1961 Ozark Breakaway: The Year McDonald County Seceded from Missouri celebrates Missouri’s Bicentennial
This year, Missouri is celebrating its bicentennial on Aug. 10.
But another date, Apr. 12, 2021, marks the 60th anniversary of the lesser known date that McDonald County, tucked in the southwest corner of the state, seceded from the state of Missouri.
Dwight Pogue, who grew up in Noel after moving there when he was in first grade and now resides in western Massachusetts after a 46-year teaching career, has written 1961 Ozark Breakaway: The Year McDonald County Seceded from Missouri to commemorate both.
My children said, over the years, ‘you should write a book sometime about some of the town characters,’” said Pogue on writing 1961 Ozark Breakaway: The Year McDonald County Seceded from Missouri. “So, I thought this would be an opportunity to do something about the secession, documenting the secession and its history. But then I wanted to include a few characters becau