Branson - "Family-Friendly Las Vegas"
Named for Rueben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s. Branson was historically a small city which was originally envisioned as a center for lumber shipment from the Ozark Mountains. By about the 1930s, Branson began to develop its tourism.
Today, Branson is a major regional destination in the United States with a well-known reputation for live music theaters, primarily in the Country genre. The city hosts three major amusement parks, as well as a diversified armada of live theaters that house everything from comedy and magic shows to variety music and dancing. Built along a portion of Highway 76 nicknamed "The Strip" because of its Las-Vegas-style roadside neon signs, Branson has built its reputation as the family-friendly version of its Nevada counterpart and is sometimes referred to as a "Family-Friendly Las Vegas".
Author, painter, and pastor Harold Bell Wright began visiting the area in 1898 and used it for the setting in his book Shepherd of the Hills. Following publication in 1907 of The Shepherd of the Hills, locals began to see the first tourists longing to experience the scenic Ozarks as Wright had. Today the outdoor production of the Shepherd of the Hills is still being performed and is the longest running and most performed outdoor drama in America(insert link here.
In the late 1950s the first two country music shows, The Baldknobbers and Presleys' Country Jubilee, appeared along Branson's main thoroughfare, Highway 76 followed by the Braschler Music Show as well as others. These three shows are still running today.
In the early 1960s the Hershend family opened Silver Dollar City, an 1880s-themed craft village on the site of Marvel Cave. Still around, it is now a full-blown Theme Park. Over the years Branson has grown to include over 100 live shows in nearly 50 theaters; other tourist attractions include museums, three pristine lakes, 10 championship golf courses, an IMAX Theater, a zoo, year-round festivals and events, nearby mountains, and wilderness areas.
Newly opened for the 2006 season, the Titanic Museum joins nearly a dozen other area museums. The Titanic Museum includes artifacts from the actual wreck. Also on display are models of the ship, a full scale replica of the grand staircase and recreations of various rooms of the ship, in addition to eye-witness accounts of the events that occurred.
Another exceptional museum in Branson is the American Presidents Museum, one of only six similar museums in the nation, the American Presidents Museum showcases the lives and Presidency of those that have led the United States. With 1000's of artifacts and dozens of exhibits, it's a walk through American history.
This year, don't miss the Super Summer Car Cruise right here at Shepherd Hills August 9th thru the 11th! A burn-out contest, midnight cruise, awards and live entertainment will all be part of the festivities as the city of Branson is overcome with automobile mania.
As our city web site states, we are committed to sharing the spirit of Branson with the world. Let us share it with you!
Source:
Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia
City of Branson
