Greetings from the Ozark County Historium!

On Thursday, November 17, 2022, we will welcome Kaitlyn McConnell to the Ozark County Historium! Kaitlyn, who is from Marshfield but now lives in Springfield, is a popular blogger, speaker and supporter of preservation of Ozarks culture and history. 

To help others enjoy the Ozarks as much as she does, Kaitlyn wrote a book in 2019 called Passport to the Ozarks -- and now she has written Volume 2, which she will be sharing with us! 

Please make plans now to join us for this free event at the Historium at 10:00 on November 17, to meet and enjoy getting to know Kaitlyn McConnell. Our facility is located on the west side of the square in downtown Gainesville and is easily accessible. We'll have the coffee ready for you!

 Our program featuring Dr. Brooks Blevins was such a success in January that we have invited him back in April for another presentation. 

At the Opry

This time the subject will be "Ozarks Roots of the Grand Ole Opry."

Dr. Blevins will share some interesting and perhaps surprising information about the inception of the iconic country music venue. Hint: It was close to home!

Bill Monroe in an early performance

Join us on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., for an enjoyable time, learning from one of the preeminent scholars of Ozarks history who also happens to be one of the nicest men you've ever met -- we promise you won't be disappointed. The coffee will be ready for you, too!

Welcoming a new year with high hopes!

 As we enter a new year, we are doing so with high hopes for an active, successful year of events and activities at the Ozark County Historium! After two years of cancelling, postponing and waiting, we're ready to invite our friends and neighbors to join us, as we plan programs that will educate, inspire and entertain. We make these plans with fingers crossed, hoping that most everyone is vaccinated and that we can open our doors to groups in safety.

First up is a visit on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., from Dr. Brooks Blevins. As head of the Ozarks Studies department at Missouri State University in Springfield, Dr. Blevins is knowledgeable about all aspects of the area known as the Ozarks. He also is a personable and engaging speaker, an Ozarker himself and proud to be so. Dr. Blevins will give a talk about "How to talk Ozarks in Seven Simple Steps." He will also introduce his newest book, Volume 3 of a comprehensive History of the Ozarks. Anyone interested in local history will enjoy hearing Dr. Blevins, so please make plans to join us that morning. You'll be glad you did!

Stay tuned for updates on other plans -- many are in the works, and we'll post as we have details. Thank you for your continuing support of the Historium and the Ozark County Genealogical and Historical Society.