How Life Changed in Madison County in the 1860s

Episode 67 is available for download.
(1:04:54 minutes, 22.3 MB, MP3)

Joy Russell, president of the Madison County Genealogical and Historical Society, discusses the history of antebellum Madison County, Arkansas, and the changes that took place there as a result of the Civil War. Recorded October 21, 2009.

Mystery of the Trees

Episode 66 is available for download.
(1:07:46 minutes, 23.5MB, MP3)

Don Wells of Jasper, Georgia discusses the history of signal trees - curiously bent trees which may have been created by Indians as directional markers toward water, shelter, food. Wells is president of Mountain Stewards, an organization working to document the occurence of signal trees in the United States.

Shiloh Scrapbook, Vol. 28 No. 2

Bonus content!
(12 pages, 776KB, PDF)

Our newsletter from August 2009 features an article on the Berry-Braun Family of Springdale, a spotlight on one of our education volunteers, and information on our new staff members.

Historic Military Saddles

Episode 65 is available for download.
(1:00:00 minutes, 20.8MB, MP3)

Saddlemaker Doug Kidd takes on the persona of a leather craftsman from the 1800s as he discusses saddles from his personal collection. In real life, Kidd is the owner of Border States Leatherworks, and specializes in creating reproduction military leather goods.

A New Book on Tontitown History

Episode 64 is available for download.
(9:42 minutes, 4.5MB, MP3)

Jacqueline Froelich, news producer for our local NPR affiliate KUAF, interviews Denise Pellin, president of the Tontitown Historical Museum board of directors, and our outreach coordinator, Susan Young, who worked with the Tontitown Museum to put together the first-ever pictorial history of the founding of this historic Italian community in the Arkansas Ozarks. This story is a production for "Ozarks at Large," KUAF's news program focusing on the people, places, and events of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas and Missouri.

Historic Bridges of Northwest Arkansas

Episode 63 is available for download.
(48:28 minutes, 16.8MB, MP3)

Independent researcher and bridge enthusiast Randall Houp of Booneville, Arkansas, discusses 36 historic bridges in Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Newton, and Washington counties in the Arkansas Ozarks.

1947 Rodeo of the Ozarks Parade

Episode 62 is available for download.

(03:51 minutes, 17.1MB, MP4)

Marching bands, riding clubs, and a pint-sized wagon pulled by ponies are featured in this home movie filmed by Earl Baron during the July 1947 Rodeo of the Ozarks parade in Springdale, Arkansas. Also seen in the movie is two-year-old Orvil Patterson of Springdale, who won a $5 cash prize from the Springdale Riding Club for being the youngest rider.

The Only Good Snake is a Live Snake

Episode 61 is available for download.
(1:00:32 minutes, 20.9MB, MP3)


University of Arkansas doctoral biology student Rod Wittenberg, accompanied by some slithery friends, discusses the fascinating world of Ozark snakes. Recorded June 17, 2009.

A Season at Dogpatch

Episode 60 is available for download.
(45:04 minutes, 15.5MB, MP3)



Fayetteville musicians John Cook and Mic Walden relive the year they spent working at the Dogpatch theme park located in the Ozark Mountains near Harrison, Arkansas. Audience members share fond memories of trips to Dogpatch, which operated from 1968 until the early 1990s. Recorded June 6, 2009.

The Death of a Confederate Colonel

Episode 59 is available for download.
(55:09 minutes, 19.0MB, MP3)


Author Pat Carr reads selections from her book, The Death of a Confederate Colonel, published by the University of Arkansas Press. Set in Arkansas, the fictional, yet historically informed, stories offer a dramatic and compelling look at those left behind during the Civil War. Recorded May 20, 2009.

Shiloh Scrapbook, Vol.28 No.1

Bonus content!
(8 pages, 776KB, PDF)

Our newsletter from May 2009 features an article on Bridges in Northwest Arkansas, a spotlight on one of our volunteers and information on our Summer programs.

Down in the Holler

Episode 58 is available for download.
(47:20 minutes, 60.1MB, MP4)


Borrowing from Vance Randolph's book of the same title, Shiloh Museum outreach coordinator Susan Young shares examples of traditional Ozark folk speech. Recorded April 15, 2009.

Annual Report 2008

Bonus content!
(4 pages, 716KB, PDF)

Our 2008 Annual Report featuring all our accomplishments for the past year.

Squeaky Clean: Hygiene in the Ozarks

Episode 57 is available for download.
(8:30 minutes, 21.5MB, MP4)

Shiloh Museum education coordinator Pody Gay leads the way through our newest exhibit, "Squeaky Clean," a history of hygiene in the Ozarks. Outhouse outtakes included! Squeaky Clean Opened February 2, 2009 and runs through January 16, 2010.

Roads of Conflict: The Movement of Civil War Insurgents and Counter-Insurgents in Northwest Arkansas

Episode 56 is available for download.
(1:15:00 minutes, 25.7MB, MP4)

Conservator and author Rick Parker of Gentry offers an interesting perspective of the hardships suffered by Ozarkers during the Civil War. Recorded March 18, 2009.

Caving in the Ozarks

Episode 55 is available for download.
(58:14 minutes, 55.3MB, MP4)

Terry Mitchell, president of the Boston Mountain Grotto of the National Speleological Society, discusses cave exploration in the Arkansas Ozarks.

The Poultry Industry of Northwest Arkansas: Then and Now

Episode 54 is available for download.
(2:35 minutes, 4.5MB, MP4)

The Poultry Industry of Northwest Arkansas: Then and Now was produced in 2004 by the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History. This slide show compares historic photos to more modern photos of the poultry industry in Northwest Arkansas.

"We Can Take It": The CCC at Devil's Den

Episode 53 is available for download.
(53:00 minutes, 21.3MB, MP3)

Devil's Den State Park assistant superintendent Tim Scott discusses the park's construction by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Recorded February 18, 2009.

The Ice Storm Cometh

Episode 52 is available for download.
(2:30 minutes, 6.63MB, MP4)

On January 26, a record ice storm hit Northwest Arkansas. The next day, Marty Powers, who is in charge of maintenance at the Shiloh Museum, shot this video footage of the storm's aftermath. Some two inches of ice covered the Shiloh Museum campus, damaging most of the trees on the museum's two-acre site. Forty trees were lost; over two dozen trees must be trimmed.

Donations to help pay for the tree removal and/or new plantings are gratefully accepted. Make checks payable to the “Shiloh Museum of Ozark History” and mail to:

Tree Fund
Shiloh Museum of Ozark History
118. W. Johnson Ave.
Springdale, AR 72764

Shiloh Scrapbook, Vol.27 No.3

Bonus content!
(8 pages, 608KB, PDF)

Our newsletter from December 2008 features an article about the process of getting our new roof.

The Golden Age of Radio

Episode 51 is available for download.
(49:50 minutes, 32.5MB, MP4)

Bruce Vaughan of Springdale, an 87-year old builder of radios, ham radio operator, and antique radio enthusiast, shares his memories of the “Golden Age of Radio.”

Coming Up...

Episode 50 is available for download.
(30:51 minutes, 17.9MB, MP3)

The Shiloh Museum's podcast producer Heather Marie Wells and outreach coordinator Susan Young bring to mind the Saturday Night Live parody of public radio cooking shows as they team up to discuss upcoming museum events happening at the museum now that we have reopened.

Land of a Million Smiles

Episode 49 is available for download.
(15:09 minutes, 25MB, MP4)

Land of a Million Smiles was produced in 1992 for the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History. The film gives a brief overview of the history of tourism in Northwest Arkansas up to that time.

Northwest Arkansas Railroads

Episode 48 is available for download.
(1:00:07 minutes, 24.2 MB, MP3)

Travel the historic railways of Northwest Arkansas with Mike Sypult, member of the Boston Mountain Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. Recorded November 19, 2008.

Feathers in Our Caps

Episode 47 is available for download.
(8:14 minutes, 15.4 MB, MP4)

This film gives a brief history of the Northwest Arkansas poultry industry. It was produced by the Shiloh Museum in 1984.

Sheep to Shawl

Episode 46 is available for download.
(8:55 minutes, 17.2 MB, MP4)

Produced for the Shiloh Museum in 1993, this film gives an overview of the steps involved in producing cloth, from sheep shearing to spinning to weaving. Sheep to Shawl is an annual program for schoolchildren at the museum, supported by numerous volunteers.

No Longer Strangers: The Impact of the Latino Influx on the Catholic Church in Northwest Arkansas

Episode 45 is available for download.
(55 minutes, 19 MB, MP3)

Msgr. David LeSieur from St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Rogers offers insight as to how the influx of the Hispanic/Latino community into Northwest Arkansas has influenced or changed the Catholic Church in the region. Recorded September 17, 2008.

From Sumac Trees to Superhighway: The Butterfield Stage Route Through Northwest Arkansas

Episode 44 is available for download.
(1:08:00 minutes, 23.5 MB, MP3)

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Butterfield Stagecoach run through Northwest Arkansas with John McLarty, assistant director of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, and Susan Young, Shiloh Museum outreach coordinator. Susan discusses the history of the Butterfield line, and shares some first-hand accounts of stagecoach travel in Northwest Arkansas, while John focuses on modern roadways which follow the stagecoach route today. They are both on the board of Heritage Trail Partners, an organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of historic roadways in Northwest Arkansas. Recorded August 20, 2008.

The Essie Ward Story

Episode 43 is available for download.
(7:41 minutes, 47.5 MB, MP4)

The life of folk artist Essie Ward, often called the “Grandma Moses of the Ozarks,” is featured in this documentary produced by Springdale Har-Ber High School EAST Lab students Hayden Herrera and Josh Goseland. Hayden and Josh won a My Community Project Governor's Award for their work. Sponsored by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the My Community Project is a statewide initiative to educate Arkansas students about filmmaking. Congratulations to Hayden and Josh!

Early Madison County

Episode 42 is available for download.
(57:46 minutes, 16.6 MB, MP3)

Joy Russell, president of the Madison County Genealogical and Historical Society, discusses the pre-Civil War years in Madison County. Recorded July 16, 2008.

A Special Announcement

Episode 41 is available for download.
(4:15 minutes, 4.1 MB, MP3)

The Shiloh Museum will be closing on Monday, July 28 for approximately two months for roof replacement. Find out what we'll be doing during that time, and what museum resources will be available to you.

In Dreadful Conflict: The Civil War in Northwest Arkansas

Episode 40 is available for download.
(6:43 minutes, 40 MB, MP4)

This short documentary is based on a letter written in 1862 by Jane Page of Madison County to her son and daughter-in-law in California. Her letter is a vivid portrayal of the Civil War in Northwest Arkansas. You will need QuickTime or iTunes.

Quilts: 1850 to the Present

Episode 39 is available for download.
(56:15 minutes, 9.7 MB, MP3)

Terri Leins, professor of developmental mathematics at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, discusses quilt history and shares quilts from her family collection. Recorded June 18, 2008.

The Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Perspective

Episode 38 is available for download.
(48:49 minutes, 14.6 MB, MP3)

Troy Wayne Poteete, member of the Cherokee Nation and vice president of the National Trail of Tears Association, discusses the Trail of Tears from a modern Cherokee perspective. The talk was part of the Cherokee Footsteps in Northwest Arkansas Symposium held at the Shiloh Museum in October 2007.

Archeology at Shiloh Meeting Hall

Episode 37 is available for download.
(1:07:38 minutes, 11.7MB, MP3)

Podcast Producer Heather Marie Wells tags along on a school tour of the excavations at the 1871 Shiloh Meeting Hall, conducted by Museum Director Allyn Lord and Jerry Hilliard, Field Supervisor for the Arkansas Archeological Survey. Wells also interviews archeologists, volunteers, and museum staff about the history of the building, the archeology, and the renovations, and gets predictions on what might be discovered. Recorded April 2008.

Arkansas Butterflies and Moths

Episode 36 is available for download.
(1:02:13 minutes, 14.5 MB, MP3)

This program on Arkansas Butterflies and Moths was presented by Lori Spencer. Ms. Spencer is an award-winning Certified Heritage Interpreter and she coordinates the annual Mount Magazine Butterfly Festival. Ms. Spencer also consults with federal and state agencies on butterfly management and travels throughout the state presenting programs focused on her award-wining field guide, Arkansas Butterflies and Moths. Recorded May 21, 2008.

The Ridge Family and Removal

Episode 35 is available for download.
(55 minutes, 15.4 MB, MP3)

Dr. Alice Taylor-Colbert, chair of the Department of History, Geography, and Political Science at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, recounts the story of John Ridge, a leader of the Cherokee minority faction who signed the Treaty of New Echota in 1835, trading tribal lands east of the Mississippi River for land in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). Dr. Taylor-Colbert's talk was part of the Cherokee Footsteps in Northwest Arkansas Symposium held at the Shiloh Museum in October 2007.

Restoring the Ozark Chinquapin

Episode 34 is available for download.
(59:58 minutes, 14.3 MB, MP3)

Stephen Bost, founder of the Ozark Chinquapin Foundation, discusses the natural history of the rare Ozark chinquapin tree (Castanea ozarkensis), and efforts to bring the tree back to its former glory. Recorded April 16, 2008.

My Spirit is Free: The Life and Art of Peggy McCormack

Episode 33 is available for download.
(35:33 minutes, 44.1 MB, M4V)

Peggy McCormack was stricken with polio at the age of 16, and lived the rest of her life in an iron lung. She taught herself to paint by holding a brush in her mouth, and became a well-known artist in Northwest Arkansas. Peggy McCormack's inspiring life story is recounted here by Shiloh Museum outreach coordinator Susan Young at the 14th Annual Talking Ozarks Symposium held at the Shiloh Museum in September 2007. You will need QuickTime or iTunes.

Current Trail of Tears Research

Episode 32 is available for download.
(1:08:52 minutes, 17.8 MB, MP3)

Dr. Daniel F.Littlefield Jr., director of the Sequoyah Research Center, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, discusses his efforts to uncover new information on the Trail of Tears. Dr. Littlefield's talk was part of the Cherokee Footsteps in Northwest Arkansas Symposium held at the Shiloh Museum in October 2007.

Western Cherokee Ethnobotany and the Continuity of Traditional Arts

Episode 31 is available for download.
(58:47 minutes, 16.1 MB, MP3)

The use of plants in Cherokee artisanship (basketry, maskmaking, and expressive traditions) is explored by Dr. Justin Murphy Nolan, professor of anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Dr. Nolan's talk was part of the Cherokee Footsteps in Northwest Arkansas Symposium held at the Shiloh Museum in October 2007.

Myths, Legends, and the Nitty Gritty

Episode 30 is available for download.
(1:08:40 minutes, 15.8 MB, MP3)

Tim Mulvihill, archeologist with the Arkansas Archeological Survey, and Tom Wing, assistant professor of history and director of the historical interpretation program at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, team up to discuss archeological and historical research being conducted at the Drennen-Scott House in Van Buren, Arkansas. John Drennen was a founder of Van Buren, politician, Indian agent, landowner and businessman. Built in 1836, the Drennen-Scott Home, sits on 26 acres of property purchased by the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith from the descendants of John Drennen and Charles Scott. Recorded March 19, 2008.

The Evolution of a Baseball Franchise

Episode 29 is available for download.
(55:30 minutes, 12 MB, MP3)

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals, a Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals baseball team, will open their inaugural season on April 10, 2008, when the Naturals take on the San Antonio Missions at Springdale's Arvest Stadium. Naturals general manager Eric Edelstein gives us a history of how the Naturals came to call Springdale home as well as an update on stadium construction and upcoming events. Recorded on February 20, 2008.

The Telegraph: A Look Back

Episode 28 is available for download.
(48:22 minutes, 11.1MB, MP3)

This program on the history of the telegraph presented by Bruce Vaughan details part of the evolution of modern communication. Mr. Vaughan is a long-time resident of Springdale, owned a radio shop, and was the first television dealer in town. Mr. Vaughan has also been a ham radio operator for more than 60 years. Recorded on January 16, 2008.

Due to unforeseen circumstances the audio for this program was lost from the middle to the end. We truly regret that we cannot offer you the program in its entirety and we hope you enjoy the portion that is available. Rest assured that we will try very hard to make sure that this does not happen again.

Cherokee Voices, Cherokee Sounds

Episode 27 is available for download.
(46:06 minutes, 13.8MB, MP3)

This program on the Cherokee language was presented as part of the Cherokee Footsteps in Northwest Arkansas Symposium held at the Shiloh Museum in October 2007. Dennis Sixkiller is the host of Cherokee Voices, Cherokee Sounds radio show. Recorded on October 13, 2007.

Jimmy Driftwood at One Hundred

Episode 26 is now available for download.
(1:13:41 minutes, 17.08MB, MP3)

This program on Jimmy Driftwood was the keynote presentation at the 14th annual Talking Ozarks Symposium. Dr. Brooks Blevins is a professor of History at Lyon College. Recorded on September 7, 2007.

Stitches in Time: Remembering the Sesquicentennial Quilt Project

Episode 25 is available for download.
(59:55 minutes, 14.71MB, MP3)

This program on the sesquicentennial quilt project was presented as part of the 14th annual Talking Ozarks Symposium. Dr. Mike Luster is director of the Arkansas Folklife Program at Arkansas State University, and co-founder of the Center for Ozark Living Traditions. Recorded on September 7, 2007.

Being Dreadful, Being Seen as Dreadful in the Ozarks

Episode 24 is available for download.
(54:20 minutes, 13.75MB, MP3)

This program on Ozark stereotypes was presented as part of the 14th annual Talking Ozarks Symposium. John Hensley is Curator-Archivist at Winston Churchill Memorial and Library at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. Recorded on September 8, 2007.

Women Writers Promoting the Ozarks: Cora Pinkley Call and Lida Wilson Piles

Episode 23 is available for download.
(32:08 minutes, 15.46MB, MP3)

This program on Cora Pinkley Call and Lida Wilson Piles was presented as part of the 14th annual Talking Ozarks Symposium. Dr. Diane Worrell is Special Projects Librarian with the Special Collections Department at the University of Arkansas Libraries. Recorded on September 7, 2007.

The Vaughn Brewer Collection

Episode 22 is available for download.
(28:40 minutes, 14.27MB, MP3)

This program on the Vaughn Brewer Collection was presented as part of the 14th annual Talking Ozarks Symposium. Rachel Reynolds is an independent historian and co-founder of the Center for Ozark Living Traditions. Recorded on September 7, 2007.