Most of us have heard that carrying a rabbit’s foot is good luck. Perhaps a few of us have actually toted one around in our pocket. You know, “just in case.” Same with four-leaf clovers, though with those I think it’s more the finding that is considered a harbinger of good luck. In the old…
On July 20, 1969, man walked on the moon. The old time Ozarkers in the 19th and early 20th century wouldn’t have even imagined such a thing would ever be possible. To them, the moon was not only physically out of reach, but also spiritually, I’d say. The moon was still veiled in mystery and superstition…
Everyone could use a little poetry in their life from time to time. This wonderful poem about my native Ozarks by John Gould Fletcher (1886-1950) was first published in Poetry magazine in February 1940. Wes Franklin The Ozarks By John Gould Fletcher These are the lonely Ozarks; fold on fold The crumbling limestone, mossy, drips; it…
I read a weird story about a cave up in Miller County, Missouri. I know that isn’t local, but this tale is odd enough that I think you’ll still enjoy. The site is known as Wilson’s Cave, and as strange as the story is, eyewitness accounts seem to verify that it is at least mostly…
Most folks know Missouri’s state animal is the mule. But I didn’t know until recently that we also have a state horse. The Missouri Foxtrotter is the official state horse of the Show-Me-State, as of 2002. The Missouri Foxtrotter has an interesting history, so I learned. Wes Franklin Missouri foxtrotting horses were developed in Missouri…
The old-timers in the Ozarks had a mite to say about witchcraft, as documented by the late folklorist Vance Randolph. Witches can kill someone, for instance, by scraping dirt from a fresh grave at midnight with the forefinger of the left hand, mixing it with the blood of a black bird – a crow is…
If you’ve ever traveled up I-49 to Kansas City you’ve no doubt seen the exit for Peculiar, in Cass County. I’ve long been curious about that town’s, well, “peculiar” name, so I finally looked it up. Like a lot of stories, there is more than one version. The account that rings most true is that…
Pests are part of everyday life. Some we just don’t like to see around even if they’re harmless, and some are a lot worse than others. Folklorist Vance Randolph recorded what the old-time Ozarkers had to say about some of them, back in the first half of the last century. Apparently, at least a few…
