The Branson that has been attracting visitors and tourists for over a century is not the City of Branson. It is the “Branson” that created visitor expectations, enticed visitors to come to the Branson area for the fulfillment of those expectations, and then fulfilled them. Silver Dollar City pretty well sums it up when they say, “We create memories worth repeating.”
If history is any judge, a lot of those visitor expectations involve Branson’s unique history, traditions, folklore, and culture. Indeed, from before there was a City of Branson; these expectations have provided the very economic foundation upon which the City of Branson’s tourism based economy was built.
Most historical accounts attribute the major start of tourism in Branson with the publishing of Harold Bell Wright’s novel, “The Shepherd of the Hills,” in 1907. Thousands of tourists came to Branson with the expectation of walking where the book said the Shepherd walked, in an area located miles away from what was to become the City of Branson on April 1, 1912. Ironically enough, the very book that is credited with starting Branson’s tourism industry doesn’t even mention Branson.
Harold Bell Wright chronicled Ozarks history, legend, folklore, and tradition in his book. It was however, the vision, dedication, effort, and investment of those such as Pearl Spurlock, Lizzie McDaniel, the Trimble family, Gary Snadon, and Keith Furman in promoting and preserving the legacy of “The Shepherd of the Hills,” that it has so influenced tourism in the Branson area.
One of the area’s earliest tourist attractions, Marbel Cave, dates back to 1894. Located miles away from what was to become the City of Branson, the cave’s name was later changed to Marvel Cave. In 1949, Hugo Herschend leased Marvel Cave and some surrounding land, from its owners, the Lynch sisters, for 99 years. “But for” the efforts of the Lynch family and their recognition of the tourist potential of Marvel Cave would Branson’s biggest attraction, Silver Dollar City have come into existence?
Certainly not without the efforts of Hugo, Mary, Jack, and Peter Herschend who developed Silver Dollar City around Marvel Cave. “But for”, their vision, commitment to the area, marketing management skills, and investment there would have been no Silver Dollar City and the millions of visitors that it has attracted to Branson with the expectation that they would have experiences and memories worth remembering and repeating. Where would the City of Branson be today without Silver Dollar City and the millions of visitors that it has brought, and continues to bring, to “Branson?”
Branson’s first country music theatre on the now famous “Branson Strip,” was “Presleys’ Country Jubilee,” built in 1967, outside of the City of Branson on State Highway 76, by the Presley family. In 1968, the first show in the City of Branson, the “Baldknobber Jamboree,” with the Mabe family, decided to move out of the city to a location on the strip. Ever since, both shows have been meeting the expectations of Branson visitors for entertainment reflecting the Ozark areas values, culture, and traditions ever since.
“Seagull, are you saying that the one of the primary things that has made Branson what it is today is the history, traditions, folklore, and culture of our area?”
“Yes, what else was it that brought the millions of visitors to Branson that attracted the additional theatres, attractions, and developers, etc that subsequently came to Branson?”
Edward Gibbon, an 18th century British historian and the author of “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,” said “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging of the future but by the past.” Branson never has been “everything to all people.” It has thrived on meeting or exceeding the expectations of its visitors for an Ozarks experience worth remembering and repeating.
Ere Branson “declines,” an Ole Seagull’s prayer would be that the lamp of past experience would light the way as Branson moves into the promise of its future.
Gary Groman, aka The Ole Seagull, is an independent columnist living in Hollister, MO. He may be contacted by selecting “Ole Seagull” from the drop down menu reached through the “Contact Us” hyperlink at “BransonCourrier.com” Click here to go to the Ole Seagull’s Blog at Ole Seagull.Com.
