Local folklore has it that the first humans to inhabit the area were the Osage Indians (some of their descendants are still around). These Indians were nomads, known to have been wandering around the central Missouri area in search of game, during the 14 th century. Their habitat was mainly around the region east of the Mississippi between the Missouri and Arkansas Rivers. But there are absolutely no records and very little hard evidence to substantiate this theory. The tribe is believed to have dominated the region for centuries, keeping other tribes subject to them and violently evicting trespassers from their territory. During the early 1700s, when the Osage Indians were engaged in continuous conflict with other tribes from the southern woodlands and also from the plains, the first Europeans began encroaching into the area.
The region was first annexed by Spain. The Spanish, along with the French, began trading with the Osage Indians, mainly for fur. But the aggressive temperament of the Indians induced the Spanish to hand the Louisiana Territory over to France. Shortly thereafter the French sold the territory to the United States as part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.
Following these developments, the fortunes of the Osage Indians went into a tragic decline. They were thoroughly exploited by the United States Government, which repeatedly broke the treaties they entered into and finally succeeded in subduing them completely.
With the taming of the aggressive Indians, the subsequent years saw a gradual influx of English, Irish and Scottish farmers, who migrated west to the area from Kentucky and Tennessee. They succeeded in establishing a self-sufficient settlement for themselves, developing and maintaining a distinctive culture which they have managed to preserve right down to the present days. Their stubborn pride and sense of individuality prompted them to become fiercely independent and suspicious of all strangers. Living in splendid isolation, they remained uncontaminated from the influence of modernization and changing culture.
The terrain of the region, though suitable for the nomadic Osage Indians, did not favour agriculture or the raising of livestock. The early settlers had a difficult time and struggled to tame the land with its limited farming area along the river valleys and dense forests along the steep mountain slopes. They were able to exist mainly by selling timber to the railroads. Farming took second place to logging and large areas of dense forests were soon razed to the ground. The cleared land was converted into fertile farmland, with tobacco and strawberry forming the main cash crops and contributing to the financial prosperity of the cultivators. The Missouri State Legislature established Taney County, and the town of Forsyth was declared the county seat. The region prospered and flourished over the next couple of decades, with lumber, farming and ranching comprising the primary economic activity.
But disaster came along with the Civil War. In 1861 Taney County found itself on the border between the Confederacy and the Union. Several destructive battles were waged in the area as control over it kept changing hands. Innocent lives were lost and many citizens badly wounded; homesteads were burned down and families were broken; the land was ravaged and all economic activity totally destroyed. At the conclusion of the war, the dispirited citizens who survived could do little to restore the area to its previous condition. It took nearly another fifty years for the scars of war to be smoothed over and the economy to come back on the rails.
One of the negative fallouts of the war was the rise of renegades and outlaws, who formed bands and took advantage of the chaotic conditions to rob and terrorize the local populace. The rough and rugged Ozarks were an ideal hideout for these brigands. Among the most notorious of the lot was Alf Bolin, whose gang attacked and looted stagecoaches and caravans traveling along the roads that led north out of Taney County. (Local legends have it that there are still several caches of hidden loot – including gold bullion – lying in the hills around Branson, and fortune hunters are still attracted to the area.) Fed up with the continuing harassment from these outlaw gangs, local citizens began forming vigilante groups. The most famous was the band of 13 vigilantes who came to be known as the ‘Bald Knobbers', after the name of their meeting place: Snap's Bald. They went after the bandits and were swift and ruthless in executing a justice of their own. Their fame and popularity increased rapidly and they were able to swell their ranks to over a thousand members within a few months. But their achievements attracted the attention of the Missouri governor, who intervened and compelled the group to put an end to their activities.
The needs of the community began to increase with its population. There had been a persistent demand for electrification of the villages and towns in the area and also a demand to take effective measures to control the floods that regularly wrought havoc in the White River Valley. An imaginative and ambitious plan was drawn up to tackle both problems simultaneously: the construction of a dam over the White River up river from Branson that would check the floods as well as generate electricity for the needs of the area. Efforts were initiated as early as 1907, with officials and engineers swinging into action. The first of the dams was completed within four years but the site was 12 miles downstream, close to the County seat of Forsyth. The backwaters of the Powersite Dam created Lake Taneycomo, which became the first of the major lakes in Missouri. The formation of the lake brought about an alteration of the landscape and also of the way of life of Branson. The commencement of World War II resulted in the delay in construction of the next dam until 1947. When it was completed, Bull Shoals Dam backed up the waters of the river for a distance of 75 miles up to the base of Powersite Dam.
But the problem of flooding was not solved till the construction of Table Rock Dam in 1958. The site was above the warm waters of Lake Taneycomo and the resultant lake covered an extent of 50,000 acres. A magnificent expanse of water had been formed just to the south of Branson. Rapid changes began to take place as visitors began arriving in increasing numbers. The cool waters coming from the bottom Table Rock formed a top quality trout fishery in Taneycomo and the warmer waters of Table Rock were most suited for swimming.
Intrepid entrepreneurs were quick to realize the potential of the area for tourism related activities and lost no time in swinging into action. Silver Dollar City was created out of a limestone cave lying to the northwest of Branson. Its theme park has become one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Renowned author, Harold Bell Wright, attracted even more attention to the area since 1907, becoming the setting for the Shepherd of the Hills outdoor drama. Every year hundreds of thousands of theatergoers witness the staging of this dramatic tale of love, betrayal and forgiveness as it unfolds in the majestic amphitheater constructed over verdant rolling pastures.
The secret of Branson's economic prosperity has its roots deep within the culture of its hills and mountains. The jug bands of the Ozark Mountains, particularly the Baldknobbers and the Presleys, were always popular among the local people. But it was only after much suffering and perseverance that these two groups were able to set up their own theaters along Highway 76 in the late 1960s. They became instant hits and were soon performing to capacity crowds. This fact came to the attention to the big names in the entertainment field, and soon had their own establishments functioning in Branson. As the facilities increased, so did the crowds of holidaying tourists. At present there are over 40 theaters lining the ‘Strip' – the Mecca of entertainment in the United States.
