Up To The Ozarks

A few weeks back I was able to get away for a weekend, so I headed up to the Ozarks to visit with my good friend Zack Andrews. Along the way, I stopped for gas along the freeway in the small town of Blackwell. Across the road from the gas station was this field with lots of cows grazing amidst a carpet of yellow wildflowers.



Next I drove through Clarksville, which was my old stomping grounds for a few years when I went to college at the University of the Ozarks. I was a little surprised to see that some things haven't changed in the two decades(!) since I graduated. The Dodge's gas station, which was one of the few places open 24 hours and which fed countless college students with chicken strips and pizza sticks, was still going strong. The Mexican restaurant we frequented (El Parian) was still there, along with the venerable Diamond Drive In. I did make one quick stop at the back of this old abandoned building, home to The Fair Store. I wasn't able to find much info about the store, but did find a picture that was dated 1935 of the Fair Store, which had a sign proclaiming that it was "Clarksville's Greatest Value Store." No telling how long it's been closed.



And from Clarksville I headed north, up into the Ozarks. I made another quick stop at this old abandoned house, which had some flowers blooming out front. They were no doubt planted there may years ago by someone who once lived here.



The house had a really great covered front porch, complete with an old recliner. I bet this would have been a great place to sit and relax at the end of the day.







And further up the road was this row of abandoned buildings in the tiny community of Salus. I pulled over and got a few pictures before heading further up the road, deeper into the Ozarks...