Nichols Farm: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Regions 3, 4, & 5 Park Cultural Landscapes Program. 2009. Nichols Farm: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Cultural Landscapes Inventory Report. 500631. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. NPS Midwest Regional Office, Omaha, Nebraska / CRIS-CL Database
Inventory Unit Description: [The following passages have been adapted from, “Theme Identification, Context Studies, and Property Evaluations Ozark National Scenic Riverways: Carter, Dent, Reynolds, Shannon and Texas Counties, Missouri” by Thomason & Assoc.] The Nichols Farm is the most intact example of the small subsistence type farms that were common throughout the Ozark hills in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Located in Parker Hollow along a branch extending from the upper Current River, the farm reflects the settlement patterns of the Scotch-Irish in the rugged isolated hills. The farm contains a dwelling, barn, and corn crib, which are excellent examples of vernacular designs and construction methods of the period. The Nichols House and surrounding buildings remain largely unchanged since the 1930s, their period of significance, and possess a high degree of integrity. The site retains a strong sense of its historic character. The Nichols Farm represents the traditional subsistence farming practices of the Scotch-Irish in the Current River Valley during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The home and farm met basic needs and emphasized livestock over crop cultivation. The farm buildings reflect traditional vernacular designs as well as regional shifts in economic and industrial development. The combination of log and frame construction reveals the influences of the lumber industry at the turn of the century. Further developments include the appearance of a flue rather than a fireplace. This reveals the impact of railroad transportation that in turn enabled the Nichols’ to obtain a cookstove. The farmstead remains in good condition and retains a high degree of all seven aspects of integrity. The Nichols Farm District was listed on the National Register on December 27, 1989.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Regions 3, 4, & 5 Park Cultural Landscapes Program
- Date of Issue
- 2009-09-30
- Publisher
- U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
- Units
- MWR , OZAR
- Keywords
- architecture, corn crib, Current River, ethnic heritage, exploration/settlement, historic vernacular landscape, livestock, Nichols Farm District, residence, Scotch-Irish, subsistence farm, Susie Nichols Cabin Site, vernacular architecture