the "Lewis and Clark of the Ozarks." The intrepid explorer is well known because he was the first white man to document in journal form his travels through the rugged and unmapped wilderness through the area now known as the Ozarks. Schoolcraft will tell us how different the landscape was back then and will discuss how the last 200 years have impacted the environment. The Historium is proud to host a visit from such a distinguished historical figure. This event is free and open to all. Come early to be assured of a good seat! In the afternoon, Schoolcraft (also known as Dr. Robert Kipfer) will visit Gainesville Elementary School, where he will tell his tales to 4th through 8th graders.

We are busy planning for a really special day -- Tuesday, March 6, 2018, will be our first Native American Day!!! We have three presenters coming to share several aspects of Native American culture. Carol Silvey of West Plains will give a historical overview, ending with the Trail of Tears. Vincent Anderson, archivist at the library in Mtn. Home, will bring research materials that are used to search one's Native American roots. Jim Decker, retired teacher from West Plains, and Pam Dale of Tecumseh, both avid collectors of artifacts, will have a display of some of their favorite finds and will discuss proper methods of searching and preserving artifacts. Please join us at 10:00 a.m. at the Historium for this fun day of celebrating Native Americans and their culture, especially as found in the Ozarks.

A new year, a lot of fun in store!

2018 is shaping up to be a busy year at the Historium! We have a new quilt exhibit in place right now, through March 15, featuring the works of sisters Martha Martin and Donna Lemons of Dora. Their contrasting styles of quilting (Martha does hand work, while Donna prefers machine!) makes for a unique exhibit.

Valentine's Day was celebrated with a basket-making workshop led by Michelle Werther of Protem and Sis Green of Theodosia. Eight participants each made a beautiful basket, start to finish, in one day! A second workshop is planned for March 14, and a third will be held if there is enough interest.

Old-time music is on the menu for Saturday morning, February 24. Guest blogger Kaitlyn McConnell, who writes about a wide variety of interesting Ozarks cultural  phenomena, will join us and will host a discussion with musicians such as H.K. Silvey, Alvie Dooms and J.R. Johnston, who are some of the best (and sadly, some of the few remaining) old-time musicians. After the discussion, music will ring through the rafters of the Historium! Join us if you can for this fun morning of music and information.