Retracing our Roots
Retracing our Roots can be heard Saturday mornings at 11am on KTLO-FM, 97.9.
Listen to Retracing Our Roots with hosts Heather Loftis, Sammy Raycraft and local historian Vincent Anderson Saturday mornings at 11. The thirty-minute weekend show will take listeners on a journey from the early history of the area through the expansions of the mid-20th century.
Podcasts
Rush Arkansas and Mining in the Ozarks
This week on Retracing Our Roots, Sammy Raycraft and Vincent Anderson delve into the mining days of the Ozarks. Our first stop is Rush, Arkansas, where we uncover the story of this ghost town that once hosted
Episode 13 – Railroad Destination- Cotter Arkansas
All aboard! Join the Retracing Our Roots team as we journey along the White River to uncover the fascinating story of how the St. Louis, Iron Mountain Railroad was built through the White River Valley in the
Episode 11 – The Baker Building and Rapps Barren Brewery
This week, the Retracing Our Roots team is joined by Russell Tucker, one of the owners of Rapp’s Barren Brewing Company. We are especially grateful to Rapp’s Barren for serving as our corporate sponsor. In the first
Episode 10: Arkansas Pioneers and Baxter County Bald Knobbers
This week on Retracing Our Roots, Heather Loftis, Sammy Raycraft, and Vincent Anderson kick off the show by discussing how local elections were conducted in small counties at the courthouse and how the process of tallying election
Steamboat Whistles & Iron Wheels: The White River’s Golden Age
This week on Retracing Our Roots, pack your bags and join Sammy Raycraft and Vincent Anderson as we journey to the nearest steamboat landing on the White River! Step back in time along this historic waterway, winding
Episode 8: Mountain Home Cemetery: Legacies Carved in Stone
This week on Retracing Our Roots, we have a full house as we’re joined by Marshella Norell, president of the Mountain Home Cemetery. Together, we’ll uncover the stories behind the first burials, beginning with the Russell children
Echoes of the Chalkboard: Education in the Ozarks
This week on Retracing Our Roots, we’ll explore the lasting impact of the Truman family on education in the Ozarks, and how their contributions continue to shape the region today. The story of Professor A.J. Truman and
The Price of Progress: The History of Henderson & Tragedies at Norfork Dam
This week, we explore the history of Henderson, Arkansas, once a key point for transportation and mail, with vital ferry connections. In time, this small town gained a beautiful bridge that spanned the North Fork of the
Episode 5: The history of Norfork
Episode 4: The News & Voices of the Twin Lakes: The Baxter Bulletin and KTLO Radio
Heather, Sammy, and Vincent discuss the founding media companies that reported and amplified the voices of the Twin Lakes. A special archival piece at the end of the episode features KTLO’s Bob Knight live at the Cotter
Episode 3: Hook, Line, and Tourism: Fishing Tourism in Bull Shoals & Lakeview
Episode 2: Investment and Growth
Meet the original movers and shakers that came in after the dams had been put in who saw the potential of these waterways beyond flood control.
