Remembering Our Founding Members of the Ozark Society: The Hedges
The exploits of Harold and Margaret Hedges are given in some detail in Neil Compton's The Battle for the Buffalo River, which is available from the Ozark Society website. But here are a few memories we have of them. They purchased 700 acres in what is now the upper Buffalo River wilderness and built their dream home in 1968. When the national river was established in 1972, they sold their land to the National Park with no regrets since they had obtained a 25- year occupancy lease. But at least some of their neighbors were upset, and after several incidents of harassment their home was burned (arson) in 1990 while they were traveling to Mexico. They moved about 25 miles north to Harrison, AR, where Harold died at the age of 91 in 2008 and Margaret died at the age of 93 in 2010. Here is a story we received about the Hedges by Myra Lawrence and her husband, Cliff from Monroe, LA. “In July of 1976 we were canoeing on the Buffalo River. Our canoe overturned and though we were not harmed, Cliff lost a pair of blue jeans with money & credit card in the pockets, all held [...]