The Old-Time Music, Ozarks Heritage Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The annual event in downtown West Plains celebrates Ozarks music and culture. Admission to all festival events is free. Music begins at noon.
Members of the Arts Alliance have teamed up to offer several programs during the festival:
Noon: Story Tour of West Plains film
2 p.m.: Lin Waterhouse - West Plains Dance Hall Explosion
4 p.m.: Danette House - Language of the Ozarks
7 p.m.: Old Time Variety Show
Noon: Story Tour of West Plains film
2 p.m.: Lin Waterhouse - West Plains Dance Hall Explosion
4 p.m.: Danette House - How West Plains Started
5 p.m. Lin and Danette - West Plains Explosion/Civil War in the Ozarks
“Virtually an earthly hell.” That was the description from a witness to the firestorm that destroyed the 100 Block of East Main Street in the south-central Missouri town of West Plains on April 13, 1928. The conflagration followed a massive explosion, heard 20 miles away.
That evening, 60 people had gathered on a cold, rainy Friday the Thirteenth to socialize and dance to the popular tunes of the time. Most were young, the sons and daughters of the most prominent citizens of West Plains and surrounding towns. That night, 39 people died and more than 20 others were injured in the horrific disaster that changed the lives of their family and friends and the future of their communities forever.
Lin Waterhouse has written the factual account of the explosion and its aftermath in her book “The West Plains Dance Hall Explosion.” In her video-assisted talk at the Avenue Theater, she speaks of the disaster, its victims, and the possible causes of the still-unexplained explosion.
Prepare for a fast moving, interactive program where you will be quizzed, tested and entertained by “Ozarks-Speak,” the unique language and culture of the Ozarks of South Missouri and North Arkansas. From the early Scots-Irish settlers to the present-day community, we'll dig into the evolution of the Ozark dialect.
Dive into the intriguing world of unusual words such as “donnick,” “jillikins” and “lairipin.” Explore unique place names such as "Hog Danger,” “Seed Tick” and “Yankee Doodle.”
This is touted as a gateway to understanding and perhaps recalling some “old saws” (sayings) that have sprung up and passed down through generations. House will talk about the very common sayings like “I’m obliged,” the unusual “jeet?” and the downright odd “drunker than Cooter Brown.” Through engaging discussion, listeners may even find that they still have a few in their vocabularies.
Whether audience members are native Ozarks speakers, history buffs or simply curious about this distinctive corner of America, "Ozarks-Speak" promises to leave them with a profound appreciation for the linguistic treasures hidden within this remarkable region.
This session will start by looking at the original residents of the area, the Osage Indian Tribe.
Established by the Josiah Howell family in 1839, the town of West Plains was officially named in 1858. Initially, it grew to a population of 300 by 1860. However, by 1865, the town was gone.
The Civil War, spanning from 1861 to 1864, deeply divided the community. Guerrilla warfare tactics led to the town being burned down, leaving nothing but rubble. As the former residents returned to rebuild in 1865, they found themselves under martial law, struggling to reconcile with former enemies and move past old grievances.
Despite these hardships, the town experienced a resurgence in the 1880s, sparked by the construction of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad. This development put West Plains prominently on the map, with its population doubling and tripling in a short period. The era saw the emergence of numerous businesses, and the Downtown Square began to take shape around the Howell County Courthouse. Many of these historic buildings still stand today.
This presentation seeks to weave together the narratives that demonstrate the town’s resilience and enduring spirit. Through stories of both triumph and tragedy, House and her audience will celebrate the lasting legacy of those who have made West Plains their home.
In the American Civil War, “brother against brother” is an often-used title, describing the predicament faced by Ozarkers who had to choose between the pull of family kinship and loyalty and their strongly held political and moral beliefs. In this true story, the narrator tells of her three generations of Hawkins ancestors who settled in Missouri in 1838.
The founder of the clan, Benjamin Hawkins, had four grandsons who grew up together at Hawkins Ridge. Strong bonds of kinship were formed between B.F., Calvin, William and Washington “Wash” Hawkins. However, in 1861 these ties would be broken. Two chose to become Confederate guerrilla fighters or bushwhackers. They rode the countryside destroying the lives of pro-Union neighbors that they knew. One joined the Union Army, and another just disappeared. Add fiery Union Captain William Monks and his obsession with finding and killing the Hawkins “traitors” to the mix and it makes for a gripping tale of camaraderie, animosity, and the enduring legacy of those who grappled with love and hatred amidst the chaos of war.
Sharing the stage with House for this presentation, Waterhouse will once again present her account of the West Plains Dance Hall Explosion.
The Yellow House Community Arts Center will be open both days from noon till 8 p.m., featuring art from local and area artists such as Angela Bullard, Alicia Mau, Samantha Hubler and Georgia Hester.
Pat’s Pots will be for sale — shoppers may name their price on the wonderful work of one of the Yellow House’s most beloved supporters. Also, food available while supplies last, so chill out with Hank’s homemade chili and cool beverages or hot coffee to recharge.
Noon to 3 p.m.- Storytelling Circle featuring Marideth Sisco, Danette House, Lin Waterhouse and others. 5 to 9 p.m. will be an open stage and jam session for all pickers and players hosted by the West Plains Underground — open to everyone — bring and instrument or borrow one and join in and jam.
Noon to 3 p.m.- Storytelling Circle featuring Marideth Sisco, Danette House, Lin Waterhouse and others.
3:30 to 6 p.m.- Paint your own Ozark landscape with featured artist Angela Bullard. Reservations required by June 6 to paint a unique technique one-of-a-kind Ozark landscape with Angela. Cost is$35 dollars for the supplies for this 2.5 hour experience. Contact Angela Bullard at 773-677-1631 or angelwingschi@yahoo.co, or Garrett Melby at 417-372-0647, or reach out through the event page on the Yellow House Community Arts Center Facebook page.
For those who love listening to Traditional Ozarks stories, the historic Yellow House is the place to be during the 30th annual Ozarks Heritage Festival. In the heart of West Plains, a celebration of tradition, culture and storytelling will take place on from noon to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Art will also be displayed, and food and drink will be sold. Two practitioners of Ozark lore, Marideth Sisco and Danette House, will be the hosts. Pull up a chair and escape the heat and bustle of activities in the air-conditioned comfort of the Yellow House.
Hear enchanting and riveting tales of our Ozarks life through the generations. West Plains’ acclaimed author and journalist Lin Waterhouse will take the stage at 12:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Waterhouse, author of the popular “The West Plains Dance Hall Explosion,” will entertain with her fresh insights on the Ozarks, offering “A Newcomer to the Ozarks” on Friday, and “A Fish-Out-of-Water Records the Ozarks” on Saturday.
Join Sabrina Lewis at 1:15 p.m. Friday at to hear the extraordinary account of her Great Uncle Eugene Pattillo, a soldier who fought for four years on the battlefields of World War II under the indomitable General George Patton. Follow this gripping tale of an Ozarks country boy swept into one of the most historic marches of World War II. From the invasion of Sicily to the liberation of Nazi concentration camps, you will be spellbound by this story of the courage, sacrifice, and resilience that a Missouri farm boy showed on the world’s stage.
At 1:15 p.m. Saturday, the legendary Marideth Sisco will regale audiences with her firsthand experiences of the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the grounds of the National Mall. She will bring to life her tale of "How the Ozarks Came to Be America's Oldest Mountains." As always, hearing Marideth spin a tale never disappoints.
But perhaps the most poignant stories of all come from three remarkable women, the Patillo sisters, now in their 80s, whose childhood memories offer a glimpse into a bygone era. Join them at 2 p.m. each day as they recount their journey taken from Caulfield in 1948 to Grants, N.M. They will tell their story of poor Ozarks people trying to earn a living in hard times as their father led a group of 80 sawmillers and their families on a five-month expedition to log timber in the harsh desert.
And in between all these wonderful stories, House will weave her own brand of Ozarks magic, talking about the colorful Ozarks language and humor of the past.
“Whether you stay for the entire session or drop in for a spell, you're sure to leave with your heart full and your soul enriched by the enduring legacy of Ozark heritage,” say Yellow House officials.
The historic Harlin Museum will be open noon to 4 p.m. both Friday and Saturday and will have on display the Ozarks Heritage Exhibit featuring the L.L. Broadfoot Collection.
This annual exhibit celebrates the work of renowned Ozarks-born artist, Lennis Leonard Broadfoot, with the display of the original art created for his published work, “Pioneers Of The Ozarks.” This collection of drawings and paintings depicts the people, places and culture of the Ozarks as captured by the artist in the late 1930s — early 1940s and published in book form in 1944.
This particular collection is especially unique in that for each portrait, landscape and cultural scene depicted of the then-mysterious and remote American region, a written portion accompanies each artwork. Some share tidbits of the conversation had between the artist and subject during their sketch session, revealing the person’s hidden knowledge, values, or beliefs. Yet others convey cultural references of the day and information about nearly lost customs and practices. The combined works are considered one of the artist’s most significant contributions as both a stylized depiction of Ozarks-based culture and an ingenuous first-person depiction of the inscrutable people of the Ozark hills.
The Harlin will also feature its collection of historic quilts and is part of the Festival Quilt Walk.
The Ozarks Heritage Research Center will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday only.
Stop by to tour the research center and look through its new acquisitions — and see the 6-foot by 20-foot Farley Lewis mural recently installed.
The Old-Time Music, Ozarks Heritage Festival is the signature event for West Plains and seeks to celebrate, preserve, pass on and nurture an appreciation of the old-time music and folk life traditions distinctive to the Ozark Highlands. Admission to all festival events is free.
2024 festival partners include the West Plains Council on the Arts, the City of West Plains, the Ozark Heritage Welcome Center, West Plains Civic Center and Missouri State University-West Plains. Partial funding for the event is provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. Additional support has been provided by Missouri Humanities and Missouri Department of Tourism.
For more information on the festival email info@westplainsarts.org, visit the website at www.oldtimemusic.org or follow @old.time.music.festival on Facebook.
