Here are some snapshots I captured during a walk through our town while waiting for laundry to finish. I took the opportunity to truly observe and investigate the town I have called my own for over 2 years. Never before have I taken the time to photograph the gems that were waiting to be seen.
Gainesville is famous in Ozark County and beyond for hosting the annual event Hootin’ an' Hollerin' (you shouldn't pronounce the G!). It’s a four day event involving music, rodeo (bull riding and wrangling), dancing, fashion shows, races, vendors, pageants, cultural heritage demonstrations and plenty of food. This is quintessentially Ozarkian in nature and it signals a time for folks to come together.
And in case you missed it, displayed again here on an antique log building in the city square. The early settlers made use of the abundant oak and pine timber to build many rustic cabins such as this. I suppose we are following suit as we live in a cedar log cabin ourselves.
The architecture is quite nice, involving the skillful use of local stones of which there are plenty! The ongoing joke is that the Ozark soil grows rocks really well.
Here’s the Legion Hall for the Veterans, which once served as a community hall built in 1935. This highlights some of the heritage of buildings our town offers.
Not sure what this was or is used for, but I hadn’t really laid eyes on it until today. It looks like it might be a jail, what do you think?
One feature I like about towns in the Missouri (and many other locales as well) is the central square. Often the courthouse or other crucial public buildings are housed in the middle of a roundabout (more accurately a square-about). Shops face the middle and the layout invites people to inhabit the space.
In winter (as you see here) the square is pretty deserted, but in the summer one can find folks milling about and chatting and usually a few pickups with the tailgates down...
selling zucchinis or ducklings or
food vendors offering hot dogs and macaroni.
One great aspect of the small town of Gainesville, Missouri is that the commonly limiting regulations placed on food vendors in the USA are absent. Folks are free to set up and sell the food and products they choose, even if it ends up being pulled pork or small livestock.
It’s a hilly county with many cattle ranchers. Seeing farm rigs loaded with hay bales destined for their cows is a common sight.
The volunteer library has been a less frequent hang out for us lately now that we have internet connection at home. We still like to check out books and movies. Check out that stonework!
All in all it’s a quiet town where folks know you by name and don’t ask for receipts when unused building supplies are returned. They know you by the chainsaw you own or the load of woodchips you asked about. It's a place people are willing to lend a hand or have some chit-chat.
It’s a town of relationships and slowly we are getting to know the kind and friendly folks here. But we will never be locals.
(That title takes about 3 generations!)
Thanks for joining me on my walk through my small town USA!
I look forward to reading posts from all over the world on the #My2018 tag.
I love your small town. The stonework on all those buildings is just beautiful! Old Ford Market gets extra credit for actually spelling “collectibles” correctly. Nobody spells that properly!!
Hah! Didn't even know that! Thanks for pointing that out ;) and for your kind words! <3
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I can echo that sentiment. I’ll always feel that alien feeling, this isn’t my culture and I have very little in common with neighbors and folks in my town. It’s not a bad thing. But it’s just a fact of life, I’m from a different world, and the people here, while friendly, will always rightfully see me as an outsider. But then again, they are just as much aliens to this land as I am.
Yep to everything you said. We are definitely outsiders, and while they're friendly we definitely don't fit in! We've found our niche with a friend group of likeminded souls, but at times wish for more resonance wth our town! LOL .... And yes, we are truly all aliens...
Gotta love small town usa!! Can't say i've ever spent much time in Gainesville other than just passing thru! The old brick buildings are alot like the ones here in our small town!
Haha! yes I imagine they are.. a lot of these parts look the same ;)
A cousin of mine used be married into the Haskins Auction service. She's since escaped. ;) Haha! I can't remember ever going to Hootin' and Hollerin' except maybe as a very small child. I do remember always getting car sick on the ride from Mountain View to Gainesville though. Too many hills and curves for me!
Thanks for sharing. :)
haha since escaped ;) yeah i am glad i made the choice to move here and wasn't born here! just cuz i don't think i could stay then, but to me it is novel ;)
Haha we do have hills aplenty~ something I truly adore about this area <3 thanks for stopping by :)
I enjoyed touring your small town in Missouri. A great idea. Sure would like to go back to Kelliher, Minnesota and see what's going on, or even better, Saum, Minnesota, which may not even be there anymore. It was just a gas station/variety store with groceries and alcohol, and an old two-room schoolhouse where I went to school grades 1 through 6.
wow, that sounds like a super small town! a blip on the roadmap! yes, a lot of those towns are phasing out and just becoming memories. the contest goes til the 9th if you want to take part. Link at the top of the post :) !
I would love to enter the contest, but that is in Minnesota, and I am in Washington. Haven't been there for a very long time.
Thank you for taking part in this months #culturevulture challenge. Good Luck.
It’s always interesting to read different living lifestyle especially for a small town. Nice photography of your town @mountainjewel
exactly! did you make a post @soulbella? i'd love to see some of your town. thank you for stopping by and for your kind words!
What a nice little town, with plenty of stone work to accentuate the beauty. Enjoyed your tour. Understand the part about it being a generational place to be a real member. You never know how long you may stay. 🐓🐓
<3 thanks for stopping by. Yes it is a quaint little town, glad you enjoyed it. Never know how long we will stay, but I doubt we could live long enough to qualify for "real member" status - unless I can be the next Methuselah ;)
Wow, love the looks of this little town. I bet the Hootin' and Hollerin' is a fun event and the smoked BBQ foods are probably delicious!
Thank you @jeffjagoe! Yes delicious food indeed and such varied activities. The rodeo was really fun to watch, too. Thanks for stopping by :)