News Release

Pioneer heritage demonstrations at Alley Spring in October

Blacksmithing, soap making, broom making, and leatherworking will be shown off during this year's heritage demonstrations.

NPS Photo / Wil Marischen

News Release Date: September 27, 2024

Contact: Josh Chilton, [phone]

Van Buren, MO - Ozark cultural heritage will be highlighted at Alley Spring on October 5, 12, and 19! From 10 am to 4 pm each day, demonstrators will show off pioneer skills and traditions.

Ozark pioneers were hardy and resourceful, using raw materials to produce essential items that were not readily available otherwise. Pioneer families made efficient use of limited resources and often made new goods from the leftovers of other products.

Because cash was rarely exchanged in the early days of settlement, it was important for inhabitants to create items for their own use or for bartering. These skills and traditions were passed down generation to generation. Over time, some became masters in their craft. Today, this event shows off just a few of the many skills used on the Ozark frontier.

October Heritage Demonstrations:

• October 5: Blacksmithing and leatherworking
• October 12: Lye soap making and broom making
• October 19: Blacksmithing and leatherworking

All demonstrations are free and open to the public. Alley Spring is located five miles west of Eminence, Missouri, on State Route 106. For more information, phone [phone], or visit the park’s Facebook page or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.
 
Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork rivers, the surrounding resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people.

Soap making was one of many crucial skills in the pioneer days of the Ozarks.

NPS Photo / Wil Marischen