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 1979
Close-up of wooden dancing doll. Partial view of unidentified individual demonstrating doll. Color
Close-up of Woody Gannaway's hands making a basket. Color
Close-up view of antique foot powered lathe in use by unidentified individual. Color
Dave Newbern playing banjo in what appears to be recreational area. Color
David Newbern in foreground with banjo and Lynn Young in background with banjo. Both musicians playing instruments in what appears to be recreational area. Color
David Newbern performing with guiitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
David Newbern performing with guitar and singing on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
David Newbern playing banjo in what appears to be recreational area. Color
David Newbern playing banjo. Parital view of other unidentified musicians. Color
Dean Hinsly, Walter Gosser, and Guy Gammill, musicians, performing with guitars on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Dee Johnson, musician, playing guitar and singing in front of stone wall. Possibly photographed on outdoor stage of the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium. Color
Dee Johnson, musician, playing guitar and singing in front of stone wall. Possibly photographed on outdoor stage of the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium. Color
Dee Johnson, musician, playing guitar and singing in front of stone wall. Possibly photographed on outdoor stage of the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium. Color
Dee Johnson with guitar (seated, back turned to camera) and son Daniel Johnson with fiddle playing in front of stone wall. Possibly photographed on outdoor stage of the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium. Color
Display of crafts, such as applehead dolls, quilts, basket, and dinnerware. Dulcimer and chair also visible. Sepia-toned
Distant view Craft Forum on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Tourists visible walking among structures. Color
Distant view of musicians performing on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Individuals (L-R): Dean Hinesly, Guy Gammill, and Walter Gosser, all with guitars. Unidentified individuals and stage props behind musicians. Color
Doug Ward performing with guitar and singing, possibly on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Black and white
Doug Ward singing and performing with guitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Stage props visible in background. Color
Elliott Hancock on stage performing with hammered dulcimer. Color
Elliott Hancock performing with dulcimer on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Elliott Hancock performing with dulcimer on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Elliott Hancock performing with dulcimer on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Elliott Hancock playing guitar in what appears to be recreational area. Partial view of unidentified musician. Color
Entrance of a cave with numerous stalactites at Blanchard Springs Caverns in the Ozark National Forest. Color
Finished woven white oak birdhouse. Color
Front side view of miniature church with miniature woman and children in traditional dress. "The Little Brown Church 'In The Vale' Built 1860-4" on front of church. Miniature trees and fence visible. Part of an Amana Colony Replica set. Black and white
Front view of miniature house. Open side porce and enclosed porch visible. Miniature woman in traditional dress out of focus in foreground. Part of an Amana Colony Replica set. Black and white
Front view of miniature Livery Stable. Miniature horses visible in entryway and to side of structure. Part of an Amana Colony Replica set. Black and white
General Manager Jack Quail and Parks Commission Chairman Jim Gatson standing with other unidentified individuals in front of Craft Forum entrance. Jim Gatson on far right holding carved log. Photographed on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Black and white
Gerald Chisholm, woodcarver, posed with carved bird in wood shop on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Black and white
Governor Bill Clinton speaking with an older man at a reception, location unknown. Black and white
Governor Bill Clinton standing with a woman, possibly signing his autograph for her. Other people standing in background, location unknown. Black and white, 2 copies
Governor Dale Bumpers riding in the back of a car during a parade. Black and white, 2 copies
Group of unidentified children among benches playing checkers on handmade set. Sepia-toned
Group of unidentified State Parks employees, most wearing uniforms, posing before a stone wall. Black and white
Group of unidentified State Parks employees, most wearing uniforms, posing before a stone wall. Black and white
Group of unidentified State Parks employees, standing before a man whose back is to the camera. Each of the group has his or her right hand raised, as though taking an oath. Black and white
Group of unidentified State Parks employees wearing uniforms and posed as a group before the stage in the Ozark Folk Center large auditorium. In the foreground is a long table set with coffee and place settings. Black and white
Group of young pigs standing in a farm yard with a barn in the background. Color
Herb Taylor outdoors with leg propped up on crate. Color
Herb Taylor seated outdoors with dancing doll. Color
Herb Taylor seated outdoors with dancing doll. Color
Herb Taylor seated outdoors with dancing dolls. Color
Herb Taylor with wooden dancing dolls. Partial view of unidentified individual in background. Possibly photographed on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Black and white
Hershal Hall discussing photographs of baskets on wall of basket shop on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Unfinished baskets behind Hall. Audience present. Black and white
Horance Smith outdoors posing with guitar on wooden porch. Color
Horance Smith playing guitar outdoors, looking off in the distance. NOTE: Same image as PH.OCRC.2472. Color
Horance Smith playing guitar outdoors, looking off in the distance. NOTE: Same image as PH.OCRC.2609. Color
Horance Smith seated outdoors palying guitar. Color
Horance Smith seated outdoors palying guitar. Color
Horance Smith seated outdoors playing guitar on wooden porch. Color
Horance Smith seated outdoors playing guitar on wooden porch. Color
Ida Branscum in traditional dress using spinning wheel on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Color
Ida Branscum in traditional dress using spinning wheel. Quilts hanging behind Branscum. Photographed on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Black and white
Ida Copeland seated playing guitar outdoors. Color
Ida Copeland seated playing guitar outdoors. Color
Ima Jean Branscum in traditional dress performing with mandolin on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Partial view of James Oden. Color
Ima Jean Taylor working on large quilt. Quilts hanging in background. Color
Interior of Blanchard Springs Caverns. Stalactites, stalagmites, and cave trail visible. Color
Jack Quail and Jo Luck Wilson standing before a set of microphones and holding a piece of woven cloth. Possibly auctioning the item. Color
James Oden performing with guiitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
James Oden performing with guitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
James Oden singing and performing with guitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Janet Gannaway weaving strips of white oak into woven birdhouse. Color
Janet Williams in traditional dress making finishing touches to basket. Finished baskets in background. Color
Janet Williams in traditional dress making finishing touches to basket. Finished baskets, tools, and pot in background. Color
Jeanne and Ann Whitfield performing in unison with double-neck dulcimer on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Stage props visible in background. Color
Jeanne and Ann Whitfield performing on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Jeanne singing and Ann with autoharp. Stage props visible in background. Color
Jean Simmons playing dulcimer. Photographed from behind seated Simmons. Color
Jesse D. Wright performing with guitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Jesse D. Wright performing with guitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Jesse D. Wright performing with guitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Guitar has Wright's name on front. Color
Jimmy Driftwood and wife Cleda seated. Unidentified man seated with the Driftwoods, unidentified state park employees in background. Color
Jimmy Driftwood performing on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Jimmy Driftwood performing on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Jimmy Driftwood posed with his signature handmade guitar. Possibly a publicity photo. Black and white
Jimmy Driftwood (right), Mrs. West (center), and Commissioner Sonny (left) sitting. Color
Jimmy Driftwood speaking before an audience. Color
Joan McKay, sitting with banjo in front of Ozark Folks' Market entrance. Color
Joanne Webb seated at table with finished and unfinished applehead dolls. Various supplies for crafting applehead dolls on table. Color
Joanne Webb seated carving apples for applehead dolls. Color
Judy Klemmedson in traditional dress performing with dulcimer on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Judy Klemmedson in traditional dress performing with dulcimer on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Judy Klemmedson, Lynn Young, and Charles Sandage, musicians, playing instruments in what appears to be recreational area. Individuals (L-R): Klemmedson with guitar, Young with autoharp, and Sandage with guitar. Unidentified musician in background. Color
Judy Klemmedson, Lynn Young, and Charles Sandage playing instruments in what appears to be recreational area. Individuals (L-R): Klemmedson (back turned to camera), Young with autoharp, and Sandage with guitar. Unidentified individuals dancing in background. Color
Judy Klemmedson with guitar and Lynn Young with autoharp playing instruments in what appears to be recreational area. Color
Kathy Morrison with dulcimer and Milford Morrison with guitar performing on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Kevin Horsely outdoors looking at guitar and dulcimer propped against chair. Color
Linda Broder using blowtorch on candles in workshop. Candle making materials in background. Color
Lois Dodson, quilter, seated at booth with quilts before her on table. Quilts hanging in background. Color
Lois Dodson quilting on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Finished quilts hanging behind Dodson. Color
Lonnie Avery performing with guitar on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Color
Lou Alderman, potter, bent over pottery wheel forming clay into what appears to be a cup. Photographed on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Black and white
Lucy Johnson in traditional dress weaving on loom on the Ozark Folk Center grounds. Color
Lynn and Mary Katherine McSpadden performing with dulcimers on the Ozark Folk Center Main Auditorium stage. Old fashioned stove behind McSpaddens. Color
Lynn Young, Buddy Lancaster, and Elliott Hancock, musicians, playing instruments. Individuals (L-R): Young with banjo, Lancaster with fiddle, and Hancock in background with guitar. Color
Lynn Young, Buddy Lancaster, Charles Sandage, Judy Klemmedson, and Elliott Hancock, musicians, playing instruments. Individuals (L-R): Young with banjo, Sandage (back) with guitar, Lancaster with fiddle, Klemmedson (back) with guitar, and Hancock with guitar. Color
Lynn Young playing banjo. Color
Lynn Young with autoharp. Color