My Ozark Memories



Type o's (type O's?) are intentional & must not be corrected or commented upon.

I was brought home from the hospital in Harrison Arkansas to my grandparent's rock home on Kirk Mountain. Three years later, my parents fled the economic situation of the 1950's Ozark area, bringing me along, to the suburbs of Saint Louis Missouri. My parents were fortunate and both attained sought after jobs and I was raised quite well. Although, we returned to our Ozark roots as often as possible and I spent summers with my grandma (Mom), I alway's yearned to return to the Ozarks to live my life. Thanks to the Higher Power that is, my husband Gary, and my oldest son Joshua, it appears that I will finally be able to do so. Our new Ozark farm which is a work of love in progress has been named Sylvanglades in the Ozarks, or just Sylvanglades.

Today, Three Oaks Bed & Breakfast is located on Kirk Mountain which is on Hwy 7 out of Harrison Arkansas. I have had the good fortune to have stayed there and found it to be remarkable. The hosts were wonderful, the menu delightful, & the accommodations superb. Of course, the beautiful mountain top view and the ambiance of the antique décor add to the charm. The old Rock home in which I lived with my grandparents burned down many years ago.

My maternal grandfather, PaPa (also known as Walter Kirk), was of Scottish ancestry with a good dose of American Indian thrown in somewhere and came from the Old Lead Hill area. When my mama was little she asked him what they were, meaning what ancestry they descended from, and Papa told her that they were Americans. His attitude seemed to reflect the feeling that the past was best left behind across the sea, & the new world all that mattered. Patriotism ran strong in the Ozarks. My maternal grandmother, Lenora Cook, rode in a covered wagon from Iowa to the Arkansas hills when she was 3.

My dad's father, Ben Breece, was from Bergman and the Breeces had arrived in the Ozarks in the 1800's. Lots of Welsh and English on Dad's Breece side and his mother was a Davidson. I believe my Grandma Opal Davidson was of Welsh, English, and American Indian descent. Actually, the only reason I'm giving a little ancestry background is to show that the Celtic influence of the Ozark area ran true in our case. I also believe that most Ozarkians have quite a bit of American Indian ancestry but that is just my own belief.

Both of my great grandparents owned and operated stores in Bergman which seems to have been a thriving community at one time. The Cook store belonged to mama's grandparents and my Grandpa Cook sat in a rocker at the far end of the store. He was very old. Above his head was the mounted trophy of a three headed cow. Tootsie, daughter of my late Great-Aunt Lilly, still has pictures and a newspaper article about the poor freakish beast. Tootsie, also know as Daphne Haworth, lives in what was her mother's (Lilly Sharp) house down past Bergman. The Ozark spirit runs strong in Tootsie as she mows and tends to the old house which I believe to be the oldest in the area. My grandpa & grandma Kirk were married in said house. My Great-Grandpa & Great-Grandma Breece had a store and hotel where the railroad workers stayed. My Uncle David and Aunt Shirley Breece still have a farm in Bergman. I also have many other relatives still living in the area, (too many to list them all here) but must mention my Cousin Jeff (whom I will be writing about) and his wife Punky who live on a scenic farm in Newton County.

Even though I was only 3 when we left, I still have wonderful memories of living on that hill farm. I have wanted to return to the Ozarks all of my life. One memory I have is of my cousin Jeff who is only a year or so older than me, leading myself & Rejena (Jeff's sister and my cousin) hiking thru the pastures. As you can tell, my hiking career started at a tender age. We crossed under Hwy 7 thru a cattle crossing tunnel. The actual cattle grate which kept the cows from crossing the road above had grates with openings so large I was afraid that my whole body might fall thru. Many of the trails we followed were created by earlier Kirk hikers such as my mom and her siblings. Every rocky ledge & leafy valley were full of fascinating striations and insect life. Speaking of insects, we would tie string around the locusts and let them fly around in circles. They emitted a loud airplane-like buzzing. Grass hoppers were inspected in minute detail. Blue tailed spinks and other lizards abounded and did not escape our childish curiosity.

Sometimes my grandma (Mom Kirk) would take me hiking to pick blackberries. Mom Kirk would make me wear long sleeves, long pants, and gloves in the August heat to protect us from thorns and ticks. Afterwards, Mom would pour cream over the juicy blackberries. There were Fig Newtons in the cookie jar. I read somewhere that Fig Newtons were one of the earliest ready-made cookies available on the grocery shelves.

Mom Kirk's attic was full of old relics, clothes, and other fun items. The cellar under the home seemed like a large cavern. I remember moist walls and cool air that was delightful in the August heat before air conditioning existed. There were toys left over from my Aunts and Uncles childhoods that I could play with down there under the ground. Blackie, a little cocker spaniel would sleep under my bed when I lay down. One day, as I played in the yard, Blackie began barking. Mom ran out on the porch and yelled for me to go inside. Which I did, but not before I saw the old rabid coyote that was trying to get in the fence where I played. At night, I heard howling. I suppose it might have been the howl of coyotes, but I remember the howl of wolves. When I looked outside, all that could be seen was the huge fireball of an Ozark moon that seemed to shine so brightly the inky black night sky. One of my favorite pastimes was when I was sent hiking to the barn to collect the eggs. Or, the "aigs", as I was taught to say. The barn smelled wonderfully of staw, horses, and other aromas. Not only did I find eggs in the wooden nest boxes but would find them in the straw up in the loft. It was like an Easter egg hunt every day. One time, a huge black snake lay waiting right in the nesting box alongside the eggs. That black snake reared right up and looked me in the eyes before I ran yelling towards the safety of the house.

Later memories include family reunions held on the Lead Hill side of Bear Creek. We obtained permission from the farmer to use his portion of creek. A short hike down a well worn trail led to a perfect swimming hole. Swimming out to the piers of the old bridge crossing the creek, wading, and catching crawdads provided hours of excitement and fun. Many trips were made to Bull Shoals Lake. Boating, skiing, swimming and fishing on the lake was a natural part of the Ozark experience. Even as a child, the scenic splendor of the Ozarks could keep me happily busy just soaking it all in.

To be continued

Arkansas Ozark History




The Oldtimer Page - The Way We Used To Do it
Al Durtschi, E-mail: mark@waltonfeed.com
Al's site contains a wealth of info on the old ways of daily life. The site covers Spring Houses, Curing and Potting meat, building Root Cellars, building Cisterns and Wells by hand, making butter and sauerkraut, old recipes, and soooooo much more. Not only is Al's site full of good examples of the old Ozark way of life, but also provides absolutely fascinating historical information and links.

An Ozark Memory Project
The South Shore Foundation of Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas in cooperation with the Flippin School District and Arkansas State University have provided an Ozark Memory Project. A truly inspired historical site on the Ozarks created by students. If link doesn't work, please cut and paste in your browser.


As I mentioned above, my love for hiking began early in the Ozark hills of Arkansas and some of my favorite hikes include waterfalls. Waterfalls are best viewed in the rainy spring season or after a good rain. Of course, then you might expect to have to ford a creek or two. Below is a list of my favorite hikes.

WATERFALL HIKING TRAILS!

Hemmed In Hollow 225 ft waterfall on the Buffalo. Description and directions found below.
Eden Falls 35 ft, Lost Valley Hiking Trail, on Clark Creek, best in wet weather.
Broadwater Hollow Falls, Cecil Cove Loop Trail, close to Erbie Church across river from Erbie Campground, Approximately 2.5 miles, trail to falls not that well defined.
Falling Water Falls. Richland Creek Wilderness area. Junction of Hwy 7 and 16 at Pelsor. South of Ben Hur and turn East. Follow Falling Water Creek 3 to 4 miles down the road, falls will be on your right.
Haw Creek Falls. From scenic 7 Byway turn West onto AR Hwy 123. Falls are next to a small US Forest Service campground. 10 to 12 miles from Pelsor across a bridge over the Big Piney and a campground just a bit further.
Twin Falls and Richland Falls in Richland Wilderness. There are two ways to access these falls.
1. Hill Cemetery route off Hwy 123 out of Lurton onto Forest Rd #1200, then onto Forest Rd. #1205.
2. Richland Creek Campground. Turn off Hwy 7 at Pelsor onto Hwy 16, must wade across two creeks to get to falls.
Hemmed-In Hollow Falls can be accessed by canoe. The float trip between Ponca and Pruitt would include this highest waterfall in mid-America. It is approximately a 25 mile float that known for vistas of towering bluffs, crystal clear swimming holes, and some of the best campgrounds available. One of my favorites is Steel Creek, a beautiful cliff lined campground reminiscent of an ancient era. If you're lucky, you may see a horse and rider crossing the springfed stream shooting sprays of water high in the air around them. It is a beautiful sight even if you don't ride.
Also in the Buffalo Wilderness are The Erbie Trails. Eden Falls and Broadwater Falls are located along these trails. These trails include waterfalls, as well as old farmsteads, majestic cliffs, and unparalleled vistas. On the north side of the Buffalo River are a system of trails that comprise an approximate 7.5 mile loop. The trails can be hiked individually or as a whole. To reach Broadhollow Falls, take the Cecil Creek Trail upstream to the what's left of an old church foundation. Take the trail to the right which is marked by blue blazes about a mile to Broadwater Falls. The trail to the left, Cecil Creek Bench Trail, leads up out of the creek valley. On the south side of the Buffalo is the Cherry Grove Cemetery Loop. This hiking trail begins at Lost Valley campground and leads to Eden Falls and then on to a cave. I have read that the cave is about 200 ft deep and ends in a large room with a 35 ft. waterfall and that flashlights are needed. Again, these falls are best seen in spring.
One way to access the Erbie Trails is to take the Erbie campground access road which is west off Hwy 7 about 5 miles north of Jasper. A concrete low-water bridge must be crossed to access the trails on the north side of the Buffalo. Access is also available from the Dogpatch-Erbie road off Hwy 7 or the Compton-Erbie road off Hwy 43 which is also Newton County road 19.
DISCLAIMER: Directions given are the best to my knowledge but a map should alway's be used as roads and various items are subject to changes.
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