August 14, 2010

The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View (Stone County), a facility that preserves Ozark heritage, opened in 1973. Interest in such a facility was sparked by the success of the Arkansas Folk Festival, which had begun in 1963. Construction began in 1971, three years after Congressman Wilbur Mills was able to secure a $2.5 million grant, and the total cost of construction was $3.4 million. Twenty-four craft demonstration areas designed to showcase and preserve the crafts and folkways of the local Ozark culture are the main draw of the park.