DOGPATCH AT LAKE OF THE OZARKS PHOTOS

Yesterday, I showed you some old postcards (I added one more to yesterdays post) from Dogpatch and today I've uploaded some modern photos of Dogpatch. I took these back in 2004 and you can see more on my Flickr site.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO - DOGPATCH VILLAGE

Back in the 1940's most people who were regular funny paper readers were big fans of Al Capp’s Li’l Abner and this included Walter and Ada Tietmeyer. Shortly after moving to the Lake of the Ozarks, the Tietmeyers started a thriving tourist trap with a hillbilly theme and appropriately named it Dogpatch. Actually, it started out as the Dogpatch Café in 1947 and as Walter kept adding more buildings and unique oddities, it eventually became Dogpatch Village in the 1950's.

For six decades Dogpatch has entertained many generations of families with hillbilly novelties and kooky attractions. Some of the attractions from the past included a reptile garden, a real African lion, miniature automaton logging village with Paul Bunyan, an educated chicken, frog band, an authentic Ozark cabin, giant Redwood log, coin-op fortune teller, elephant skull, outhouse with a rude hillbilly, a rocket ship, player piano, talking hillbilly greeter, magic water faucet and a giant hillbilly (muffler man) statue.

To help celebrate Dogpatch’s 60th anniversary, I’ve included some vintage postcards and other related items.

This wonderful tourist attraction is still open and if you ever find yourself at the Lake of the Ozarks, be sure to visit Dogpatch.

Click on the scans for a closer look!

SCARED BAIT

I've been so busy, that I haven't had any time to do any artwork. I made some time yesterday and this is what I came up with. Click on the photo to see it up close.

GOODY BAG OF STUFF

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #12

I always like it when antique dealers put a random mix of stuff in a bag or jar and sell it. My old boss at the antique store used to make up some nifty bags of old stuff and call it a "goody bag".

Well, just a couple of weeks ago I found a fun "goody bag" with some fun items inside at a flea market. Take a look!

1968 SAN ANTONIO WORLD'S FAIR FLOAT AT THE ROSE PARADE

FOUND PHOTO: TITANIC'S JACK DAWSON WAS REAL

I've been going thru piles of old (found) snapshots the past few days and came across this photo of two teenagers. I think the young man looks like Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack Dawson character from the movie Titanic.

Click here for an update and my thoughts on this photograph.

63 YEARS AGO. . .

For the veterans of WWII, Thank you!

Back in 2004 on June 6th, the 60th anniversary of D-Day, my pal Shawn Geabhart, did this sketch in my sketch book. It's one of my favorite's in the book.

TAB BUTTONS OR "PUSH-BACKS"

For some reason I've always called these "push-back" buttons, but most call them tab buttons. Anyway, I've always liked 'em. Here's a few fun ones. The first one is the Wink Gink from Wink soda. The next one is the Mary Blair designed Meadow Gold Ice Cream girl. The third one with Yogi Bear is from the Cedar Rapids, Iowa kid's show Dr. Max. The last one is advertising the Odyssey2 home video game system at the 1982 Knoxville World's Fair.

SAVE A LIFE FIRE EXTINGUISHER

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #11

Welcome back to another edition Flea Market Friday! I was going to post about a goody bag that I found with some fun stuff inside, but I found something much better just a few days ago. Maybe the goody bag will show up next Friday.

It's a Save A Life Fire Extinguisher with fun graphics of an ad character that I'll call Chief Save A Life!