Date: 2026-11-02 12:21:16 | Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton | Photography: Mandy Jayne |
How one writer celebrates the past while documenting the present (and future) of Ozarks culture
The connection crackles in and out as Kaitlyn McConnell explains the concept of friendship quilting clubs over the phone. She’s on her way to a meeting in Chadwick, Missouri, a small community about 40 miles outside her home base in Springfield. “These friendship clubs began years ago as a way for neighbors to get together,” she says. They usually involve some collaborative effort, like quilting, but are often more about building community than a certain agenda. “I’m not a quilter, but I like the rhythm of the stitching and the social aspect,” she says.
Kaitlyn McConnell. Photo courtesy of Ozarks Alive
While Kaitlyn enjoys the effort, she’s also attending this particular club meeting in the name of journalism. She is the founder and writer behind Ozarks Alive, a website dedicated to life in the Ozarks. “I’m an eighth-generation Ozarker on my dad’s side, and I got really interested in local history in high school,” she says. “I had always liked history, but the local part clicked when I realized a book I read about the Ozarks in the 1800s was probably really reflective of my own ancestors’ experiences.” She was assigned a weekly column in the town newspaper and started the work she continues today. “I quickly learned I love the treasure hunting aspect and helping people connect with what’s around them,” she says.
Kaitlyn launched Ozarks Alive in 2015 and has since published hundreds of articles on everything from food and music to crafts and environmental concerns. While “the Ozarks” can be hard to define, Kaitlyn’s coverage spans the mountainous region reaching all across upper Arkansas and lower Missouri. She’s written about Skylark Cafe in Leslie, antiques stores in Mountainburg and Eureka Springs, and a well-known graveyard for Volkswagens in Kingston. Anything with an interesting story is fair game. “To me this is about preserving the present Ozarks,” she says. “It’s about providing a record of what the Ozarks are like now so that in the future, people can look back and see what it looked like in 2026.”
Now in its 12th year, Ozarks Alive has grown to be more than a website. Kaitlyn has introduced a membership tier, where a small monthly fee covers field trips, meet-ups, and exclusive content. She’s published books, including her most recent, Ozarks Pie Project Diary, which is a compilation of recipes from vintage cookbooks. This month, she celebrates perhaps her most ambitious project yet, the inaugural Rock Picking Awards—so named for the agricultural tradition of clearing stones from the soil to make land more viable. “I’m able to see a lot of people and places that, culturally, kind of go unsung in the background. I thought, I wonder if I could create something that could highlight some of that work,” she says of the awards’ inception.
Earlier this fall, a panel of six judges selected winners across nine categories: Creative Arts, Music, Land and Food, Historical Preservation, Legacy Leader, Gathering to Celebrate, Community Minded Group of the Year, Museums and Cultural Sites, Rising Star, and Community Champion. Among the 2026 recipients are Phyllis Speer, known for her role producing and appearing on AETN’s “Cooking on the Wild Side,” and Pat Johnson, founder and director of the Eddie Mae Herron Center and Museum in Pocahontas. These and others will be honored at the awards ceremony and Rock Picking Party on November 15. “We’ll be giving out the awards, but it’s also going to be a broader celebration of regional culture,” Kaitlyn says.
Pictured above: Sweet Spring public park in Eureka Springs. Read on for more of our favorite ways to discover the Ozarks.
East Mountain Gazebo in Eureka Springs
Eureka Springs
Mitchell’s Folly in Eureka Springs
Kenda Drive-in Theatre in Marshall
Eureka Springs
SHOP
Whether you’re shopping for your home, your closet, or a gift, Batesville’s Home, Holidays, and More (870.569.8037) is a must-visit. They offer bridal registry and design services for projects of all sizes. Also in Batesville, Autry’s White River Furniture & Décor (autrysfurniture.com) has a large selection of seating, tables, and bedroom furniture along with artwork and accessories. The Ozarks are known for handmade crafts and artisan wares; visit Osage Clayworks (osageclayworks.com) in Alpena to peruse handmade pottery in a general store that’s more than 100 years old. Thrifting, hunting, and antiquing is aplenty in the Ozarks. In Eureka Springs, The Secret Garden (479.253.7990) on Spring Street is a favorite for getting lost among stained glass, vintage dishware, estate jewelry, and unusual yard art.
DINE
In Cotter, a community between Mountain Home and Yellville, Outside the Box (outsidetheboxcotter.com) is a new destination built from shipping containers. Eateries include Momentum Coffee, Ozark Fork & Cork, White River Sweet Station, and The Lunch Box, in addition to shopping and service vendors. There’s no more scenic spot to stop for coffee than Rock N Java (870.448.2217) in Marshall. Set on the cliffs right at the South Mountain Scenic Overlook on Highway 65, this café serves dual purpose as a coffee shop and crystal store. People travel far and wide to eat at Skylark Café (skylarkforever.com) in Leslie. Choose from an array of nachos, tacos, salads, and sandwiches, and don’t forget to save room for pie.
Eureka Springs
South Mountain Scenic Overlook
Eureka Springs
VISIT
Buffalo River Outfitters (buffaloriveroutfitters.com) has everything you need to experience the Ozarks. Rent canoes and kayaks, find accommodations, and get guidance on water levels if you plan on visiting the Buffalo River. Happening twice a year, the Mountain View Bluegrass Festival (mountainviewbluegrass.com) is a celebration of the unofficial music of the Ozarks. Experience music with elements of folk, gospel, country, and more November 12-14 at the Ozark Highlands Music Auditorium at the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View.
STAY
Make Best Western Inn of the Ozarks (innoftheozarks.com) your home base for exploring Eureka Springs and take advantage of amenities like a pool, pickleball court, mini golf, and on-site dining at Myrtie Mae’s restaurant. For fishermen, there’s no getaway quite like Gaston’s White River Resort (gastons.com). Located on some of the most prized waters for trout fishing in the world, Gaston’s has accommodations for every size group, boat rentals, guided fishing trips, and a full-service restaurant that elevates the stay into an unforgettable experience.
Newt Lale, founder of Osage Clayworks
