Here in the Ozarks, a man doesn’t have to talk much to be understood. He doesn’t need applause, a spotlight or a stage to know he’s done good, honest work.
Silver Dollar City log hewer Mark Edwards’ legacy isn’t loud, but his work over 50 seasons says a whole lot about the tough old bird he is.
Mark didn’t start with an axe in his hands. He first came to Silver Dollar City as a member of the grounds crew, tending to the land that would become his life’s work. But in 1983, he found his calling in log hewing, and he’s been shaping wood and The City’s story ever since.
He’s swung the axe in just about every kind of weather the Ozarks can throw at a fella…rain, wind and even snow. But ask Mark, and he’ll tell you he prefers the hot sun best. Says it keeps his bones limber.
For decades, guests have gathered around him, watching as each strike of his axe peels back another layer of wood. There’s something mesmerizing about it. The way the blade lands just right. The way the log slowly gives way to clean, straight edges. Some folks ask questions. Others just stand there and take it all in.
Over the years, that work has added up. Mark says he’s hewed somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 logs by hand. Among his many projects over the years was the building of 28 cabins at Silver Dollar City’s Campground, each bearing the marks of his steady hands.
It’s a little bittersweet to think about, but what Mark does is a disappearing art. Log hewing helped build the bones of places like this, but automated mills have largely taken over the craft. Mark will even joke that one day he might be replaced by a robot, but if you’ve ever watched him work, you understand the significance behind doing things the old way.
He’s kept that tradition alive for generations of guests, and he’s never needed many words to explain why it matters.
You can see it in the precision.
You can hear it in the rhythm.
You can feel it in the pride.
That’s 50 seasons’ worth.
And this summer, those years will be honored in a way that feels just right for a man like Mark. Behind the park’s historic Wilderness Church, where the trees stand tall, a dogwood tree will be planted in his name. It’s a living tribute to a man who has spent his life shaping the natural world with care and respect.
He doesn’t have a whole lot to say about that, but smiles at the thought that his work will still be standing long after the last swing of his axe.
Meet Brandei Clifton
As Public Relations Manager for the Silver Dollar City Company, she is eager to tap into her journalism background to hunt down “heart tugs” to write about—those stories that celebrate…