Branson, Missouri
September 1997
Dear Cha-Wel-Dor-Sue:
"When
pleasure can be had, it is fit to catch it." Samuel
Johnson
Pleasure
can be had in Branson, Missouri, and Pat and I, along with two of our
friends from Delray Beach, Florida, caught it and enjoyed
it.
Little
did I realize when I left for Branson, Missouri, that I would feel
inspired to write another Dad-O-Gram. Branson was in the Ozarks and
far removed from anything in my experience. It was, I was informed,
the "Biggest Little Town" in the United states, and, now that I have
been there, I can fully agree. It is an unbelievable phenomenon and I
believe will some day be the entertainment center or capital of the
United states. No amount of reading or scanning of their brochures
will prepare you for the experience. You have to be there to believe!
The infrastructure created on these rolling hills and valleys shows
great prescience, based upon the premise that the future will provide
increasing amounts of leisure time for our citizens, and that with
the time and money available, people will flock to Branson in
increasing numbers. As modern technology enables machines and robots
to do our work, we will be free to indulge ourselves in the pursuit
of pleasure, and Branson has well prepared itself for these moments
in our lives.
Branson,
Missouri is a small town situated approximately 40 miles north of the
Arkansas line in the southeast corner of Missouri. Its population is
officially listed as 3,706 people. Unbelievable! I'm sure that on
many nights, there are that many people in one of their
theaters!
A
brief history of Branson might be of interest to anyone contemplating
going to Branson, and I have copied from the Branson travel guide the
following brief account of its history.
"Missouri
joined the Union in 1821, but settlers had found their way to the
whispering, tree covered hills and verdant valleys of the Ozarks long
before this part of the Louisiana Purchase became a state. Enticed by
tales from trappers of plentiful wild game and fertile land, these
stalwart people left their homes in Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and
Illinois for the arduous journey west. As more and more folks started
moving into the area, a jovial entrepreneur named Ruben Branson
decided it was time to cultivate the needs of the locals and in 1882
opened the area's first general store and post office. Trouble was
that although the town was officially recognized by the U.S. Postal
Service, it had no name. So, by general agreement of the town folk,
it was named Branson after the postmaster.
The
town of Branson thrived over the next 15 years, due mainly to the
great fishing in the White River that flowed just a couple of blocks
from "downtown". By 1903, the Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad was
completed and visitors from exotic places like St. Louis came to
explore the area. Although Branson was now a bustling community
boasting a new bank, train depot, general store and even a saloon,
the surrounding area was still as pristine and untouched as the day
it was created. It was to this setting that a Kansas minister, Harold
Bell Wright, was drawn. First visiting the Ozarks in 1900, Wright
made friends with J.K. and Anna Ross who lived in a rustic log cabin
on a hill west of Branson. Sitting on this peaceful hill overlooking
the lush Roark Valley, he began writing his novel, "The Shepherd of
the Hills." His best-selling book, published in 1907, stirred the
hearts and imaginations of people back east and a new migration of
tourists converged on the area.
When
the White River was dammed in 1913 forming Lake Taneycomo,
vacationers extended their exploration of the area on excursion boats
that took them on leisurely cruises to Rockaway Beach or Powersite to
see the new attraction. Resorts began to spring up and adventurous
souls booked float trips down the swift moving White River while
fishermen relished the excitement of reeling in a big bass. By the
1930's the area was firmly established as an inexpensive vacation
destination.
The
1950's brought added dimensions to Branson with the opening of the
Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama and Homesite, the creation of
Table Rock Dam and tours through awe-inspiring Marvel cave. The
1880's-reminiscent Silver Dollar City and the singing Mabe and
Presley families performing their delightful style of Ozark
entertainment, stepped in the spotlight in the 60's, adding yet other
venues to the fast growing tourist industry.
Today,
tourism has grown to a multi-million dollar business offering
year-round entertainment and activities. Ozark Mountain Christmas and
Branson Country Spring are enjoyed by visitors from all around the
world.
Although
the original concept of tourism in Branson has broadened considerably
over the past 100 years, the area still maintains its original roots
richly steeped in family traditions and values. Despite the thousands
of marquee lights that illuminate 76 Country Music Boulevard, the
myriad shops, restaurants, theaters, motels and attractions, Branson
continues to evoke the same image that Harold Bell Wright discovered
as he wandered the hills and valleys at the turn of the century. If
there's any doubt, just follow the next dirt road you come to and
you'll discover that tranquil peace and serenity of the
hills."
Brian
Seitz has written the following words in the same brochure. "These
Ozark hills have been ringing with song for over 30 years now,
drawing folks from across the nation in search of good, clean,
value-packed entertainment.
Branson,
MO, christened the Live Entertainment Capital of the World, has more
theater seats (one just waiting for you) per square mile than
anywhere else on earth. While Country is still "King" in Branson,
virtually every type and style of music is played, satisfying even
the hardest to please visitor.
Big
name stars like Wayne Newton, Tony Orlando, Roy Clark, Andy Williams,
The Osmond Brothers, Mickey Gilley, Moe Bandy, Bobby Vinton and many
more now call Branson home and are dedicated to bringing you, the
visitor, the songs that you know and love.
Why,
we've even got Mel Tillis, the Coca Cola Cowboy himself, along with
superstar Brenda Lee, plying their awesome talents for all to see in
the luxurious, state-of-the art Mel Tillis Theater, located on
Highway 248 in Branson. If Mel's good time humor, and powerful vocal
performances aren't enough, Brenda Lee's platinum arrangements will
overwhelm and envelop you with heartfelt passion.
Smack
dab in the middle of Highway 76, also known as "The Strip" is the
Americana Theater, home of Branson's most recognized entertainer,
Jennifer Wilson. Jennifer's multi-award winning show features the
very best in Branson style, variety and song. Jennifer, the Worldwide
USO Spokesperson, has become a household name. Expanding her schedule
to accommodate an overflow of fans, Jennifer's '97 shows feature
morning, evening and Christmas time performances.
Roy
Clark began the rush of "Big Name" stars to Branson, providing years
of entertainment experience and grand production. His national
recognition as a television, movie and singing star has not only
taken Country music to new levels of acceptance but also helped to
create the Branson phenomenon.
If
hospitality is what you're looking for, along with a professional,
hand clappin' good time, look no further than Lowe's Dinner Theater.
The fabulous Lowe Sisters have been delighting vacationers in Branson
for a number of seasons now and are sure to please with light
harmonies and picture perfect stage presence. Hey, the food's great
too!
Country,
gospel, bluegrass, pop, jazz and even a smattering of that good ole'
rock-and-roll music, can be found in Branson, Missouri, the Live
Entertainment Capital of the World."
In
addition to the entertainment that I've noted, one of Branson's very
special appeals is its access to fishing and boating facilities and
the many varieties of water sports. These were created by a series of
dams, the first of which was built in 1913 and was called the
Powersite. It served to create a lake called the Taneycomo and this
is immediately accessible from Branson. With its construction, there
began an era of boating and fishing that was later expanded by the
construction of a second dam. The second dam was built in 1950 and
was called the Table Rock Dam. I visited this dam and its adjacent
museum and found it highly interesting. It is a concrete dam that is
some 250 feet high and is the same width at its base. The half-hour
tour that is offered to visitors was very impressive and one could
admire its construction and its efficiency. It can withstand an
earthquake of a 10 on the Richter scale! The dam has not only
provided necessary electricity but has added greatly to the
recreational area. Adjacent to the Table Rock Dam is a fish hatchery
which unfortunately we did not have time to visit. The two varieties
of fish that are most common in these waters are trout and
bass.
In
the town itself, there is a depressed area called Mutton's Hollow and
at this site is the Marvel Cave. I understand that this exhibits the
usual stalactites and stalagmites and is worth seeing if you have
never had any other experience visiting caves. Having been to
Carlsbad, New Mexico, Pat and I chose to omit this
attraction.
Our
accommodations consisted of a time-share exchange at the Kimberling
Inn, in Kimberling City, Missouri. It is a small lakeside town
approximately 20 minutes southwest of Branson. It unfortunately
necessitated driving to and from Branson each day but thanks to the
superb services of our friends from Delray Beach, Jack and Jule
Robinson, who provided transportation each day, we had no difficulty
in that regard. Our quarters at the Inn were very modest. Without
Jule's and Jack's extensive knowledge of the area and their fine
chauffeuring, we would not have enjoyed the experience as much as we
did. Jule and Jack had written ahead and secured tickets for many of
the attractions so that when we arrived there, we were assured of the
best seating. There is so much entertainment available that the big
problem is determining what shows you are going to see and what you
are going to choose to omit. Since there are so many theaters, they
have arranged their starting and closing times so that the traffic
problems would be minimized. It is interesting to learn that there
are breakfast shows, mid-morning shows, luncheon shows, mid-afternoon
shows, and evening shows. Were this not done, the traffic problems
would be insoluble.
Harold
Bell Wright, author of the "Shepherd of the Hills" is considered the
Father of the Ozarks. His book was published in 1907 and was the most
widely read book in the first three decades of this century. He was
the first American author to realize one million dollars from his
writings and his contemporaries included Ernest Hemingway, Zane Grey,
F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain and H.L. Mencken. Imagine my
embarrassment when I learned all of this and I had had no previous
knowledge of his role in American history!
Briefly,
H. B. Wright was born in Rome, New York, on May 4, 1872 and worked at
odd jobs as a youth. He had planned a career in the ministry but left
after two years. After contracting pneumonia and an eye infection, he
headed west for his health. After canoeing for 500 miles and working
at odd jobs for money and food, he ended up in Mt. Vernon, Missouri.
In the spring of 1896, he traveled to the Ozarks, or as far as the
rail line permitted, (Mariansville). From there, he set off on
horseback into the rugged hills until he finally found shelter at the
homestead of John and Anna Ross on a ridge near Mutton Hollow. He
intended to spend only a night but remained there all summer, and
subsequently returned each summer for eight years. After regaining
his health, he settled in Kansas and became a pastor. His second book
"The Shepherd of the Hills" was published in 1907 and the outdoor
drama based on the book has been seen by more than 6.5 million
people, two of whom were Pat and Charles Jacobson. Four movie
versions of the book were filmed, one of which starred John Wayne.
The Ross home, known as "Old Matt's Cabin" is preserved today as a
National Historic registered landmark. The play is credited with
bringing waves of visitors to the Ozarks as early as 1908 and
established the foundation of today's thriving "America's Live
Entertainment Capital".
Pat
and I saw the play in the outdoor theater under a cloudless sky and
watched the stars unfold as thundering horses, rumbling wagons, good
guys versus bad guys, a burning cabin, and a posse raid took place in
front of us. The story is a compelling one and tells of the beauty
and the strength of the Ozark Mountain people. We leave the scene
with the sense of the importance in our lives, not of wealth and
materialism, but of the virtues of honesty, hard work and faith in
God. It might not succeed on Broadway today but it will live on
indefinitely in Branson.
The
air in Branson is clean and untainted by industry and the dress is
casual. There may be a jacket and tie to be seen somewhere but we did
not find it and, in fact, jeans were everywhere as well as cowboy
boots. Over 95% of the people that we saw were retired Senior
Citizens intent on some good clean fun and entertainment. Virtually
all of the show theaters had a gift shop, a food concession and soft
drinks and no alcohol. The latter, however, was available in
restaurants. "Howdy" was the most common greeting and friendliness
was commonplace. Branson is a family-oriented community and people of
all ages are welcome. Prices are reasonable, averaging $25 for
adults, half-price for children, and smaller children are admitted
free. Some shows are dinner shows, as was the Dixie Stampede. Many
people coming to Branson are repeaters and plan on going to Branson
each year for their vacation.
Most
of the theaters were so large that they could accommodate the
attendees at several of the New York's better known theaters. Some
could hold as many as 1,000 to 2,000 people and had larger stages and
curtains than any that I had ever seen on Broadway. Parking areas
were always adequate and large spaces were reserved for tour busses.
Special entrances were available for groups and certain sections of
the theater were reserved for groups. Many of the groups that we saw
were church affiliated or arranged by some travel agencies. It all
seemed so well-organized and orchestrated. The roads in Branson are
remarkable and some were actually built with private funds, i.e., the
Shepherd of the Hills Expressway was built by Gary Snowdon of the
Capital Hills Homestead and Outdoor Theater. It was the first of many
alternate routes built to handle the traffic congestion along Main
Street or along Highway 76. In 1991, Branson imposed a half-cent
sales tax that was earmarked exclusively for road improvements, and
since then, over 37 million dollars have been spent for new and
improved road construction. Such foresight is paying dividends today!
It is also easily observed that the "Branson Wave" is very much in
evidence as cars give way to others and one waves on each car trying
to extricate itself from the many parking lots. Civility is
commonplace!
The
transportation in Branson is either on foot if you are so situated
and are close to the theaters, or else by car. The theaters are
separated by a considerable distance and a car is an absolute
necessity. We didn't see any common transportation like busses and
seldom did we see any cabs. It was immediately obvious that virtually
everyone there had a car and most of them had gotten to Branson by
virtue of their own transportation. Tour busses were everywhere but
they were only for transporting groups to their destinations. In
place of the usual Gray Line City tours, there are the "Ducks" of
Branson, modified versions of the Marine amphibious landing crafts
that can travel on both land and water. They take you around the town
and then venture into Lake Taneycomo. This serves to provide one with
a view of the shoreline and beaches from the lake. There are also
helicopter rides available for those interested in viewing the town
from the air.
During
a respite from the shows, we visited the Stone Hill Wine Shop and
were conducted on a demonstration tour of their facility. Fourteen
wines were produced in this organization and we sampled some eight of
them, all of which were acceptable. It is interesting that the grape
varieties included Seyval, Catawba, Zinfandel, and Concord. There
were some European hybrid varieties employed as well. However, none
of the classic grape varieties such as Cabernets, Rieslings and
Chardonnays were employed. Practically the entire production is sold
within the state. It is interesting in this regard that many states
have laws which forbid the shipping of wine to individuals in their
states. They like it sold in their states, if imported through
distributors so that they can derive the sales tax
benefits.
There
were several places where Visa credit cards were being sold or
registered and, in this connection, if you use Visa in Branson, you
would get significant discounts on your purchases. It seemed a clever
way to get one into the Visa organization.
There
was an Imax Theater in Branson and we saw "The Legacy of the Ozarks",
the story of its mountain people, as well as the "Opening of the
West". The latter was the story of Lewis and Clark's expedition up
the Missouri River to the Oregon coast. Both pictures were
impressive, with a massive six story screen and 36 high-tech audio
speakers distributed throughout the theater. The realism and 3-D
effect was dramatic and one felt that one could literally reach out
and touch the characters on the screen.
While
in Branson, we saw the following shows: Bobby Vinton's Blue Velvet
show with Glenn Miller's orchestra, the Dixie Stampede dinner
attraction, Yakov's American Pavilion, ShojiTabuki Theater, and the
VanBirch and Willford show of Magic and Juggling.
Branson
has not escaped the invasion of our "Factory Outlets" and there are
three, two of which are massive. One contains 90 separate outlets and
they are so arranged that rain would not provide a deterrent from
shopping.
Another
show of a stupendous nature is "The Promise", which was voted
Branson's best new show of the year. It is a magnificent portrayal of
the life of Jesus with spectacular settings, colorful costumes, and a
cast exceeding 50 performers including live camels, horses, and
sheep. Previously, it had played in Moscow and had been seen in this
country at a Texas amphitheater. It was currently playing at the Will
Rogers Theater but since Pat and I and Jule and Jack had seen
previous performances of Passion Plays both here and abroad, we did
not choose to see it in Branson.
To
sum it up, Branson is family-oriented, provides great Country Music,
with plenty of side-splitting comedy, and just plain fun!
Perhaps
the largest attraction in the Branson area is the "Silver Dollar City
Amusement Area". It is large and well-organized and can accept as
many as 20,000 or more people in a day. People arrive by cars and
busses and the parking areas are conveniently situated with
transportation to and from the parking area to the city itself. It is
particularly noteworthy for the number and variety of crafts
displayed, and each craft is beautifully housed and manned by experts
and experienced craftsmen. They not only sell their wares but are
more than willing to explain and demonstrate their craft. There are
over 100 nationally-acclaimed artisans on the premises. There are
also 10 thrilling rides and 50 daily shows and it is considered one
of the top theme parks in the world. Since this was the fall season,
pumpkins, corn stalks, colorful gourds and exciting scarecrows were
everywhere. Silver City ladies were everywhere to assist you if you
were lost and to help in any manner possible. A geographic map was
given to one on admission.
Our
last afternoon was spent on the beautiful three-decker paddlewheel
steamer called the Branson Belle, built in Branson and built
exclusively for lake cruises and showboat entertainment. We enjoyed
the delightful dinner and the Cajun entertainment group from
Louisiana. They are so successful, they do breakfast, lunch and
dinner cruises and the show area looks like a three-tier horseshoe
opera house with dining on the floor area and on the upper tiers. The
show was entitled "Party Gras Sail-abration", obviously a takeoff on
Mardi Gras Celebration.
All
in all, it proved to be an interesting and exciting experience but
one perhaps that neither Pat nor I will ever repeat again.
With Love,
DAD
or