My Ozarks Mini-Documentary Film Series

My Ozarks is a collection of short, intimate portraits of real people, places and experiences in The Ozarks. Our goal is to increase interest in The Ozarks and awareness of our shared history, to expand cultural and regenerative tourism, and to generate economic opportunities for artisans, entrepreneurs and cultural practitioners across the region.

Season Two: Reparative History

Honoring the Past to heal the present and dream the future

This season of My Ozarks features the histories of The Ozarks that are lesser known, less visible, and most in danger of being forgotten or erased. Our aim is to bring communities closer together through respectful recognition of our shared past, acknowledging both the proud and shameful pasts that we inherit. We believe this work of metabolizing the past can strengthen the social fabric, build bridges of trust, cooperation, and healing across differences, and help to unify, nourish, and sustain community wellbeing.

Episode 11: Erin Whitson

Season Two of My Ozarks continues to Steelville, a town of 1,500 people in Crawford County, Missouri. Steelville is located along the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears where thousands of Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), and their enslaved people camped during the forced removal of Native people from the southeastern United States. This episode introduces Archaeologist Erin Whitson, the first in her field to focus on finding and interpreting historic encampment sites along the Trail of Tears to learn what the experience was like for people walking the path westward.

A film directed by Gabriel Hunter Sheets, Director of Photography Jesse Bader, filmed on location in Crawford County, Missouri. Presented by Ozark Vitality, in partnership with the Steelville Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee. Major funding provided by Missouri Humanities.

Episode 10: Mrs. Rowles

Season Two of My Ozarks began in Tipton, a town in Moniteau County in Central Missouri, with a population of less than 3,000 people near the northern edge of The Ozarks. This episode introduces Mrs. Phyllis [Lacy] Rowles, one of the last living alumni of the Harrison “Colored” School in Tipton, which until 1957 was the only place recently emancipated people in Moniteau County and their descendants could go to school. Harrison School taught her that everyone is equal. You can be whoever you want to be. Find out how her life unfolded and what Mrs. Rowles is most proud of today.

A film by Meigan Alicia and Quinsonta Boyd. Produced by Jason Brasier and Tami Hale, in partnership with Opportunity 1888 Foundation. Major funding provided by Missouri Humanities and the Kemper Fund for Kansas and Missouri of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

catch up on stories from Season One…

My Ozarks: Season One