17,394
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 1:
Line 1: − + + + + + + + + − Branson's three lakes and amusement park, Silver Dollar City, began attracting visitors in the 1950s-1960s. Silver Dollar City features a chapel, regular church services and a saloon that serves only soft drinks. The city emerged in the 1980s as the country music perfomance capital, second perhaps only to Nashville. Line 15:
Line 21: − + + Line 27:
Line 34: + − + +
photo
'''Branson''' is a small town in the Ozark mountains in southwest Missouri, famous as a major tourism center featuring clean entertainment with a Christian and patriotic tone. The full-time population of 7500 in the town, and 70,000 in the two-county area, operates over 40 live theaters, 400 restaurants with 35,000 seats, and 200 motels with 18,000 rooms. Thousands of city folk have summer cabins in the area, and retirement homes are growing. Factory outlet stores have grown. A major new airport opens in spring 2009, making the site more accessible to distant visitors.
'''Branson''' is a small town in the Ozark mountains in southwest Missouri, famous as a major tourism center featuring clean entertainment with a Christian and patriotic tone. The full-time population of 7500 in the town, and 70,000 in the two-county area, operates over 40 live theaters, 400 restaurants with 35,000 seats, and 200 motels with 18,000 rooms.
[[Image:Branson.jpg|thumb|230px]]
==History==
Branson was hard to get to until 1903 when the Missouri Pacific Railroad came through. The town was a originally center of the lumber industry, which faded after 1930. Paved highways were built in the 1920s, making Branson a jumping off point for city folk who made recreational trips to the mountains, lakes and fishing spots. Thousands of city folk have summer cabins in the area, and retirement homes are growing. Factory outlet stores have grown. A major new airport opens in spring 2009, making the site more accessible to distant visitors.
Entrepreneur Jim Owen opened the Hillbilly Theater in 1934, revealing the demand for live entertainment with an Ozark theme. Chicago businessman Hugo Hischend opened a cave attraction in the 1950s. After his death his family, inspired by Disneyland, opened the Silver Dollar City theme park in 1960. Besides numerous rides, it continues to feature a chapel, regular church services and a saloon that serves only soft drinks. Two country music theaters opened in the late 1950s. The city emerged in the 1980s as the country music perfomance capital, second perhaps only to Nashville.
==Tourists==
==Tourists==
By 1998 more than six million visitors came annually, and in 2005 over 8 million; despite its small size it ranks 16th among all overnight leisure destinations in the United States. Tourists spend about $1.5 billion a year, and growth continues apace. The town attracts regional conferences and conventions, and is a favorite for church groups. A geographical profile of Branson visitors shows: 11% come from a radius of 100 miles; 22% from 101-300 miles; and 67% from 301+ miles. The top three motivations for coming are entertainment and shows, theme parks, and shopping. The average family income of the visitor is $55,186; the average age is 57, indicating a strong appeal to an older audience. Although there are activities available for children, it is not Disneyland.
By 1998 more than six million visitors came annually, and in 2005 over 8 million; despite its small size it ranks 16th among all overnight leisure destinations in the United States. Tourists spend about $1.5 billion a year, and growth continues apace. The town attracts regional conferences and conventions, and is a favorite for church groups. A geographical profile of Branson visitors shows: 11% come from a radius of 100 miles; 22% from 101-300 miles; and 67% from 301+ miles. The top three motivations for coming are entertainment and shows, theme parks, and shopping. The average family income of the visitor is $55,186; the average age is 57, indicating a strong appeal to an older audience. Although there are activities available for children, it is not Disneyland.
===Baldknobbers===
===Baldknobbers===
The mountain roots offer the promise and possibility of relating to the unhurried, happy-go-lucky lifestyle of the hillbilly, a way of life far removed from the complexities of the outside world. Branson celebrates them as "baldknobbers," with suggestions of the old popular image of barefoot, lanky country "hicks" standing beside ramshackle outhouses, wearing overalls, sporting toothy-grins, and clutching corncob pipes and jugs of moonshine.<ref> The word "hillbilly" dates to 1900, when the ''New York Journal'' explained that "a Hill-Billie is a free and untrammelled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him." Quoted in Archie Green, "Hillbilly Music: Source and Symbol." ''Journal of American Folklore'' 1965. 78: 204–227. The term "hillbilly music" was first noticed in the 1920s, and became "country music" in the 1930s.</ref>
[[Image:Branson2.jpg|thumb|350px|The Baldknobbers in Branson, circa early 1960s]]
The mountain roots offer the promise and possibility of relating to the unhurried, happy-go-lucky lifestyle of the hillbilly.<ref> The word "hillbilly" dates to 1900, when the ''New York Journal'' explained that "a Hill-Billie is a free and untrammelled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him." Quoted in Archie Green, "Hillbilly Music: Source and Symbol." ''Journal of American Folklore'' 1965. 78: 204–227. The term "hillbilly music" was first noticed in the 1920s, and became "country music" in the 1930s.</ref> It is a way of life far removed from the complexities of the outside world. Branson celebrates them as "baldknobbers," with suggestions of the old popular image of barefoot, lanky country "hicks" standing beside ramshackle outhouses, wearing overalls, sporting toothy-grins, and clutching corncob pipes and jugs of moonshine.<ref> "Baldknobber" comes from the name of a vigilante group in Branson in the 1880s that tried to stamp out criminal gangs that preyed on travelers in the isolated area.</ref>
Branson entrepreneurs wove Christian sentiment into a fabric of nostalgia, romantic traditionalism, and whitewashed rusticity that downplays the extreme hardships of mountain life and plays up 21st century family values.<ref> Jerry Rodnitzky, "Back To Branson: Normalcy and Nostalgia in the Ozarks." ''Southern Cultures'' 2002 8(2): 97-105. 1068-8218 </ref>
Branson entrepreneurs wove Christian sentiment into a fabric of nostalgia, romantic traditionalism, and whitewashed rusticity that downplays the extreme hardships of mountain life and plays up 21st century family values.<ref> Jerry Rodnitzky, "Back To Branson: Normalcy and Nostalgia in the Ozarks." ''Southern Cultures'' 2002 8(2): 97-105. 1068-8218 </ref>
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* Francaviglia, Damien. "Branson, Missouri: Regional identity and the emergence of a popular culture community." ''Journal of American Culture'' Summer 1995, Vol. 18 Issue 2, pp 57-74, with a good history Online in [[EBSCO]]
* Harkins, Anthony. ''Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Hillbilly-Cultural-History-American-Icon/dp/0195189507 excerpt and text search]
* Harkins, Anthony. ''Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Hillbilly-Cultural-History-American-Icon/dp/0195189507 excerpt and text search]
* Ketchell, Aaron K. ''Holy Hills of the Ozarks: Religion and Tourism in Branson, Missouri'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Hills-Ozarks-Religion-Religions/dp/0801886600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237536559&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Ketchell, Aaron K. ''Holy Hills of the Ozarks: Religion and Tourism in Branson, Missouri'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Hills-Ozarks-Religion-Religions/dp/0801886600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237536559&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], a scholarly study
* Murphy, Dennis. ''Welcome To Branson: A Visitor Guide to the Branson Area'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Branson-Visitor-Guide-Area/dp/0595405738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237554386&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Murphy, Dennis. ''Welcome To Branson: A Visitor Guide to the Branson Area'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Branson-Visitor-Guide-Area/dp/0595405738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237554386&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Pfister, Fred. ''Insiders' Guide to Branson and the Ozark Mountains,'' (7th ed. 2009)
* Pfister, Fred. ''Insiders' Guide to Branson and the Ozark Mountains,'' (7th ed. 2009)
====References====
====References====