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Presleys' Country Jubilee, one of Branson's shows.
Jim Barber & Seville - Hamner Barber Theater.
A typical busy night on "The Strip" (Hwy 76).


Branson is a city in Taney Countymarker in the U.S. state of Missourimarker. It was named for Rueben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s. Branson is a popular destination for vacationers from Missouri and the surrounding states. The population was 6,050 at the 2000 census. The Branson Micropolitan Statistical Area embraces Stonemarker and Taney counties.

History

In 1882, Rueben Branson opened a general store and post office in the area. Branson was formally incorporated in 1912 and construction of the Powersite Dam nearby on the White River which would form Lake Taneycomomarker was completed.

In 1894 William Henry Lynch had bought Marvel Cave and had begun charging visitors to see it. Hugo and Mary Herschend bought the cave in 1950 and began hosting square dances in it. The Herschend Family modernized the cave with electricity and cement staircases, and in 1960, the Herschends opened Silver Dollar Citymarker which was a recreated frontier town of five shops and a church, and it featured a log cabin with actors playing out the feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys.

Harold Bell Wright had published his novel about The Ozarksmarker, The Shepherd of the Hills, in 1907. The Old Mill Theater began its first outdoor production based on the novel in 1960. The show known as The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama & Homestead still runs today. It is also the home of Inspiration Tower, the Sons of the Pioneers show, and other attractions. The Harold Bell Wright Museum shares a location with The World's Largest Toy Museum.

1958 saw the completion of Table Rock Dam on the White River, which created Table Rock Lakemarker. In 1959 The Baldknobbers Jamboree opened their show in Branson.

In 1962 Paul Henning, inspired by a Boy Scout camping trip to the Ozarks, created the Beverly Hillbillies which ran on television until 1971. The first five episodes of Season 8 in 1969 are set in the Branson area when the Clampbetts returned to their home. Henning later donated 1,534 acres for the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area near Branson.He also donated the modified 1921 Oldsmobile truck used as the vehicle in the series to the College of the Ozarksmarker where it is on display in the Ralph Foster Museum.

The Presley family became the first to move their show to Highway 76 in 1967 (which would become known as the "strip"), followed a year later by the Baldknobbers. This area would eventually grow to more than 50 theaters – most of them located on Highway 76.

In the early 1980s the Starlite Theater (not to be confused with the current theater by the same name) was one of the first to introduce stage sets, horn section, elaborate costume changes, and music outside of the traditional country music normally played. It helped to launch the careers of Shoji Tabuchi, Doug Gabriel, and many others.

In 1983 Branson began its transformation into a major tourist attraction when the 7,500 seat Swiss Villa Amphitheatre opened in Lampe, Missourimarker. The theatre, which was later renamed the Black Oak Mountain Amphitheatre before ultimately closing in the early 2000s, proved there was a market for large music gatherings. Ironically, it started out as a venue for rock bands Def Leppard, Lynyrd Skynyrd, REO Speedwagon, Steppenwolf, and Ozzy Osbourne.

Also in 1983, Roy Clark opened the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre, becoming the first famous country music star to have his own venue in Branson. Many of the performers who have their own theaters in Branson got their start at that venue.

A series of larger theatres opened soon thereafter. In 1987, Box Car Willie became the first entertainer with a permanent schedule in Branson.

The closest commercial airport is the newly developed Branson Airportmarker which opened in May 2009, constructed at an originally projected cost of $155 million on land formerly owned by Tennessee Ernie Ford. This airport is privately owned, and it is thought to be the largest privately-owned commercial airport in the United States. Its construction involved flattening the tops of a series of Ozark Mountains and is thought to be the largest earth moving project in the history of the state. Previously, the closest commercial airport was Springfield-Branson National Airportmarker 50 miles northwest of Branson, owned by the City of Springfield.

Theaters

Branson is home to more than forty theaters, featuring over 100 shows and productions.



Museums

Branson also is home to more than ten museums.

Other attractions

Branson is also the home for two water places, two animal places, three lakes and twelve championship golf courses. Other local attractions include Silver Dollar Citymarker, White Water, Waltzing Waters, Mount Pleasant Winerymarker, Stone Hill Winery, Ride The Ducks, The Haunted House and Monster Asylum, Butterfly Palace & Rain forest Adventure, Predator World and the Branson Landing.

Branson Landing opened in the summer of 2006 on the Lake Taneycomomarker waterfront in downtown Branson. The lakefront project includes retail space with Bass Pro Shops and Hudson Belk as anchors in an outdoor shopping mall of stores and restaurants. The new Branson Convention Center, which is situated between the Landing and Historic Downtown Branson, opened September 7, 2007. Two animal attractions are Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure, a palace of filled thousands of flying butterflies in a mystical rainforest maze and Wings of the World, a home of world birds.

Branson is home to America's largest Veterans Day celebration, "Veterans Homecoming Week."

Demography

As of the 2000 census , there were 6,050 people, 2,701 households, and 1,661 families residing in the city. The population density was 374.0 people per square mile (144.4/km²). There were 3,366 housing units at an average density of 208.1/sq mi (80.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.50% White, 0.84% African American, 0.86% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.47% from other races, and 1.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.26% of the population.

There were 2,701 households out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,997, and the median income for a family was $43,145. Males had a median income of $31,769 versus $21,223 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,461. 12.1% of the population and 9.7% of families were below the poverty line. 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 17.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

List of entertainers associated with Branson



References

  1. Branson Travel Guide and Travel Information - Lonely Planet
  2. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/paul-henning-494830.html
  3. http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/henning1.html
  4. http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608004614/Shoji-Tabuchi.html
  5. Fire damages former concert stage in Stone County - ky3.com - October 4, 2007


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