August 17, 2022
Fifty years ago, these 10 Ozark County girls were selected from 21 contestants as Hootin an Hollarin hostesses for the 1972 festival, as reported in the Times Past item at the left. The queen pageant in those years was a two-pageant process, with the hostesses selected in August and the queen chosen later, during the festival. The 1972 hostesses were, front row, from left: Peggy Rackley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Rackley, Gainesville; Sidney Duncan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Curt Duncan, Gainesville; Debby Lee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lee, Dora; Mary Lester, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Lester, Pontiac. Back: Nancy Loftis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sonny Loftis, Gainesville; Rhonda Evans, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burl Evans, Gainesville; Jessie Sweet, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Sweet, Hardenville; Brenda Hambelton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Loyd Hambelton, Gainesville; Barbara Davidson, daughter of Polly Davidson, Gainesville; and Betty Green, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Green, Hardenville. Sidney Duncan (Casey) was later selected as the 1972 Hootin an Hollarin queen. Rhonda Evans (Suter) was selected as Miss Sweetie Pie. This year’s Hootin an Hollarin queen pageant will be held Thursday, Sept. 15, on the first night of the 2022 festival.
Ozark County News
Aug. 16, 1883
Parties from this county, who attended the Springfield reunion, have all returned, and report the affair’s grand success. Probably 15,000 visitors were in attendance, embracing several hundreds of the participants in the battle of Wilson Creek. Many distinguished men from all parts of the country were present.
Bakersfield Boomerang
Aug. 17, 1901
At a picnic on Possum Walk last week, one stand sold nothing but turnip seed. They sold out early in the day.
Mrs. W. M. Sharp and family have gone to Vinita, I.T. [Indian Territory] to join Mr. Sharp.
The Republican
Aug. 16, 1906
The proceeds of the festivals given by the ladies of the Christian and Methodist churches of this place on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday evening amounted to about $24, and after the expenses are taken from this it will leave them about $20, which will be used for church purposes.
Ozark County Times
Aug. 16, 1912
On Wednesday afternoon during the thunderstorm, lightning struck the ground in the southeast corner of the courthouse square, followed the wire fencing and almost instantly killed a good horse belonging to Heck Gibson that was hitched to the rack, which is only a few feet from the fence. The rack at the time was full of horses, and all were very severely shocked, but fortunately only the one was killed. . . . A purse of forty dollars was speedily made up and handed to Mr. Gibson as he was leaving afoot for his home six miles west of town.
Aug. 18, 1932
Noble items – George W. McDaniel and family, C. C. Fletcher (Mr. McDaniel’s father-in-law) and family, and Clyde Murrell and family left Noble early Thursday morning for a three-day outing and fishing. They intended going to Little North Fork. . . . They reached the mouth of Barren Fork at noon, and having killed some squirrels and fish, prepared them and ate dinner. After dinner, the whole party went to a swimming hole nearby for a swim. On reaching the creek they found a diving board extending out into the water. The other men dived off. Mr. McDaniel, being blind, felt his way out to the end of the board and asked about the depth of the water. He was told it was over their heads. He apparently just jumped off into the water while they were not looking. They expected him to swim out but soon saw him struggling. Fletcher went to his rescue but was pulled to the bottom. Fletcher’s son rescued his father but by that time, McDaniel had gone down and never came up again. They summoned McKinley Wallace, who helped them find and rescue the body. . . He is survived by his wife and four small children.
Aug. 18, 1972
The official hostesses who will greet visitors at Ozark county’s Hootin an Hollarin folk festival [were] selected Friday night in a pageant at the high school. . . . The 10 hostesses were chosen from among 21 Ozark county beauties who helped Granny Fricker, portrayed by John Harlin, reminisce about the dresses and articles they had found in Grandma’s attic. . . . As the contestants modeled their dresses, . . . Granny Fricker recalled where she had worn each dress – from her fourth husband’s hanging to a Zanoni pie supper. All the while she rocked and smoked her pipe.