Ozark Living

By Maggie Hunter Special to Ozark Living Magazine Even though sometimes I thrive on the vibe of urban culture, nature is my home and where I feel most at peace. City life is thrilling and exciting. ere's nothing quite like the exhilaration you feel walking into Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on game day, or the exuberance of shopping and fine dining with your girlfriends. However, I find healing and restoration predominately in the forgotten foothills of the Ozarks. e Forgotten Foothills of the Ozarks I still remember like it was yesterday when Interstate 49 was opened to traffic in 1999. Before the Bobby Hopper Tunnel, anyone coming from the south had to make the long and tedious trek through the hills and hollers, twists and curves of Highway 71 or Highway 59 to make the journey north. It's no secret that interstates and major highways have made life and travel easier for many, especially those of us who reside in these forgotten regions that must travel to earn a livable wage. During the weekends of Razorback home games, traffic would be backed up for days; and if you think the wrecks on I-49 are bad, you probably don't want to hear about the ones on Highway 71. However, the interstate that cuts through the mountains has caused us to forget about the beautiful and historic towns along the scenic routes deeply rooted in Ozarks culture. Ozarks' Hillbillies "History has a way of intruding upon the present, and perhaps those who read it will have a clearer understanding." - Dee Brown's "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West" Sioux-speaking tribes, such as the Osage, were the Indigenous people of the Ozarks. Aer the Trail of Tears, many Cherokee settled into our mountainous region, with Irish- Scottish and German settlers coming much later. Our traditions, religion and folklore are deeply rooted in the customs of each piece of our heritage. ere is no set culture in the Ozarks, it is as diverse as the foliage with the commonality being in nature and freedom. While using the term "hillbilly" has a certain connotation to it, I feel there is no better term to describe our conglomeration of etymology. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, "the first scholarly use of the term (hillbilly) appeared in a study of Arkansas Ozarks dialect." Its most likely origin is the melding of the term "hill-folk" with the Scottish word "billie," which means friend. While hillbillies have no shortish in pop culture of being synonymous with white trash and redneck, the term takes on a whole new meaning when you dive deeper into our culture and origins. I would even go as far as to say the epithet has a closer correspondence to a bohemian, free spirit, or nomad. Irretrievable Yesterday e towns and communities along the historic highways at the base of the foothills are abundant in the jumbled concoction of Ozark heritage, Wild West culture, and a sprinkle of modern society. ere's plenty of natural sites to see, but beyond Prairie Grove and Farmington, few businesses have endured the ebb and flow of the economy and the transition to interstate travel. Most businesses have been buried in an irretrievable yesterday. While the glory days of places such as the Sunshine Cafe in Natural Dam and Grandma's House Cafe in Winslow are stored away in memories, newspaper clippings and buildings le behind, many still persevere: Artist Point, Dairy Dream, Morrow Country Store and American Drive-In, just to name a few. You'll even discover a few new places along the way. e Beard and Lady Inn in Chester, with its Homegrown Native Restaurant is the perfect Ozarkian combination of quirky and eerie. From its rooms themed aer common human fears to food prepared from locally scavenged sources, it mirrors the essence of the foothills at which it resides. While commerce in these towns may seem scarce, the untouched landscape with views painted by the hand of God himself, leaves little to be desired for nature lovers everywhere. Whether you enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, a scenic drive, a one-of-a-kind retreat or a new place to call home, there's no better place than the foothills of the Ozarks. e Natural State's Nature ere is nothing quite as majestic as a drive through the Ozarks in fall -- the splashes and pops of color over the rolling hills and the intertwining creeks and lakes reflecting the fall foliage. e beauty of the terrain isn't the only treasure the nature of the Ozarks holds though. ere is a wealth of forageable resources, such as those used at Homegrown Native Restaurant. As a child, my friends and I would pick Over e River' 'Sewhere, 28 • November 2022 • oZArK LIvING

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