author
Otto Ernest Rayburn
1891–1960
Drawn to the Ozarks as both a storyteller and a champion, this teacher-turned-writer spent decades collecting the region’s folklore, history, and everyday character. His best-known work, Ozark Country, helped introduce a wider audience to the people and traditions of the hills.
1 Audiobook
The Eureka Springs Story
by Otto Ernest Rayburn
About the author
Born in Iowa and raised in Kansas, Otto Ernest Rayburn devoted much of his life to the Ozarks. He worked as a teacher, writer, magazine publisher, and promoter of the region, becoming known for his deep interest in local folklore and customs.
Rayburn is especially remembered for Ozark Country, published in 1941 as part of the American Folkways series. He also published Rayburn’s Ozark Guide and assembled a large body of research on Ozark traditions, stories, and history.
His work was driven by affection for the place and the people he wrote about. Long after his death in 1960, his books, papers, and folklore collections have continued to serve readers and researchers interested in Arkansas and Ozark life.