Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

You are standing on a remnant of one of many roads that crisscrossed this area of the upper Ozarks. These roads linked small towns, connected rivers, or accessed logging areas.

Between the end of the Civil War (1865) and the Great Depression (1930s), lumbering was very important to the economy of this area. It was an industry requiring both skilled and unskilled labor. Over the generations, timber was clear cut, hauled or floated to sawmills, and fashioned into products for industries.

The Sligo Furnace began operating an iron smelter in northeastern Dent County, about 15 miles from Dillard. It consumed large amounts of timber in the form of charcoal. Railroads including the Sligo and Eastern used vast quantities of timber as well in the form of railroad ties. In fact, "tie hacking" became a major means of livelihood in the area. Combined, these industries nearly stripped the region of its timber.

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