The Ozark Folk Center (OFC) opened its doors on May 5, 1973 in Mountain View, Arkansas as a living history state park committed to preserving and demonstrating traditional crafts, folkways and music of the Ozarks. The center was born out of the Arkansas Folk Festival, which began in April 1963 through the efforts of the Ozark Foothills Handicraft Guild and the Rackensack Folklore Society.

Many helped in making the Ozark Folk Center project a realty, such as musician Jimmy Driftwood, who lobbied for the OFC as well as educator Dr. Bessie Moore and Arkansas official U.S. Representative Wilbur D. Mills, who both helped to secure governmental funding for the OFC. In December 1968, Representative Mills announced that through combined grant and loans the OFC had over $2.5 million for its construction.

The OFC project broke ground in September 1971, was completed by April 1973, and officially dedicated in May 1973. By the completion of its construction, the OFC was a $3.4 million dollar facility which included, but was not limited to, an over 1000 seat music auditorium, a restaurant, a lodge, a conference center, and numerous craft shops located on 80 acres of land in Stone County, Arkansas. The OFC has since grown to 640 acres, located north of Mountain View.

This collection is comprised of photographs, photographic prints, and negatives depicting various artists, crafters, Arkansas politicians, and events at the Ozark Folk Center. These images include, but are not limited to, live performances, annual festivals, musical artists’ and/or groups’ publicity photographs, folkways cultural demonstrations, and anniversary events at the Ozark Folk Center.

This collection was managed by the Ozark Cultural Resource Center (OCRC) facility, within the OFC, prior to being transferred to the Arkansas State Archives. Collection information such as the identifier, collection title, and citation still use the Ozark Cultural Resource Center (OCRC) name.

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Submissions from 2020

A jar of Ozark Folk Center peach butter, next to a peach. Black and white

Alice Merryman making corn husk doll in the Shuckery Shop, Ozark Folk Center. Black and white

Al Jacobs with hammered dulcimer. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Al Jacobs with hammered dulcimer. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

A musical group posed with instruments - probably the Cumberland Ridge Runners. Members unidentified. Ozark Cultural Resource Center country music photos (C). Black and white

Andrew Luther "Tex" Horton with banjo. Color, mounted on foamcore

Andy Purdom. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

An old record for the Carter Family song "Can the Circle be Unbroken." Ozark Cultural Resource Center gospel photos. Black and white

An old record for the Carter Family song "Little Moses." Ozark Cultural Resource Center gospel photos. Black and white

A photograph of a simple, hand-drawn map of the Ozark Mountains. Black and white

Arkansas musicians Don and Chris Freel with third, unidentified musician. Color

Art Flatt on banjo and Dar Stow on guitar. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Autoharp player Brooke Breeding. Black and white

Autoharp player Brooke Breeding. Black and white, 2 copies

Autoharp player Brooke Breeding. Black and white, 2 copies [Err, 4 copies]

Autoharp player Fredona Currie. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Banjo player George Foss with his dog, Jubal. Black and white, 3 copies

Banjo player George Foss with his dog, Jubal. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Bassist Kim Lowe. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Becki Jean McCluskey dancing. Black and white

Bill Myers. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Black and white

Blanche Richardson quilting in the Ozark Folk Center quilt shop. 2 copies: one large Black and white; one smaller, color, mounted on foamcore

Bob and Pat Momich on banjo and guitar. One copy has "Group Proffesor Humprey & Biscuit Boy" written on back. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Bob Kinney in what appears to be a radio studio. Autographed. Black and white, mounted on cardstock

Bruce Warren on hammered dulcimer and Liz Thomas on autoharp. Black and white, mounted on cardstock

Buck Baker. Black and white, 2 copies, both mounted on foamcore

Bud Malmstrom. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Bud Malmstrom. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Bugshuffle, musical group. Members (L-R): Dave McKellep, Sue Lukens, Dave Smith, and Joe Jewel. Black and white

Carl King. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Carl King making beaded belt. Black and white

Cast of the WLW Boone County Jamboree, members unidentified. Ozark Cultural Resource Center country music photos. Black and white, 2 copies

Chain carved from wood by John Arnold. Black and white

Charlie Sandage and unidentified woman performing on picking bows in the Ozark Folk Center auditorium. Color

Charlie Sandage playing guitar at what appears to be a jam or party. Unidentified people in crowd/background. Color

Clarice Chitwood weaving. Color

Clarice Chitwood weaving. Color, mounted on carboard

Claudies Gardner, guitarist. Caption "The Great Sounds of Claudies Gardner" on photograph. Black and white, 2 copies

Cliff Hayes. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Close-up image of a vessel being thrown on the potter's wheel. Unidentified potter. Black and white

Close-up image of the keyboard and stops on an old reed organ. Black and white

Close-up of a pile of baskets, one has an Ozark Folk Center tag. Black and white

Collapsed roof on log schoolhouse cabin. Black and white

Comer Mullins in gift shop, wearing dramatically oversized pants held by suspenders. Color

Comer Mullins on banjo and Deborraha Mullins on guitar. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Comer Mullins on banjo and Deborraha Mullins on guitar. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Composite publicity photo - four images. Top: Win, Eleanor, Paul and Leela Grace with instruments; bottom left: Eleanor and Leela clogging; bottom center: Win and Paul with instruments; bottom right: Eleanor and Leela clogging. Photos by Craig Milburn. Black and white, 2 copies

Contest winners, identified only by last name: Hale, Morgan, Peterson. Black and white

Corn husk angel dolls made by "Nan." Black and white, 2 copies

Cover from the book: "Stairway to Heaven, The Spiritual Roots of Rock'N'Roll." Ozark Cultural Resource Center gospel photos. Black and white

Dance group Downhome Cloggers, members unidentified. Black and white, mounted on cardstock

Dancer Alva Green. Sepia-toned, mounted on foamcore

Dancer and musician Jim Sanders. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer and musician Wanda Sanders. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer and musician Zachary Earnest. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer and musician Zachary Earnest. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Anne Harris. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Anne Harris. Sepia-toned, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Barbara Schneider. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Barbara Schneider. Green-tinted, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Bill Ford demonstrating broom making. Black and white

Dancer Bill Ford. Green-tinted, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Bill Ford. Sepia-toned, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Bill Ford with brooms hanging on wall. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Bud Schneider. Black and white

Dancer Bud Schneider. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Bud Schneider. Green-tinted, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Charles Drewry. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer David Blair. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer David Blair. Color, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Hazel Rand. Sepia-toned, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Jackie Ragsdale. Sepia-toned, mounted on foamcore

Dancer James Jeffries. Blue-tint photo print, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Junior Fulks. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Junior Fulks. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Katharyn Deppe. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Marie Taylor. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Marie Taylor. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancer Roger Gardner. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancers Alvin and Mary Arter. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dancers Bud and Barbara Schneider. Black and white

Dancers Dave and Opal Stewart. Black and white

Dancers Ken and Phyllis Borgenheimer. Green-tinted, mounted on foamcore

Daniel Johnston playing the fiddle. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on a sheet of printer paper

Dar Stow performing on guitar. Sepia-toned, mounted on cardboard

David Blair dancing on stage at Ozark Folk Center. Black and white, mounted on foamcore

Dovetail corner near top of log schoolhouse cabin. Black and white

Dovetail corner on log schoolhouse cabin. Black and white

Dovetail corner on log schoolhouse cabin. Black and white

Dovetail corner on log schoolhouse cabin. Black and white, 2 copies

Dovetail corner on log schoolhouse cabin. Black and white, 2 copies

Dulcimer belonging to Lynn McSpadden. Black and white

Dulcimer contest winners, L-R: Mike McGee, Doty (no last name given), and Pam Sanders. Black and white

Dulcimer player Jerry Rockwell. Black and white

Dulcimer player Lisa Wiede. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore

Dulcimer player Lois Hornbostel. Black and white

Dulcimer player Lois Hornbostel. Black and white

Eddy Arnold in NBC studio. Ozark Cultural Resource Center country music photos. Black and white, 2 copies - different brightness levels

Edited composite photo of Lonnie Glosson with guitar. Superimposed in upper right corner is a cut-out portrait of, wife Ruth Glosson. Upper left corner reads: "Love and friendship are jewels which enrich life." Lower left corner has Glosson's signature. Color, mounted on cardstock