White River History

[Kyle Kosovich]

Hey everyone. I am looking for old pictures and stories of the Old White River and the jon boats they used in that day. Particularly Jim Owens and Charlie Barnes and thier boat line in Galena and Branson.

I have built one of Chralie Barnes's model boats and want to dedicate a histroy section in my website. I find the old style of float fishing and camping very fun and peacful. They had it right back in those days.

any leads would be great. Thanks.

[bigredbirdfan]

That is one awesome boat.

Good luck on your research. You website is very nice as well and I will be checking it out frequently.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Do you have Larry Dablemont's book, River to Run? From his site:

Rivers to Run

$12.95

Rivers to Run, Swiftwater, Sycamores and Smallmouth Bass, includes about anything you would want to know about rivers, including plans for making a wooden johnboat. It is filled with the history of the early days of float-fishing, the old time river guides, tie-rafting, trot lining, gigging, trapping and all the things early Midwesterners did to make a living on the river. From this book you can learn how to fish the rivers, how to paddle, how to camp on a gravel bar, pack a boat or canoe, or go after a big smallmouth. It also contains several chapters on natural history, the trees, the birds, furbearers, fish and other unique creatures of the rivers, above and below the surface. This book delves into the history of the people along the river going back to the time of the bluff dweller Indians, and includes accounts from writers in the earlier decades of the last century, describing the rivers they floated and fished, and what they were like in that time. It has 384 pages, and dozens of old photos....and fish pictures as well.

It also has a chapter about Charlie and Jim. If you don't have it, it is a must have! You won't be able to put it down. At least I couldn't.

[Al Agnew]

Yeah, Larry's book is great, and one of the chapters is taken in part from another book that would be of great interest to you if you don't have it. It's "Some Recollections of an Ozarks Float Trip Guide", written in the 1990s by Ted Sare, who was a guide for Jim Owen in the 1940s. Ted passed away a few years later, but according to Larry's book copyrighted in 2004, the book was still available from Ted's wife Vernetta. Larry gives her address as Vernetta Sare, 3027 W. Farm Rd. 38, Willard, MO 65781, and says to send a check or money order for $10 plus $2 for postage. Don't know whether this is still valid or not. I've been meaning to write her and get a copy if possible. If anybody knows anything about her and the book, let me know.

I'm also very interested in the old time river guides and the earlier days of fishing on the Ozark streams. It's a bittersweet experience to look at old photos of the White River. I can never view them without great sadness for what was lost, not only the White but the lower James and Kings, and the North Fork. But the White was the greatest of Ozark smallmouth rivers, and one of my greatest regrets is that I was born too late to see and experience it. I'd trade Table Rock and Beaver and Bull Shoals for the White the way it was any day.

[msamatt]

Kyle:

That's a beautiful looking boat. You must take a great deal of satisfaction in being able to float and fish from something you built. I've got two suggestions which you might find interesting. Since you live in Springfield you can get both from the Springfield Greene County Library system.

Morrow, Lynn. Shepherd of the hills country : tourism transforms the Ozarks, 1880s-1930s Fayetteville : University of Arkansas Press, 1999.

Turnbow, S.C. The White River chronicles of S.C. Turnbo : man and wildlife on the Ozarks frontier / selected and edited by James F. Keefe and Lynn Morrow ; introduction by W.K. McNeil Fayetteville : University of Arkansas Press, c1994.

[Gavin]

Charlie Waterman has a good short on floating the Ozarks...cant remember where I read it though. Think Huzz001 has some pics of some old time Current river style jons that he's posted to this forum before..migh do a search and contact him to see if you can use them. Cheers.

[Danoinark]

There is an original White River jon at the Gaston Visitor Center at Bull Shoals Dam.

[duckydoty]

Kyle

Do you use paddles or oars with your boat?

[Kyle Kosovich]

Thanks everyone I'll look into those leads.

FYI only one paddle needed!

Gotto go later

Kyle

[taxidermist]

Check Forrest Woods museum in Flippin AR.

http://home.att.net/~rdfortner/jimowen/jimowen.html

http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/1996/07/40.html

http://www.mdc.missouri.gov/conmag/2002/02/10.htm

http://www.fishcompany.com/menus/wrfh_Menu.pdf

http://www.longboatoutfitters.com/index.ph...g&Itemid=64

http://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/...V37/N3/w98d.htm

http://www.argenweb.net/marion/marioncohis.../07fishing.html

Steve Cookson

wooden john boats and sassafrass paddles

Rt. 2 Box 512

Naylor, MO

(573) 222-3790

(573) 399-2505