Category: Missouri

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South of Nowhere

The first permanent settlers were William Friend, George Yoachum, James Kimberling, George Wells, and Thomas Patterson in present-day Ozark. Yoachum was locally well known for briefly printing his own currency, which he called the “Yocum Dollar.” The name “Ozark,” which quickly became the population center, is said to refer to the bends in the Finley River—French traders called it “aux arcs.” Ozark eventually became the county seat.

The county was still very young when the Civil War began in 1861. The Union Home Guard formed in 1862, and on August 1 of that year defended Ozark against a minor Confederate ambush. On August 2, 1862, there was a minor skirmish near the town of Clever. During the war, many fled their homes and did not return until after the war was over. Both sides’ army forced many residents out of their homes, destroying their livestock, crops, and property. These malicious actions made many residents destitute and on the verge of starvation.

Bushwhackers also posed a constant threat of theft and violence. Although the population increased by more than 1,000 people from 1860-1870, historical records indicate that during the Civil War the county was almost totally depopulated.

After the end of the war, Bushwhackers still posed a threat. A group of local men formed a vigilante band called the “Bald Knobbers,” who tracked down Bushwhackers or others taking part in illegal activities. In most cases, the “Bald Knobbers” either killed the criminal or brought them in for arrest. The “Bald Knobbers” continued to fight what they saw as injustice long after the Bushwhackers were no longer a problem. In the 1880s, their activity began to get out of hand, and the sheriff arrested the men who refused to stop their vigilante activity.

The railroad aided recovery, coming to the area in the 1870s-1880s. Several towns were named after railroad officials. These include: Chadwick, named after John F. Chadwick and Billings, named after John Billings. Several other towns sprung up after the war, including Sparta in 1885. Sparta was supposedly named after settler J.J. Burton’s home town of Sparta, Tennessee. Nixa was officially formed in 1878, supposedly after settlers Nicholas Alexander Inman. For postal service to come to the area, the town needed an official name, and got it from “Nick” A. Inman’s mailbox, becoming “Nixa.” The railroad continued to flourish in the area well into the 20th century.

A local barber named Finis Gold started Nixa Sucker Day in 1957, and it has since been a longstanding tradition with the people of Nixa, Missouri. Locals would often close up shop and skip school for the day to go grabbin’ for Suckers. The fish were then frozen until there was enough for a big fish fry. Nixa Sucker Day was the result of this annual tradition.

 

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The Ozarks: Abandoned

Living in The Ozarks has been key to my development as an artist. The color, seasons, textures and characters of The Ozark Mountains makes it all come together.

It’s history and it’s people are what inspire me. Photo journalism is my focus, if you are looking for senior, wedding or baby pictures you might as well continue searching for another photographer.

Simple pleasures and the mysterious power that lures people to the land. Nothing is more satisfying than a newly turned field in early spring, fresh cut hay on a summer day or the smell of apple butter cooking in the fall.

In this post I’ll introduce you to “My Ozarks” they are small, out-of-the-way places, back road villages or one horse towns . The people who live here have opted to live differently. Small town residents worry about everything from school closings and their children’s futures to the slipping of the local economy.

The fragility of our communities in small towns is evident as you can see in these images. Some are blighted, while in other areas nearby the economy is booming. Making us question “what happened here”?

There are factory workers, barbers, small business owners, retirees, teachers, farmers, clergy, and mayors all who depend on the smallest things to hold these communities together all the while dealing with things such as the opioid epidemic.

Down at The Corner Cafe they are having their coffee about now, discussing the daily special or who fed the cats.

The End to the Means.

I first found myself staring at the ruins of an old home in an uninhabited town, I thought post-apocalyptic! It’s a vision of a horror story. However in certain cases they make me curious as to the backstory. But that’s not what keeps me searching for modern ruins, and it’s not the sole reason I devote so much time to finding and documenting these vanishing forgotten buildings.

Heck, they are so compelling! Of course, there’s an aesthetic to decaying buildings, an opportunity to enjoy these buildings when I stumble upon them. After all those who came before me enjoyed them in their day, why not me, why not now.

These ruins still contain promises of the unexpected. They have served their original purpose but now, for me, it’s the possibility of some weird encounter. The seemingly impossible find of a forgotten treasure or a captured moment.

It all allows for my imagination to go wild and the images allow for your own interpretation. In some strange way it’s all unencumbered repurposing.

Just a note to my fellow photographers who like to shoot cemeteries…Avoiding stepping on a grave. Ozarks Legend has it if a hillman happens to tread upon a grave, he is supposed to jump backward across it immediately, as otherwise a member of his family will die, according to the old-timers.

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Galena, James River and Charlie Barnes

Galena was platted in 1852, and named for deposits of the ore galena near the original town site. A post office has been in operation at Galena since 1853 and the last public execution in Missouri took place in Galena in 1937.

The James River flows past the east side of the town and enters the northernmost arm of Table Rock Lake to the south.The historic Y-Bridge over the James River is located just east of the town. Float trips, for which the Ozarks are famous, reputedly originated at Galena on the James. John boats 18-24 feet long and 4 feet wide were used long before canoes and kayaks became popular and are amazingly maneuverable craft for their size.

Some anglers still prefer the stability they provide for casting while standing and the comfort of folding arm chairs which they can carry. Before the days of Table Rock Dam a five-day float of about 125 miles was available from Galena to Branson. However one of the fine fishing floats always has been the 22-mile section from “Hootentown” to Galena and this may still be floated even with john boats.

From Ralph Foster Museum at College of the Ozarks –   It is rumored that the skilled boatman, Charlie Barnes of Galena may have invented the jonboat; whether that is true or not, Barnes definitely defined the role of the jonboat in the White River. He built over five hundred boats in his lifetime, and he guided many people through the James River and the White River on float trips. Many of his clients, in fact, were industrialists and movie stars. Unfortunately, with the creation of Table Rock and Bull Shoals dams, his business died and the wooden jonboats simply lost their significance on the rivers.

Galena Chamber of Commerce

 

Roscoe “Red” Jackson was hanged at dawn on May 21, 1937, for murdering a traveling salesman for his car and $18. Several hundred witnesses were jammed inside the temporary stockade, built around the gallows, and many more people milled about the courthouse square. It was the last public hanging in Missouri.

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The Return of the Wagon!

The Return of the Wagon! Part 1
Just over 20 years ago, my Dad and I resurrected a rusty 1967 Chevy Nova station-wagon, with the intention of building our next drag-race car. I remember asking Dad: “why a wagon” and he simply said, “because they’re different…and they’re cool”. And for many years it was pretty dang cool and one of the fastest and most consistent grocery-getter’s at the track. But we sold it and moved onto the next project…but the wagon was always special. Fast forward 20 years later and the man that bought it passed away and his son called us up out of the blue and said: “would you like your wagon back?”.

At this point I figured it was a basket case that had been rusting away (again) but instead it was, literally, a time capsule! They did not change one thing on it. Heck, the license plate ring was the one we got Dad on his 50th B-day. I couldn’t believe it, so I said let’s get it home and see if we can fix what needs fixing and go racing again. Stay tuned for part two where we’ll rebuild the motor and part three where I’ll take it down the track!

The Return of the Wagon! Part 2
Back in the old garage with Dad! We have built and restored so many cars in this 30′ x 30′ home of horsepower but the wagon was memorable because it was the first build that I was old enough to really work on. It was the first car I could really contribute to but I was still too young and inexperienced to drive it. This, like most of our cars, was on a tight budget. It was all hand-built and armed with mostly swap-meet parts. In fact, we found a left for dead ’79 Camaro race car and got many of the parts we needed for the wagon from that old car.

Fast forward 20 years and here we are with the same short block 406, same heads, same intake and same old double pumper. We decided on a roller cam this time but everything else is pretty much exactly the same. The 9 inch Ford out back has 4.10’s so the car will mile-per-hour well and we added new rubber all around but the long-roof racer is basically a time-machine filled with 90’s tech. This episode has become a fan favorite since you get a glimpse of my Old Man in his element. He has been drag racing on an off the track since 1962….and you get to hear the old small-block roar again!

The Return of the Wagon! Part 3
Here we go! Off to Gateway Motorsports Park, the drag strip that I practically grew up at. The last time we ran the wagon here was in the mid 90’s before the track was renovated and expanded. It was fitting to make my first run back here where I have so many memories of this great sport and the hard-working, friendly racers that chase their dreams at high speed!

Ryan Hanlon
Route 3 Films (Race Team)

MUSIC by Gin House, song is Marianna (Acoustic) – Instrumental – licensed thru TheMusicBed.com

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Kindall’s General Store

Kindall’s old General Store is one of the oldest continuously operated businesses in the Ozarks. The Old Store has been serving generations for well over 60 years. The business, situated in front of the majestic and scenic Ozark Mountains, continues to be operated to this day.

The interior of the store is much the same as it was when constructed with many old features and antiques. The original board floor, the antiques, metal, stamped tin ceiling, the original shelving and counters, and numerous antiques give the visitor the feeling of stepping back in time. The architecture of the building along with the big front porch represents the vintage of middle and late 1800s.

The current operator plans to keep the store as is, even though it’s not as profitable as it needs to be. There’s more to this labor of love than money.

The original ceiling tin is intact, more than one person has tried to pry it out of the store, there’s not enough money to make that happen. The oak tongue and groove floor is soft in spots, heck I would be too if I were that old. It just adds to the ambiance of the place. The wood stove still sits in the back but due to insurance it’s disconnected.

The Store is an antique and be truly an educational experience.

Across the street is where the Kindall’s lived, underneath the giant oak sits the homestead.

The house appears to be the same time period as the store, the chairs out front were a perfect place to watch traffic on the highway.

Living on top of the hill meant a storm cellar was a must, tornado’s are common place in this part of the Ozarks. This place was old but I was directed to the original home site which was much older and still standing.

Like taking a step back in time, walking into the general store in the community of Olga, Missouri takes you to a place in Ozark history. In the 1980’s, Corda Kindall kept her store alive even though supermarkets in nearby towns got most of the business. At that time, her store was like a museum, full of items once commonly sold in country general stores. She stocked modern necessities as well, but mostly just enjoyed the people dropping by for a chat, a loaf of bread and way of thanking her for keeping the store open and welcoming to local people. Corda Kindall passed away in 1995. Video Produced by Ed Fillmer.

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Saying Goodbye To Old Friends in Halltown

At the height of Route 66 Halltown had roughly 20 businesses which included three grocery stores, a drugstore, a blacksmith shop, service station, garage, and a variety store.

Today, Halltown has a few surviving businesses. It’s boarded up store fronts are sitting empty. One long standing store closed recently The Whitehall Mercantile, known for it’s antiques which filled the store from floor to ceiling. Built in 1900 as a grocery/general store, the false front mercantile, with it’s stone foundation and wooden porch, provided a view of Route 66 from the past. Historic buildings like the 1930’s Las Vegas Hotel and Barber Shop, Brown Shoe Company, and a few older buildings are of interest.

With progress and the construction of Interstate 44 Halltown is losing a battle with time and being by-passed, parts of the town are decaying and abandoned.

Whitehall Mercantile – Thelma White – Halltown, MO – Route 66 – September 2, 1993

The Mercantile is now closed, it’s a shame but there was no interest by anyone in the family to keep it going. Lost to progress and time, like Thelma who has passed it’s now just a memory.

 

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2018 Abandoned Calendar On Sale

Just finished up the Abandoned in the Ozarks Calendar for 2018 just follow this link to get yours! Photos from across the Ozarks places like Galena, Protem, Cane Hill, Brighton, Greenfield and Bona to name a few. It’s a collection of photos I’ve taken featuring abandoned and endangered buildings that due to Mother Nature, lack of funds or care and soon will be lost to time forever.

It’s choked full of 12 months of abandoned goodness.

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No Vacancy

On this trip I was lucky enough to have a running mate, my son Jake. I am hoping to instill my love of Ozarks history into him, even if I have to beat it into him. He seems to enjoy the abandoned side of the adventure so it isn’t going to be too hard. We traveled south of Cassville on Hwy 86 to our destination the Eagle Rock Motel. From what I see in the architecture it was a 1950’s-60’s design, low slung with a canopy as most of those motels were. I can’t find much information on the subject of the Eagle Rock Motel aside from this excerpt from The Barry County Museum.
“In 1909 some of the men here got jobs cutting railroad ties for the railroad coming in. The ties were cut and slid down the bluff on White River (the bluff we now call the Tie Slide across the road from the Eagle Rock Motel). They were floated down the river to Branson where the ties were sold.

The late 1800’s and early 1900’s were not all hard work and no play. On Saturday nights the local people would take turns having dances and parties at each other’s homes. One Saturday night they would go to John Munsey’s home and do the two-step and then the next Saturday night to Bartolomew Stringer’s house (Vernon and Johnny Stringer’s great-grandfather), which was reported to have 83 people there. Can you imagine that many people in those tiny homes back then?” For the complete article click here. I was lucky to run across Fields Photo in Cassville. Fields sure documented Barry County, lucky for everyone they kept those records.

Lets get to the trip, When we got to Eagle Rock Motel it was the entrance to some homes that sat behind the motel. I know they would like to see the motel demolished and cleaned up. I was told that the owner hasn’t made a decision on what to do with the property but likely will expand an adjacent business onto the property. Who knows?


I’m sure the brochure would have read: “Your family can enjoy our clean modern pool”. Amazingly it really wasn’t in that bad of shape structurally. I bet the pumps are shot though.

The office walls were completely gone, but they are still serving a continental breakfast after 7:00A.M. in the dining room.

The lobby closes at 9:00 P.M. but if you need anything you can ring the bell at the entrance.


There are rooms on the back of the property if you need privacy and quiet.

We chose to stay on street side so we could overlook the pool and bypassing traffic.


We got a double but had to call for room service. Out of towels!

We always pack light. It’s just an overnight, I can wear the same pants but I need a change of shirts. Which I forgot but lucky me the previous occupants left one just my size.

Jesus saves, but he didn’t lift the lid.

A bit of a twist in this story, neighbors told me that the owners/operators of the motel divorced and the two continued to occupy the motel. The man moved from the adjacent house to a room in the motel. Don’t think I could do that, the tires were 225 I need 265.

Overall it was a fun trip…Thanks Jake, let’s do it again!

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Tractors Gone Wild

Within the first few decades, tractor use was slow to catch on. Yet once farmers realized the benefits that could be had in tractor-driven farming, popularity soared. There was no need for cumbersome manual labor when a simple machine like a tractor could do the job for you. From 1910-1970, tractor production drastically increased from 1000 tractors to nearly 5 million.
Falling prices contributed to tractor to tractor growth. Early tractors cost as much as $785 in 1920. Just two years later in 1922, a tractor could be purchased for only $395. The price dropped by nearly half in just two years, making tractors an affordable piece of agricultural machinery for almost every farmer.

 

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Prying Eyes: “The Barn Finds”

According to the World Famous Wikipedia “A barn find is a classic car or motorcycle that has been discovered, often in derelict condition. The term comes from their tendency to be found in places such as barns, sheds, carports and outbuildings where they have been stored for many years. The term usually applies to vehicles that are rare and valuable, and which are consequently of great interest to car collectors and enthusiasts despite their poor condition.

In the past, barn find cars were typically subjected to exhaustive restoration, to return them to a condition close to that when they were built. However, the current trend is to treat the cars more sympathetically, to avoid restoration that removes evidence of the car’s history and to place greater value on any original features the car retains even if they’re in poor condition. In some cases, intense restoration can actually lower a car’s value.”

I admit some are better, some are worse. Some may not have any value whatsoever but they have been spotted and I’m sure someone might need a part or a widget, maybe you’ll just want to drool.

This photo section of barn finds is my attempt to document what I’ve found through my travels in The Ozarks. I’ll add to this post as I run across new finds.