What’s it about? And why now?
by Joshua Heston
It’s pretty simple, really. At least the second part. State of the Ozarks is happening now because I finally “got ’round to it.” The domain existed for over a year as I struggled with various design and structural ideas that could adequately express the content and the expansion qualities needed for a publication website of this scope. Nothing seemed quite right until late summer of 2007. State of the Ozarks was officially launched on September 17 of that year. Anyway, about that first question... What's it about? An editorial-style website for the Ozark region and Ozark culture doesn’t particularly exist anywhere else. Oh, there’s lots of sites with Ozark in the name, but those tend to be small business sites, state-run travel-and-advertising sites — or they are purely commercial. Now, State of the Ozarks is commercial. Advertising is for sale (at some pretty inexpensive amounts, I might add), but we have what no other Ozark site has: Consistent content and quality. State of the Ozarks is dedicated to the journalistic standards of traditional media and is designed to archive, preserve and promote Ozark heritage and culture. This is a magazine, a library, a photo album, a storybook, and a history text all rolled into one. And the purpose (to celebrate and preserve Ozark heritage and culture) is becoming a reality.
Mission Statement:
State of the Ozarks is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of Ozark culture.
Details:
State of the Ozarks is not responsible for misprints, errors or other mistakes. Any letters or articles chosen for publication become the property of State of the Ozarks.
All letters and articles may be edited for any reason.
Intellectual property rights are not extended to book / magazine quotes. See bibliography. Intellectual property rights are not extended to photos with the caption "photo courtesy of [insert name]."
State of the Ozarks reserves the right to edit or decline any material that does not strictly follow this aim. State of the Ozarks reserves the right to edit any and all articles based on length, style, and content.
Plate 1. Your editor, folks. Joshua Heston, originally from Central Illinois, has made his home in the Missouri Ozarks in order to help preserve and celebrate these mountains.
Plate 2. Gardening is best done barefoot, regardless of era.
Plate 3. Shadows and rolling green evoke images of summer and good old days, now long gone. July 23, 2010
For Writers
Request information or send complete manuscripts to the editor. All manuscripts are kept on file. Manuscripts may be edited for content or length. State of the Ozarks is not responsible for claims or offers made by writers. The opinions of writers are not necessarily those of State of the Ozarks or its editor.
