The Ozarks and Appalachia are not the same — and the difference goes deeper than accents and hills. Ozark history was shaped by rivers, isolation, and Civil War guerrilla warfare. Appalachia was shaped by coal mining and long mountain ridges. Different land. Different economy. Different identity. If you’re from Missouri or Arkansas, you already know. Ozarks history Ozark culture Ozarks vs Appalachia Appalachian Mountains comparison Ozark Plateau geology difference between Ozarks and Appalachia M