Ozarks Alive

A new roof can be cause for celebration.

I felt this a few nights ago when I got an email from Chief Maurice "Moe" Anna of the Cedarcreek Fire Protection District. A few months ago, I wrote about the very rural department's efforts to raise money (and grow volunteers) to help support the small department in rural Taney County, Missouri.

One of their biggest physical needs was a new roof for the firehouse, which is housed in the community's former school. The district closed in the early 1990s, and today houses the fire department and the Cedarcreek Resale Shop. Generally open on Saturdays, it helps raise money for the department and is a resource for community members in need.

The roof was a big financial lift for the small department, but crucial: If the roof went, so would the fire department's home and their main way of making money. A monthly social was started at a nearby church — both as a way to bring people together in the isolated area, and to take donations for the project.

It felt like a big thing to make happen — but they did it. In his email, Chief Moe told me work was happening on the roof this week.

Today, I got to see it for myself. The project ended up costing around $39,000 and most of it was gathered through donations. $8,000 or a little less came from savings, but now they hope to raise that back to restore the balance as it was before.

Of course, there are always more goals ahead. In Chief Moe's case, he wishes — as I'm sure do many other rural fire departments — that more folks would consider volunteering.

Cedarcreek has a department of about eight members, with five over age 65. Four are able to actively fight fires. "The others will help with the pumps and handle the hoses, which is just as important," the chief told me.

"It takes a team."

Yes, it does. It takes a team — a community — to make change. This moment is a reminder of the good that can happen when people come together — even in small places, and even when the task feels daunting. It’s together that projects are made possible, we help create the world in which we wish to live, and we are reminded of the good in our neighbors.

Just a reminder: You can get stories like this sent directly to you for free in Ozarks Alive's monthly story newsletter. A link to sign up is in the comments.

FYI: I’m getting ready to send out Ozarks Alive’s free monthly email newsletter. This email contains links to Ozarks Alive articles from the past month, so you never have to miss a story. A link to sign up is in the comments!

(Pic for attention - it was a beautiful day in rural Dade County.)

Yesterday made me feel like I was 17 again. Let me explain...

I began writing about the Ozarks when I was in high school at Marshfield. The local newspaper had a weekly history column called "Landmarks," and in an unexpected turn of events (that I chalk up to divine intervention), I was allowed to write it from the end of 2005 through my high school graduation in 2007.

During that period, I spent nearly every Sunday at the Webster County Historical Museum searching for ideas and then wandering into the countryside — no GPS and only a paper map in hand — to try and locate something related to the topic for photos. That might be the remains of an old schoolhouse, a historic site or other place of significance.

I never planned to be a journalist or even a writer prior to this time, but I quickly fell in love with the chance to share stories. This work changed the trajectory of my life and ultimately was how Ozarks Alive came to be years later.

In an unexpected throwback, yesterday I was out in Webster County on a sunny Sunday evening doing the same work I did so many years ago: Wandering down a gravel road looking for any hint of remnants for a long-gone settlement called Sarvis Point. This story isn't for Ozarks Alive — it's for a friend's publication — but it was a reminder of those long-ago days when I was out wandering in this area for these types of stories.

Concrete remnants of Sarvis Point were challenging to find, but that was OK: I found some great moments of reflection.

The Pettigrew Schoolhouse in rural Madison County, Arkansas, is one of few remnants of the days when the town boomed during the timber industry. It served students for about 50 years, when it closed and became a local gathering place. One of those annual events is Pettigrew Day, when topics reflective of local history are shared with the community.

Chuck Stout, one of its former students and current leaders, recently gave me a tour of the school and talked of its value today.

“If we don't get some substantial help, it's going to go away,” he told me. “I’d really hate to see that.”

Not every historical building can or should be preserved. But I think it's important to be especially mindful of places that not only represent the past, but are still part of the present. It helps us find ways to connect — both with our part in a larger story, but also with other people in the here and now.

Learn more about the school, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, via the link in the comments.

While recently in the Joplin area, I thought about a story I did a decade ago about Roswitha's Schnitzelbank.

Owner Roswitha Hartline was the daughter of a German soldier during World War II, and ended up in an orphanage in France. Later, she lived with her grandmother who taught her to cook.

After marrying an American serviceman, life circumstances led Roswitha to Missouri, where she took classes at Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri, to improve her English. Later, she became certified as a horse trainer and manager. And all of that was before she opened her namesake cafe near Webb City. There, diners could sample authentic German fare, and kids could feed her horse peppermints.

Roswitha retired in 2019 and the cafe closed. Even though it's gone, I think it's nice to remember the stories of places and people that impacted the region. Anyone else have memories of this place?

Authentic German eats, no passport required — Ozarks Alive Roswitha's Schnitzelbank near Webb City served up German food every Friday and Saturday until it closed in 2019.

I happened to have a pie with me yesterday as I as headed to Flotsam Farm’s weekly potluck. Maybe I should just carry pie all the time to share, though! (Also, stay tuned for a story about Dora Historian Ozarks and Headstone History, two local projects respectively run by a mother and daughter near Dora, Missouri. That’s why I was here in the first place.)

Kaitlyn McConnell shared a piece of her Crunch Top Apple Pie with Bradley yesterday. It really made his day! He is a big fan of her Ozarks Alive page and especially her pie posts. Thanks for stopping in Dora for a visit Kaitlyn, it was fun!

“The Morning Shift” at Roy's Store in Dora. I stopped by this morning for coffee and was glad to see them there. Bertie is also making pies there right now, by the way.

(Roy’s Store is a longtime gathering place in rural Ozark County, Missouri. If you’d like to read more about its history — and how it’s survived despite a Dollar General going in right down the road a few years ago — visit the Ozarks Alive link in the comments.)

I love using art to tell stories. I just finished this rug hooking of the Rader Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Missouri — the seven tree branches represent the seven generations of my family connected with the church.

The main reason I’m sharing this today is because I was introduced to rug hooking three years ago via a free class offered by the Ozark Mountain Rug Hookers Guild — and another of these classes is coming up on Aug. 29. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Library Center in Springfield. The guild will provide most of the materials and instruction to help you see if this is an art form you like doing.

Spots are limited, so if you’re interested, please send an email to [email protected] to reserve your spot. I greatly enjoy this tradition and wanted to make sure you knew about the opportunity.

Since the 1970s, Terra Studios has developed as a whimsical, artistic destination — one made famous by the glass "Bluebirds of Happiness" — in rural Northwest Arkansas. Today, visitors are welcome to the six-acre art park with installations (like these friendly creatures), consider how art and nature fuse together, and shop wares from local artisans in its gallery.

I recently made my first visit to Terra Studios and had to write about it. Find a link to the story in the comments!