The setting for Harold Bell Wright's famous novel "The Shepherd of the Hills" was Old Matt's cabin, built by the Ross family in 1884. My Dad's Mom (Granny) worked there in 1949, as the homestead was a popular stop on the way to Marvel Cave.
Work train just above Branson on Roark Creek, summer 1904.
The Commercial Hotel was where the fire started that burned most of Branson's buildings on August 29, 1912. Fourth from left is my great grandma, Martha Coffelt Fullerton
The Bank of Branson, now a gift shop, still stands on the corner of Main and Commercial in downtown Branson.
Uncle Ike (Levi Morrill) and his son in front of the Notch post office which still stands today, just off of West Hwy 76 a little ways past Silver Dollar City.
Signal Tree on the top of Dewey Bald. The ladies seen in this photo are Stella Cramer and Alice Hall.
Garber, Missouri, summer 1928. Before Mr. Ross died in 1923, he added a new roof as seen in this picture. Also a room had been added on the far right. Holding the mail bag is Garber postmistress Ada B. Clodfelter. This building burned on 9/28/28, when a postal assistant stole some money orders, so there would be no evidence, he set the building on fire and it burned to the ground.
Garber, Missouri around 1910, The J.K. Ross General Store and post office. J.K. Ross was Old Matt in the Shepherd of the Hills story. Mr. Ross is standing second from the left, behind the stump, and is wearing a tie. Next to Mr. Ross in the black hat is Tommy Walden. Tommy's wife Margie was Garber postmistress when the post office closed in 1956. (Hall postcard 236 courtesy of Trenton Boyd, Columbia, MO)
The flooding of the White River was a common occurrence each spring. This is the railroad bridge at Branson (looking toward Hollister), February 1916. Notice the section of trestle that is washed away. This trestle section would also wash out in the floods of 1943 and 1945.
Another photo of the Feb. 1916 flood, the steel bridge at the foot of Main Street. This bridge washed out in the flood of 1945.
Photo postcard from the 1930s, this is the Coon Creek Bridge, this section of road today is east Hwy 76, below the entrance to Lakeshore Drive.
Photo postcard from the 1920s, at the foot of Main Street looking at Mt. Branson.
Photo postcard from the 1920s looking upstream, the railroad bridge that connects Branson and Hollister.
The Coffelt family coming up the hill out of Branson, summer of 1942.
The first brochure for the Baldknobbers Hillbilly Jamboree from 1959. Back Row: Bill, Bob and Jim Mabe. Front Row: Chick Allen and Lyle Mabe.
The Baldknobbers performing at the opening day of Silver Dollar City, May 1, 1960 in front of the Silver Dollar City General Store. L to R: Great Grandpa Chick Allen, fiddler Raymond Bruffett, Bob Mabe on banjo, Jim Mabe with wash-board, Lyle Mabe with wash-tub bass.
A Baldknobbers brochure from 1979.
The Presley family opened their show on Hwy 76 in 1967 and are still there today. They are Branson's second show.
The Plummer Family was Branson's third show in 1973. They were here 18 years.
A Plummer Family brochure from 1984.
The Foggy River Boys opened their theater on Hwy 76 in 1974, but began appearing in the area in 1967. They retired in 1993.
Bob-O-Links Country Hoe-Down began in 1977, when Bob Mabe left the Baldknobbers to start his own show.
A Silver Dollar City brochure from 1979. Today, Silver Dollar City sees over 2 million visitors a year.
A Shepherd of the Hills brochure from 1979.
A Branson favorite for many years was the Sammy Lane Pirate Cruise. A water ride that took visitors for a cruise of Lake Taneycomo. The Sammy Lane actually began as a mail boat from Branson to Powersite Dam, after the Dam was completed in 1913.
Boxcar Willie came to Branson in 1987, and was the third big name act to permanently locate here.
