202 W. Sixth Street (Rolla Road)
Lennis Leonard Broadfoot lived across the street in a house built by Berna Bennett and his wife Grace (Love) Bennett in 1904. The address was 202 W. Sixth Street (Rolla Road), Clarks North Edition. L.L. Broadfoot was born in Eminence, Missouri on September 10, 1891. As a boy he made sketches of his Ozark surroundings. Local people were his subjects. He was punished at his one room school for his crude sketches.
Mr. Broadfoot’s parents passed away when he was a teenager. Shortly after their deaths he packed up his belongings and headed west. He sketched ranch life with cowboys and some Indians while working as a ranch hand. He made his way back to Missouri after years of wandering. In 1936 he began to compile a history of the Ozark people which he grew up with. His finished product was the “Pioneers of the Ozarks” book published in 1944. Mr. Broadfoot appeared on television, radio programs, gave lectures and held exhibitions of his artwork. He was friends with western artist Charles M. Russell and Will Rogers. He lived many years in Salem and at the age of 92 he departed this life at 9:15 A.M. on March 17, 1984 in a Salem nursing home. His art can be seen at the Harlin Museum located in West Plains, Missouri.
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