6 Lessons We Can Learn from the Ozark Medieval Fortress

or, How NOT to Build a Medieval Castle in 21st Century America.

Artist's rendering of the completed Ozark Medieval Fortress, originally projected for 2030

A few years ago, a team of investors and enthusiasts led by Michel Guyot broke ground on a 20-year building project to construct a 13th century castle in the middle of the USA. They called it the Ozark Medieval Fortress. It was an ambitious plan to build an entire castle, with towers, walls, and a great hall, using only the methods they would have used in the middle ages. When I heard about this, I was ecstatic. I'd seen a documentary about a similar project, Chateau de Guedelon, in France and thought it was super cool, but thought I'd probably never get to see something like that in person.

But the Ozark Medieval Fortress was only a few hours away, in northern Arkansas! I got to visit once in each in 2010 and 2011, and was hoping to intern there in 2012, but that's when their problems came clearly to the surface in the form of the message which appeared on their website early in 2012: "Opening in 2012 delayed due to financial reasons. We are seeking American financial partners."

They never re-opened.

In looking back at the way the whole Ozark Medieval Fortress was run, I think there's a lot we can learn, and maybe get it right with a stellar medieval castle-building project somewhere in the future. These are the 6 big ideas on what I think was done wrong at the Ozark Medieval Fortress, and how they could be done right, next time.

Breaking limestonewith a chase-masse

6. Don't Start a Risky, Multi-Million Dollar Project in the Middle of a Recession.

Granted, the project's financiers were from Europe, and the economic downturn hadn't really hit Europe yet when the project began to take shape in 2008. The downturn doesn't seem to have been really affecting European economies even when the Fortress opened in 2010. But the recession was certainly in full swing in America at that time. And the Fortress was slated to be built in Lead Hill, Arkansas, smack in the middle of financially-struggling America. Maybe this was taken into consideration, but it seems that it would have been wiser to perhaps wait until a time when people [i.e. - potential visitors] would be more willing to part with their hard-earned dollars to visit a castle in progress, especially when there really wasn't much to look at (in the fortress itself) in the first season, with most of the walls less than 2 ft tall, and maybe 8 ft at the highest sections.

5. Don't Start an Expensive Project with Out-of-Touch Investors.

The project's investors were all from France, and it seems that many of them were or are also involved in the Chateau de Guedelon project. On one hand, that's a good thing. The investors were already steeped in the French culture which the Ozark Medieval Fortress was supposed to embody. The problem, I think, is that they were French, and not American. Perhaps they were more familiar with French history, culture, and the middle ages, but they were probably not familiar with American culture, and how to market a medieval castle building project to an American audience.

Who might have been better investors? I bet a few universities with Medieval Studies programs might have been interested in helping to sponsor the project. Or just wealthy Americans in general - but someone who was familiar with the culture and country in which the project was to be carried out.

A tower doorway at OMF

4. Don't Start an Expensive, Tourism-Based Project in the Middle of Nowhere.

Why did they pick Arkansas, of all places? Convenience. They touted on their website that the landscape was very similar to that of Southern France, and also happened to have a limestone quarry, which is essential to the castle building, and it was even conveniently only 30 miles south of the touristy Branson, MO. Branson would be a great location for an attraction directed at seniors or families with small children, but Branson, and the entire Midwest is not exactly a place known for its interest in European History. The castle was not at all handicapped accessible and was not exactly a safe environment to encourage young children to run about. These conditions essentially exclude 80-90% of all of Branson's typical visitors.

So what might have been a better location? Somewhere with beautiful scenery that could be compared to somewhere in Europe, but somewhere with a larger population nearby, somewhere that attracts international visitors, and somewhere with a population more inclined to be interested in European history enough to want to visit a Medieval European Style Castle-in-Progress. Good candidates might include locations in Colorado, California, Washington State, Florida, or upstate New York.

3. Don't Translate Your Written Materials Directly from French. Or Any Other Language.

The relationship of the Chateau de Guedelon with the Ozark Medieval Fortress was something akin to a big brother - little sister type of relationship, with much of the information and planning for the OMF coming directly from the French project. This is helpful in that the instructions on masonry and signage come from experts, but this arrangement also caused some problems in translation. Foremost among these was the press release given to news media throughout America to announce the opening of the Ozark Medieval Fortress. Somehow, the facts got mixed up so that the release bragged that the Ozark Medieval Fortress would be "a genuine, full-sized, fortified castle, with 24-foot high towers, a drawbridge, and 6-foot wide stone walls." That sounds rather unimpressive, and not like a full-sized castle, or anything worth visiting. In reality, the walls were 6 feet thick and 24 feet tall, and the tallest of the towers was planned to be over 70 feet tall.

Other instances of translated material not turning out so well was in the signage scattered throughout the castle site. Several had typos or were worded awkwardly, but one in particular explained the "wise witch." This title is perfectly innocuous in France, but in America, the word "witch" has certain very negative connotations. A better English translation would be something like "wise woman" - the village expert on herbs and remedies.

These problems could have all been avoided by assuring that a native English speaker wrote and/or translates all of the written material associated with the Ozark Medieval Fortress.

2. Don't Open A Niche Attraction Without Knowing your Market and How to Appeal to it.

What is an "Ozark Medieval Fortress" anyway? Some people don't even know what "medieval" means, but they're sure going to know what a castle is. "Fortress" brings to mind a civil war fort or other military construction, and not necessarily a castle. Even the word "Ozark" carries a certain stigma with it. The castle could have been named just about anything other than "Ozark Medieval Fortress," as long as "castle" or "chateau" was in the name.

On the castle's website and in their one advertising campaign, the motto was,
"They're building it. Come see it!"
The point of a motto is to stick in peoples' minds and convince them to visit the castle, but I think they could have come up with something far better.

I think the castle's advertising would have been far more effective if the question of "who would want to visit a castle construction site in America?" had been longer considered. They might have chosen a better geographic location, and might have realized that their best target audiences would probably have been students and academics, as well as fans of historical reenacting and fantasy genres.

1. Don't Run a History-Based Attraction Without an Expert Advisor on Board.

Though the project certainly had many staff and volunteers who were well versed in the restoring and building of castles, and even some who were quite familiar with reenacting, it seems that for the most part, there were no true experts involved in the oversight of the Ozark Medieval Fortress. From what I can find, the main tour guide at the castle (who also served as its official historian) had a Bachelor's degree in European History and had attended a summer program on the Middle Ages in Germany. He certainly was very knowledgeable on the Middle Ages, but such credentials hardly compare to someone with a Master's or PhD in Medieval Studies or Medieval History. And no such expert was to be found on the Ozark Medieval Fortress Team. Other good candidates might have been an archaeologist who specialized in medieval sites, an experimental archaeologist, or a historical architect.

If they had held such an expert on staff or even just as an advisor, perhaps the whole project would have turned out differently.


A few news articles have covered the closing of the Ozark Medieval Fortress, including the New York Times, but for the most part it has unfortunately gone unnoticed. I would love to see someone pick up the unfinished castle and breathe new life into it, and I think it could be salvaged. But whether someone buys and revitalizes the Ozark Medieval Fortress, or starts a new project somewhere else, I hope they won't repeat the same mistakes. 

Disclaimer: Some of this information has been very difficult to research, since the Ozark Medieval Fortress website is gone. I might have missed some important information, and I really want this to be an informed and accurate blog, so if you know of any information that I missed that might change what I said, or if I got something wrong, please let me know. I wrote this article to show how we can use the Ozark Medieval Fortress as an example and learn from its problems, so that the next time a project like this is begun in America (or anywhere else), it might have a greater chance at success.

Medieval Castle Construction (part II)

After learning about the process of building a castle in my previous post, you have the chance to witness it! An amazing project is underway in the heart of America, where they are currently constructing a real medieval castle.

It all started in 2008, when a French couple, Jean-Marc and Solange Mirat, who had retired in Arkansas were visiting France and learned of Guédelon Castle, a project began in 1997 which involves building  a 13th century castle using only medieval methods and materials - a 25-year endeavor. The Mirats were enchanted by the idea and wanted to bring it to the United States, so they contacted the founder of the project, Michel Guyot, about the idea of building a similar castle in northern Arkansas. They sold a portion of their land in Lead Hill, Arkansas, for the project. Site preparation and construction on the Ozark Medieval Fortress began in 2009  and it opened to the public in May, 2010. The construction of this castle is slated to take 20 years, reaching completion in 2030 with a full-sized, historically-accurate 13th century French-style castle.

I had the privilege to visit the castle with my family in July, 2010, and greatly enjoyed the whole experience. We took the guided tour (well worth the extra $2) and our tour guide, James, made the day delightful with his stories and enlightening explanations of various aspects of the castle building process. We began with a walk through the woods above the castle and ended up at the quarry at the base of the site. There, a quarryman explained the process of quarrying and demonstrated how they split the stones to have a nice, flat "face" so they could form the outside of the castle walls. From the quarry, we proceeded to the open area where the castle was beginning to take shape. The castle sits on a slope and surrounds a small spring, as follows the 13th century French tradition. It will have 5-foot thick walls, a drawbridge and moat, and the tallest tower will reach over 60 feet in height!

the "squirrel cage" (man-powered) crane

Once we finished gawking at the enormity of the castle, though its walls barely stood above our heads at that time, we were free to wander about and speak with the various artisans, laborers, and craftspeople as they worked in and around the castle. There was a basket maker, rope maker, masons, carpenters, blacksmith, illuminator, and potter. Also near the castle was a small farm with sheep and a garden, tended by the "good wife." It was such an enthralling experience to talk with these people and watch them work! They also use authentic medieval tools and machines such as wooden scaffolding and the "squirrel cage" crane.

Because of my deep interest in the Middle Ages, I was entertaining the idea of applying for an internship at the Ozark Medieval Fortress some time in the near future. After actually visiting the castle and being so transported back to Medieval France, I am certain that I want to take part in this project. I hope to work there over a summer, maybe even as soon as 2012, but we shall see what God has in mind...

Meanwhile, you can learn more details about the construction and its many intricate aspects at the tour guide, Medieval James's blog. Also be sure to check out the Ozark Medieval Fortress website for operating hours, ticket rates, and directions. It is only half-an-hour south of Branson, MO, so there is no legitimate reason not to go!

UPDATE: (6/19/2012) When I first visited the Ozark Medieval Fortress, in July, 2010, the tourguide, James, told me that the project did not expect to start breaking even on their investment and actually make a profit for at least four years. As the economy is generally still not doing so great, I wasn't too surprised to see the announcement on the project's website that their opening for the 2012 season was delayed for financial reasons and that they are looking for American financial partners. It really is a shame that they have not posted any more updates, so I assume they are still struggling. I would truly hate to see this project be forgotten! 
So, if you happen to have a lot of money and love the Middle Ages, traditional construction techniques, a great learning place, or castles in general, you might consider having a chat with the folks over at the Ozark Medieval Fortress. :)

UPDATE: (10/28/2013) The really sad part is that the website for the Ozark Medieval Fortress has now disappeared completely. If you go to it, you'll be redirected to a French marketing firm's website. I'm deeply saddened to see that apparently the project lost even the funds or volunteers or something to run a website to at least alert people to its presence. According to an Arkansas Business article, the site was briefly listed for sale earlier this year and the owner's business practices have been called "at best unsound and at worst dishonest." I still think it's possible, if not for this particular project, than for something similar to succeed in the US. It just needs the right help...

UPDATE: (4/15/2014) I've written a blog post, "6 Lessons We Can Learn from the Ozark Medieval Fortress" or "How NOT to Build a Medieval Castle in 21st Century America," in which I discuss the 6 main problems that I see with how the OMF was run, and what mistakes anyone who seeks to either revive this project or start a new one aught to avoid. I would love to see a true medieval castle built in America, it just needs to be done properly next time.