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Bald knobbers : chronicles of vigilante justice

At the close of the nineteenth century in the Ozark Plateau, lawlessness ruled. Lawmakers, in bed with moonshiners and bootleggers, fueled local crime and turned a blind eye to egregious wrongdoing. In response, a vigilante force emerged from the Ozark hills: the Bald Knobbers. They formed their own laws and alliances; local ministers donned the Knobber mask and brought "justice" to the hills, lynching suspected bootleggers. As community support and interest grew, reporters wrote curious articles about Knobber exploits. Join Vincent S. Anderson as he uncovers these peculiar reports including trials, lovers' spats ending in coldblooded murder and Ozark vigilante history that inspired a folk legend.

Important places

Chadwick (1)
Forsyth (3)
Springfield (7)

Counties

Greene (8)
Christian (1)
Taney (18)

Regions

Missouri (930)

Countries

United States (64,950)

Other geographical areas

Ozark Plateau (77)
Central Lowlands (North America) (1,334)