The Ozarks, encompassing the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands, and Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region spanning Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and southeastern Kansas. They cover a large portion of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, stretching from Interstate 40 in central Arkansas to Interstate 70 in central Missouri.
1908: Establishment of Ozark National Forest
In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared the creation of the Ozark National Forest to protect a significant portion of land in Arkansas.
1911: Construction of Powersite Dam
Construction began on the Powersite Dam on the White River near Branson, Missouri, in 1911, marking the start of harnessing the Ozarks rivers for power and other purposes.
1931: Creation of Lake of the Ozarks
The Lake of the Ozarks was formed in 1931 by impounding the Osage River.
1938: Flood Control Act
Following the Flood Control Act of 1938, six major flood control dams were constructed on the White River and its tributaries.
1939: Establishment of Mark Twain National Forest
The Mark Twain National Forest was founded across nine sites in Missouri in 1939.
1940: Creation of Grand Lake o' the Cherokee
Grand Lake o' the Cherokee in northeast Oklahoma was created in 1940 by damming the Grand River.
1941: Library of Congress Recordings
Commissioned by Alan Lomax, Vance Randolph embarked on a project in 1941, using a portable recording machine from the Library of Congress to capture over 800 Ozark songs, ballads, and instrumentals.
1941: Creation of Norfork Lake
Norfork Lake was formed in 1941 by damming the North Fork River, a tributary of the White River.
1952: Completion of Bull Shoals Lake
Completed in 1952, Bull Shoals Lake is the furthest downstream lake on the White River proper, formed along the Arkansas-Missouri line.
1958: Creation of Table Rock Lake
The White River flows northeasterly into Table Rock Lake in Missouri, formed in 1958.
1960: Creation of Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake, northeast of Fayetteville, was created in 1960.
1961: Creation of Lake Sequoyah
Lake Sequoyah, a small recreational fishing lake east of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was formed in 1961.
1961: Creation of Pomme de Terre Lake
Pomme de Terre Lake was created in 1961 by damming the Pomme de Terre River, a tributary of the Osage River.
1964: Ozark Magic and Folklore
Courier Dover Publications published Vance Randolph's "Ozark Magic and Folklore" in 1964, further documenting Ozark folklore.
1964: Establishment of Ozark National Scenic Riverways
The Ozark National Scenic Riverways was established in 1964 along the Current and Jacks Fork rivers, becoming the first US national park based on a river system.
1964: The Wilderness Act
The Wilderness Act of 1964 designated wilderness areas for preservation, including second-growth public forests such as the Mark Twain National Forest.
1968: Inclusion of Eleven Point River in National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
The Eleven Point River was included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, established in 1968.
1969: Creation of Stockton Lake
Stockton Lake was formed in 1969 by damming the Sac River to supplement the water supply of Springfield, Missouri.
1972: Designation of Buffalo National River
The Buffalo National River was designated as the nation's first National River in 1972 by an Act of Congress, administered by the National Park Service.
1973: Bittersweet Project Begins
The Bittersweet project was initiated in 1973 as an English class at Lebanon High School in Missouri, aiming to document traditional Ozark culture.
1976: Pissing in the Snow and Other Ozark Folktales
In 1976, the University of Illinois Press published Vance Randolph's book, "Pissing in the Snow and Other Ozark Folktales," a compilation of Ozark folklore.
1976: Establishment of Hercules Glades Wilderness
The Hercules Glades Wilderness, the first of 13 designated wilderness areas in the Ozarks, was established in 1976.
1979: Creation of Truman Lake
Truman Lake was created in 1979 by damming the Osage River.
1980: Ozark Folksongs
The University of Missouri Press published "Ozark Folksongs" in 1980, a four-volume anthology of regional songs and ballads collected by Vance Randolph in the 1920s and 1930s.
1983: Bittersweet Project Concludes
By 1983, the Bittersweet project concluded, having collected 476 taped and transcribed interviews, published 482 stories, and captured over 50,000 photographs.
1986: Establishment of Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge
Congress established the Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge in northeast Oklahoma in 1986 to protect endangered and threatened species.
1999: Release of "Ride with the Devil"
The film "Ride with the Devil," based on the book "Woe to Live On" and depicting the Civil War conflict in southwest Missouri, was released in 1999.
2001: Ozark Folksongs Album Release
In 2001, Rounder Records released "Various Artists: Ozark Folksongs," featuring 35 tracks selected from Vance Randolph's recordings of Ozark music.
2007: Fire Lookouts Recognized as Endangered Historic Places
A 2007 report by the National Trust for Historic Preservation identified the fire lookouts constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Ozarks as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
2007: Gordon McCann Collection Donation
In 2007, Gordon McCann, a prominent researcher of Ozarks folklife and fiddle music, donated his extensive collection of audio recordings, field notes, and photographs to Missouri State University in Springfield.
2008: Mel Bay Presents Ozarks Fiddle Music
"Mel Bay Presents Ozarks Fiddle Music: 308 Tunes Featuring 30 Legendary Fiddlers With Selections from 50 Other Great Ozarks Fiddlers," a book and 37-track CD set, was published in 2008, featuring selections from Gordon McCann's collection.
2010: Release of "Winter's Bone"
"Winter's Bone," a film adaptation of Daniel Woodrell's novel about methamphetamine culture's impact on families in the Ozarks, was released in 2010 and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
July 21, 2017: Premiere of "Ozark"
The Netflix drama series "Ozark," set in Osage Beach, Missouri, premiered on July 21, 2017.