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.
Submissions from 2020
Portrait of dancer Fran Berens. Green-tinted, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of dancer Fran Berens. Sepia-toned, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of dancer Kermit Taylor. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of dancer Leah Poe. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of Deborah Martin. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of Ed Hale. Black and white
Portrait of fiddler Johnny Gimble. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of folk musician Mike Seeger. Black and white
Portrait of guitarist Dave Campbell. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of Guy Logsdon. Black and white, mounted on cardstock
Portrait of Jerry Byler at a microphone. Black and white
Portrait of Joel Hales. Photo labeled on back with "Peter Lee Univ MS." Black and white
Portrait of Kathy Sutterfield. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of Lee Mills, the last man hanged in Arkansas in public execution. Black and white
Portrait of musician Big Slim. Ozark Cultural Resource Center country music photos. Black and white
Portrait of musician Bill Boyd. Ozark Cultural Resource Center country music photos. Black and white
Portrait of musician Pat Brady. Ozark Cultural Resource Center country music photos. Black and white
Portrait of Percy Copeland playing harmonica. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of Perry Williams. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of poet and storyteller Cactus Chris Buethe. Black and white
Portrait of Ramona Jones with fiddle. Color
Portrait of Texas Shorty with fiddle. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of Vada and Fletcher Bryant. Black and white
Portrait of Vada Bryant. Black and white, 2 copies, mounted on foamcore
Portrait of weaver Clarice Chitwood. Black and white, 2 copies
Portrait of weaver Clarice Chitwood, taken through loom. Black and white
Pottery in partially-loaded kiln. Black and white
Publicity of musical duo "Country Rhoads," Marge and Debby Rhoads. Black and white, 2 copies
Publicity photo. Black and white
Publicity photo. Black and white
Publicity photo. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo by Berge Ara Zobian. Black and white
Publicity photo by Berge Ara Zobian; Elwood Donnelly and Aubrey Atwater. Black and white, 2 copies
Publicity photo by Hank Widick. Color
Publicity photo by Hank Widick. Color
Publicity photo by Hank Widick. Color, 2 copies, one mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo for Henry the Fiddler. Autographed by Henry. Black and white
Publicity photo for the musical group Pfeiffer Brothers. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo; L-R: Missy Raines, Eddie Adcock, Martha Adcock. Black and white
Publicity photo of banjo player Cathy Fink, taken by Dane Penland. Black and white
Publicity photo of Clint Welch with guitar. Black and white, mounted on cardstock
Publicity photo of country singer and yodeler Mike Preston. Black and white, 5 copies
Publicity photo of country singer and yodeler Mike Preston. Color
Publicity photo of dance group Ozark Lightnin', autographed by members. Black and white
Publicity photo of David Holt with banjo and guitar. Photo by Irene Young. Black and white
Publicity photo of Dean Mitchell. Black and white
Publicity photo of Doc Watson with a guitar. Photo by Peter Figen. Black and white
Publicity photo of dulcimer player David Schnaufer. Black and white, mounted on cardstock
Publicity photo of dulcimer player Kevin Roth. Black and white, 16 copies
Publicity photo of dulcimer player Kevin Roth. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo of dulcimer player Lee Lorraine. Photo by Susan Wilson. Black and white
Publicity photo of fiddler Byron Berline. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo of folk musician Mike Seeger. Black and white
Publicity photo of folk musician Mike Seeger. Black and white
Publicity photo of folk musician Mike Seeger. Black and white
Publicity photo of folk musician Mike Seeger. Photo by Appleman/Zinser. Black and white
Publicity photo of folk musician Mike Seeger. Photo by Nancy Spencer. Black and white
Publicity photo of folk musician Mike Seeger. Photo by Paul Feinberg. Black and white
Publicity photo of folk musicians Phil Cooper and Margaret Nelson. Black and white
Publicity photo of folk musicians Phil Cooper and Margaret Nelson. Black and white
Publicity photo of guitarist Billy Grammer. Black and white
Publicity photo of guitarist Claudies Gardner. Black and white
Publicity photo of guitarist Eddie Pennington. Black and white, 3 copies
Publicity photo of guitarist Joe Miller. Black and white
Publicity photo of guitarist Ronnie Prophet. Autographed. Color
Publicity photo of guitarist Thom Bresh. Black and white, 2 copies
Publicity photo of guitarist Tommy Horton. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo of harmonica player Ronnie D. Murphy. Color, mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo of Iowa guitarist Bob Everhart. Black and white, mounted on foamcore
Publicity photo of Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys - members unidentified. Color, 2 copies
Publicity photo of Jim Wilson on a horse. Black and white
Publicity photo of John Lilly. Photo credit: robertcorwin.com. Black and white
Publicity photo of Ken Kolodner with hammered dulcimer. Black and white [2 copies]
Publicity photo of Leroy Troy with banjo. Black and white, 2 copies