Newspaperwoman of the Ozarks: The Life and Times of Lucile Morris Upton [Paperback]

Lucile Morris Upton landed her first newspaper job out West in the early 1920s, then returned home to spend half a century reporting on the Ozarks world she knew best. Having come of age just as women gained the right to vote, she took advantage of opportunities that presented themselves in a changing world. During her years as a journalist, Upton rubbed shoulders with presidents, flew with aviation pioneer Wiley Post, covered the worst single killing of US police officers in the twentieth century, wrote an acclaimed book on the vigilante group known as the Bald Knobbers, charted the growth of tourism in the Ozarks, and spearheaded a movement to preserve iconic sites of regional history. Following retirement from her newspaper job, she put her experience to good use as a member of the Springfield City Council and community activist.

Told largely through Upton’s own words, this insightful biography captures the excitement of being on the front lines of newsgathering in the days when the whole world depended on newspapers to find out what was happening.

 

Winner, 2024 Missouri Literary Award
First Place, 2024 Missouri Professional Communicators Communications Contest
Finalist, Society of Midland Authors Book Award

 

“To call this work a significant contribution to the history of the Ozarks is an understatement. Susan Croce Kelly grasps the importance of Lucile Morris Upton in the development of the Ozarks, charting the events of Upton’s life with an understanding of the characters involved in their historical context. This is an important and enjoyable read.”
—Marideth Sisco, host,These Ozarks Hills“Lucile Morris Upton’s work to document and preserve the Ozarks—through advocacy, books, and newspapering—far outlives her time on Earth. Yet behind these efforts is her own story: one of diligence, of adventure found in everlcÓ