The Christian County Historical Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Christian County, Missouri. It operates the Christian County Museum on donations only.

The Museum is located at 100 E Elm St, Ozark, MO 65721 on the historic Ozark Square and is currently open Wednesday – Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

News

Christian County Museum & Historical Society

Sun October 11th

CHRISTIAN COUNTY BY-GONESThe hotel on the northwest corner of the Ozark square was built in 1898 as the Wrightsman Hotel. It continued operating until the late 1930s, when Mr. and Mrs. Art Smith took it over, renaming it the Smith Hotel. The Smiths ran it for around twenty-five years, making it famous for good food served family style. The Smiths retired in 1959; it was subsequently called the Ozark Hotel. In 1979 the vacant building was razed. (From the Christian County Republican 6/10/98, 7/20/39, 4/16/1959; Springfield News-Leader 12/18/1979) …

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Christian County Museum & Historical Society

Sat October 10th

Our community has lost a wonderful, giving, kind, and caring person. …

Carole Ann Campbell Collins Obituary Oct 4, 2026 – Adams Funeral Home and Crematory

www.adamsfuneralhome.com

View Carole Ann Campbell Collins’s obituary, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

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Christian County Museum & Historical Society

Fri October 9th

Tomorrow’s the day we go to Bull Creek!!Join us Saturday, Oct 10th at 3:00 at the Christian County Museum for a field trip to the site of Bull Mills on Bull Creek. We will meet at the museum (100 E. Elm, on the Square in Ozark) for maps and to coordinate vehicles for the trip (low clearance vehicles not recommended). The private property we will visit was also visited by Henry Schoolcraft (who will be our “guide” for the visit), Civil War troops, Native Americans and has the Ozark Mail Trace crossing it as well as the historic Cobb-Keaton Cemetery. Please bring a chair, insect repellent and water. A restroom will be available at the first stop. See all you history buffs tomorrow!! …

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Christian County Museum & Historical Society

Sun October 4th

CHRISTIAN COUNTY BY-GONESArts and Craft Fairs in Ozark have changed considerably in the last 51 years–no more ‘throw the chicken out the window contest.’(From the Springfield Leader & Press 10/2/1975) …

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Christian County Museum & Historical Society

Sun September 27th

CHRISTIAN COUNTY BY-GONESJones Spring Park west of downtown was a public gathering spot as early as 1900. Situated south of the Finley River and west of Third Street, it stretched from approximately the location of Riverview Manor on modern Hall Street to the OC. It hosted gatherings such as the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Civil War veterans, school plays, ladies Bible study classes, family picnics, fraternal lodge meetings, traveling vaudeville shows, political rallies, carnivals, and Independence Day celebrations for many years. It was a favorite picnic spot, shady and pleasant beside the “cool spring and gurgling brook.” The park encompassed a horse racing track, baseball field, fairgrounds, and after 1919, a building initially for the Baptist Assembly of Missouri to hold its annual meetings, although the building served other purposes, too. For a time it served as a tourist camp, but in 1937 the property was sold, which seemed to mark the end of its public use. (From 1912 Christian County plat book, Christian County Museum; Christian County Republican, 8/30/1900, 5/26/1922, 7/23/1903, 7/12/1906, 9/8/1911, 8/17/1905, 7/11/1919, 6/25/1920, 5/17/1928, 8/26/1937, 9/2/1937) …

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Christian County Museum & Historical Society

Wed September 23rd

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Contact Us

Address: 100 E Elm St Ozark, MO 65721 on the south side of the Ozark Square

Hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Admission is free.

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 442 Ozark, MO

Email: christiancohistorical@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristianCoHistorical/

Donations/Events

The Christian County Museum runs entirely on the generosity of donors and volunteers. Below are ways you can help:

Donate Online: Make a donation with a credit card on Square.
Buy Event Tickets: Purchase tickets to museum events with a credit card on Square.
Donate by Mail: Donations by check can be mailed to: P.O. Box 442 Ozark, MO, 65721 (Checks should be made payable to the Christian County Museum and Historical Society).
Donate a Historical Item: Please contact us directly to discuss material donations.
Volunteer: The museum and its events are run entirely by volunteers. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact us - we would love to work with you!

Membership

Support local history and the Christian County Museum -- join the Christian County Historical Society today! All levels of membership receive the Christian County Historian, our quarterly publication with fascinating articles on county history and announcements of upcoming events.

Membership levels

(To pay by check, please contact us.)

Christian County Museum and Historical Society, Inc. is a not for profit 501(c)(3) organization