April: Missouri Ozarks
A stick creates a ripple in the Jacks Fork River
This small grist and sawmill is typical of the dozens which dotted the region near the turn of the century. Located along creeks and at large springs, most served only a few nearby farms in the same hollow. The Klepzig Mill was built before 1912 by a farmer seeking to augment the living earned from his agricultural endeavors. It was used to grind corn, saw logs into lumber, and in the 1940's to generate electricity for the nearby farmstead. It utilized a turbine to transfer the water's power to the machinery. The structure's construction is also typical of the region and era. Built of sawn boards with no framing, many turn-of-the-century buildings were of this "sawmill house" style.
This small grist and sawmill is typical of the dozens which dotted thr region near the turn of the century. Located along creeks and at large springs, most served only a few nearby farms in the same hollow. The Klepzig Mill was built before 1912 by a farmer seeking to augment the living earned from his agricultural endeavors. It was used to grind corn, saw logs into lumber, and in the 1940's to generate electricity for the nearby farmstead. It utilized a turbine to transfer the water's power to the machinery. The structure's construction is also typical of the region and era. Built of sawn boards with no framing, many turn-of-the-century buildings were of this "sawmill house" style.
Few places in the Ozarks provide a glimpse of earth's turbulent past as well as Rocky Falls. The redish-brown rock you see here is rhyolite porphyry. It formed as molten rock deep within the earth and flowed onto the surrface about 1.5 billion years ago. At the time, no living thing existed to see the awesome flow of glowing hot lava slowly advancing over the barren landscape. Normally, a stream eroding softer dolomite, a type of limestone, would make a wider valley for itself. Since the rhyolite is harder, the stream tends to stay within whatever cracks that it finds, deepining it only a little by erosion. Thus a "shut in" is formed where the harder rock has "shut in" the stream. Farther downstream, past the constricting rhyolite, the stream valley widens once again. This allows the stream to expand into a pool.
Few places in the Ozarks provide a glimpse of earth's turbulent past as well as Rocky Falls. The redish-brown rock you see here is rhyolite porphyry. It formed as molten rock deep within the earth and flowed onto the surrface about 1.5 billion years ago. At the time, no living thing existed to see the awesome flow of glowing hot lava slowly advancing over the barren landscape. Normally, a stream eroding softer dolomite, a type of limestone, would make a wider valley for itself. Since the rhyolite is harder, the stream tends to stay within whatever cracks that it finds, deepining it only a little by erosion. Thus a "shut in" is formed where the harder rock has "shut in" the stream. Farther downstream, past the constricting rhyolite, the stream valley widens once again. This allows the stream to expand into a pool.
Few places in the Ozarks provide a glimpse of earth's turbulent past as well as Rocky Falls. The redish-brown rock you see here is rhyolite porphyry. It formed as molten rock deep within the earth and flowed onto the surrface about 1.5 billion years ago. At the time, no living thing existed to see the awesome flow of glowing hot lava slowly advancing over the barren landscape. Normally, a stream eroding softer dolomite, a type of limestone, would make a wider valley for itself. Since the rhyolite is harder, the stream tends to stay within whatever cracks that it finds, deepining it only a little by erosion. Thus a "shut in" is formed where the harder rock has "shut in" the stream. Farther downstream, past the constricting rhyolite, the stream valley widens once again. This allows the stream to expand into a pool.
Few places in the Ozarks provide a glimpse of earth's turbulent past as well as Rocky Falls. The redish-brown rock you see here is rhyolite porphyry. It formed as molten rock deep within the earth and flowed onto the surrface about 1.5 billion years ago. At the time, no living thing existed to see the awesome flow of glowing hot lava slowly advancing over the barren landscape. Normally, a stream eroding softer dolomite, a type of limestone, would make a wider valley for itself. Since the rhyolite is harder, the stream tends to stay within whatever cracks that it finds, deepining it only a little by erosion. Thus a "shut in" is formed where the harder rock has "shut in" the stream. Farther downstream, past the constricting rhyolite, the stream valley widens once again. This allows the stream to expand into a pool.
Thomas and Jane Brown homesteaded the Falling Spring area in 1851. They settled in a land which looked very similar to their homeland, Tennessee. The area around Falling Spring provided for their basic needs -- water for livestock and personal use, and trees from which to build a cabin. Known today as the Thomas Brown Cabin, it was the first of four houses built near this site. The half-dovetail notching used on the corners of the cabin helped shed water off the logs. Use of the half-dovetail joint may be one erason why this building is in good condition today.
Thomas Brown CabinThomas and Jane Brown homesteaded the Falling Spring area in 1851. They settled in a land which looked very similar to their homeland, Tennessee. The area around Falling Spring provided for their basic needs -- water for livestock and personal use, and trees from which to build a cabin. Known today as the Thomas Brown Cabin, it was the first of four houses built near this site. The half-dovetail notching used on the corners of the cabin helped shed water off the logs. Use of the half-dovetail joint may be one erason why this building is in good condition today.
Built between 1927 and 1929, Falling Spring Mill was used to grind corn for feed, saw out shingles, saw firewood, and generated electricity on the site. The second of two mills, it differed from the original structure in that the first had a wooden wheel. The mill was first constructed of timber, then later enclosed with sawboard siding. The mill's present overshot wheel came from Johnson Spring, located approximately three miles down Hurricane Creek from Falling Spring.
Falling Spring Mill-Overshot Wheel
Built between 1927 and 1929, Falling Spring Mill was used to grind corn for feed, saw out shingles, saw firewood, and generated electricity on the site. The second of two mills, it differed from the original structure in that the first had a wooden wheel. The mill was first constructed of timber, then later enclosed with sawboard siding. The mill's present overshot wheel came from Johnson Spring, located approximately three miles down Hurricane Creek from Falling Spring.