Ozark Medieval Fortress

[Craigmeister]

Good day.  Has anyone been to the Ozark Medieval Fortress that is being built in Lead Hill, AR?  I'd like to visit the site this spring or summer.  I heard a rumor at Fayetteville's Fantasy Faire last year that there will eventually be Renaissance Faires there.

http://ozarkmedievalfortress.com

[Woodland Artisan]

There's a discussion from last year that I and someone else had about that place on this forum.  And I believe some had to do with them possibly doing some sort of renfaire or other events once they're 'done' with the castle.  As far as I know, nothing has changed from then to now.  Which is ...    Not a chance.

When I visited there last summer/fall, I talked with a lot of their people and each said the same thing ... the management and backers were adamantly against such a thing.  They said that there might be some sort of periodic event way off in the future but it wouldn't be anything like a renfaire or medieval festival, etc.   Their focus is completely on trying to get it done and not on any kind of event.

In my talks with a few of the craftspeople over this winter (concerning something else in the works here in the Ozarks), the topic came up again.  Lots of chuckles from them all as they said that, yes, they get that question a lot.  And, no, that's not something the place is going to be used for at all.

So, I'd say that it's just a rumor.  However, who knows what's going to happen between now and when the place gets (reasonably) finished .... in 15+ years ... if ever.   Lots of fortunes made and lost with economies cycling up and down in that time-frame.  If they get pretty desperate, who knows.

[The Rabbi]

I visited this site last year and was impressed at the knowledge they impart and was honored to have assisted in cutting a stone to be used in the Castle Wall. They have allready hosted an SCA wedding and from the attitude i recieved are not objectionable to creating a truly periodic event not like any of todays fairs or festivals but truly period without vendors or stage acts as we know them. The educational value alone makes this an enjoyable place to visit and in spite of the construction taking place it is a wonderouse place to see.

[Merlin the Elder]

What you would have to keep in mind, Craigmeister, is that this project is expected to take 20+ years to completion. Until then, it would not be a safe place to have a faire. It is a teaching project rather than a "hurry-and-get-done-so-we-can-make-lots-of-money" project. My wife, my son the medieval history teacher, and I went to the castle last summer. Very early in the project, but quite fascinating.  It is very much worth seeing, if you're in the area. 

[BLAKDUKE]

Well considering that it took that long if not longer to build such a castle back in the day, usingt the same tools and such their time frame does not seem unreasonable.

[Merlin the Elder]

That is quite true, Blakduke. It amazes me that they are able to fashion these perfectly formed blocks with only a hammer and chisel. I can see why it takes 20 years.

[Woodland Artisan]

No, not at all, Blakduke.  On the other hand, there also aren't any wars or plagues, etc. to delay construction either.  And yet on the preverbial third hand, there also isn't a ready supply of skilled and knowledgable labor or support services like they would have had in the old days (or even as much as at the sister-site in France).  They're doing quite the good job (from what I've been told by knowledgable people in stonework) and are only gettin better at it from experience and the help of at least one individual that checks up on them and trains newcomers from time to time.

Of course, they're still at the 'easy' stages in construction.  In the next few years it's going to get real interesting and real difficult both in manual labor dealing with the stones 'above their waists'  as well as having to design for massive weights and wooden forms.  All of that and the added bonus of county inspectors (already having shut down at least one aspect of their endeavor) and OSHA, etc which neither the historical castles or the French sister-site has had to mess with to this degree.  They're ahead of schedule right now but that's going to swing way over in the next couple of years, probably.

Here's hoping that they can muddle through it all in good form.

[Woodland Artisan]

On an unrelated but yet still regional topic ...

Merlin the Elder, did you see that the Dogpatch USA property lawsuit has been settled now?  Wonder what the kid (now adult) is going to do with his newfound ill-gotten gain?  Dogpatch Renfaire? <big grin>

[BLAKDUKE]

On an unrelated but yet still regional topic ...

Merlin the Elder, did you see that the Dogpatch USA property lawsuit has been settled now?  Wonder what the kid (now adult) is going to do with his newfound ill-gotten gain?  Dogpatch Renfaire? <big grin>

Please explain.  I have not heard of this.

[Merlin the Elder]

Actually, neither had I, BlakDuke. A quick Google provided this story from the Harrison (Arkansas) Daily:

JASPER — Newton County Circuit Judge Shawn Womack on Tuesday put an end to the fate of the property once known as Dogpatch, USA, naming new owners.

On order signed by Womack named Stewart and Pruett Nance, and Brent Baber, effectively ending the case that began almost six years ago.

The case involved an ATV accident Sept. 9, 2005, at the former theme park which was owned by Westek Corporation Inc. The accident occurred when Pruett Nance was driving an ATV down a defined road in the park and drove into a steel cable strung between two trees, striking him in the throat.

The Nances filed suit Nov. 2, 2005, against the owners, naming Mike E. Carr, Michael L. Carr, C.L. Carr, C.L. Carr Jr. and Tahoe Gaming LLC., as well as Lynn Larson, Westek Corp., Leisuretek LTD, Ford Carr and Alberta Carr as defendants, although the latter defendants were later dismissed from the suit.

The case was then argued in Newton County Circuit Court before a jury Sept. 16 - 17, 2008.

During the trial, one of Pruett Nance's cousins testified he was riding four-wheelers on the Dogpatch property with other family members when they were stopped by a man and a younger-looking kid, who was pointing a shotgun at them. He said they were held about two hours, until the police showed up. He said the men said they had problems with trespassers and vandals.

The defendants had argued that the cable used to limit access to the park was not an ultra-hazardous condition or activity. Michael Carr said he was going to get tape when the accident occurred.

The jury awarded $400,000 for compensatory damages to Stewart Nance, as well as $100,000 in compensatory damages and $150,000 in punitive damages to Pruett Nance, Stewart Nance's son.

But the court reduced compensatory damages to Stewart Nance to $233,707.42.

The defendants appealed the decision and the Arkansas Supreme Court upheld the lower courts decision, although it did reinstate Stewart Nance's compensatory damages to $400,000.

The defendant's in the original suit were ordered to tender a warranty deed for the property in case the judgment wasn't paid. Womack's order on Tuesday ended the case and gave the land to the Nances and Baber, their attorney.

"The transfer of these lands is taken in full satisfaction of plaintiffs' judgment against all defendants," a handwritten entry on the court order reads.

[Woodland Artisan]

Which part, Blakduke?   The fact that there used to be an amuzement park in North Central Arkansas called Dogpatch USA or about the lawsuit that ultimately gave the property to the trespasser?

[BLAKDUKE]

Both actually.  Merlin explained one, but I had not heard of the other either

[Woodland Artisan]

Ahhh, ok.

Well, Dogpatch USA was a theme park located just a bit south of Harrisonville, AR that was based on the Lil Abner comic.  Operated on and off in the 60's and 70's and early 80's and has been a sore spot with the locals since it started.    Like many theme parks and other schemes here in the Ozarks (some of them renaissance and medieval themed), it tried to capitalize on the people and natural atmosphere of the region and failed.   Lots of court battles with Dogpatch over the years for lots of reasons.   Rumors of it being revived in either the same form or things like a ski lodge (yep), bikers haven, wild animal park, Six Flags (yep) and many other things for a few decades now.

The latest court battle was with that kid that got hurt while tresspassing on that land, which had long been closed up and inaccessible.  Apparently, that family had been caught tresspassing on that property several times by law enforcement.  But, that time the kid got hurt.   Several years of court and the upshot is that he got the land that he was hurt on because he was being an idiot and doing something that he should have been arrested for (or worse in this part of the country).

[Merlin the Elder]

That really seemed bizarre to me as well, WA... getting rewarded for breaking the law. There already was a ski resort (!) up there, almost across the street. As you can imagine, snow skiing in Arkansas and surfing in your bathtub have similar chances of success. The ski resort lasted several years surprisingly.  The ski resort opened in `72, Dogpatch had opened in `68.