10 Great Ghost Stories of the South!

Recent Photo of the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge

With Halloween just one day away, I thought it would be a great time to share this year's list of 10 Great Ghost Stories of the South!  So, here we go...

1. The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge (Marianna, Florida) - This is a great story that originated in the 1800s and preserves the tragic tale of an unfortunate young woman who is said to haunt the environs of one of Florida's oldest bridges.  Learn more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge.
2. The Face in the Window (Carrollton, Alabama) - The face of a terrified man can be seen in the window of the old Pickens County Courthouse in Carrollton. www.exploresouthernhistory.com/faceinthewindow.
3. The Edgefield Ghost (Greenwood County, South Carolina) - This early 19th century haunting was one of the most noteworthy in American history and was witnessed by hundreds of people including ministers and reporters!  Learn more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/edgefieldghost.
4. The Bell Witch (Adams County, Tennessee) - Possibly America's most famous haunting, the Bell Witch incident supposedly took place in Adams County, Tennessee.  Learn more at: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellwitch1.
5. The Crescent Hotel (Eureka Springs, Arkansas) - The Crescent Hotel bills itself as America's most haunted hotel, and with good reason! Learn more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/crescenthotel.
6. The Ghost of Big Cedar (near Branson, Missouri) - Big Cedar Resort just south of Branson is said to be haunted by the wife of one of its original owners!  This is one of the most famous ghosts of the Ozarks.  Learn more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bigcedar1.
7. Ghosts of the St. Augustine Lighthouse (St. Augustine, Florida) - One of Florida's most intriguing ghost stories, the tale of the strange figures in the St. Augustine Lighthouse has attracted attention for years. Learn more at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/staugustinelighthouse.
8. Ghost of Allatoona Pass (Bartow County, Georgia) - This ghost used to catch rides on trains along the old railroad leading north from Atlanta!  Please click here to learn more: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/allatoonaghost.
9. Ghosts of Waverly Mansion (West Point, Mississippi) - Waverly Mansion near West Point is said to be one of the most haunted places in Mississippi.  Please click here to learn more: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/waverly
10. Ghost of St. Simons Lighthouse (St. Simons Island, Georgia) - The unhappy spirit of a former lighthouse employee is said to haunt the beautiful old tower of the St. Simons Lighthouse.  Please click here to learn more http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/gastsimons2.html.

Branson Tornado Damage and Closings - Saturday Afternoon (3/3/2012)

Branson's Titanic Museum Attraction

Great news from Branson's popular Titanic Museum Attraction. Electricity has been restored and they are once again open and operating!  They report that the only damage they received was to their electronic sign and that the museum and exhibits are just fine.

I will continue to provide updates as more information is made available, but please be assured that most of the popular Branson area will be up and operating for the Spring season. Of the more than 200 hotels in Branson, 12-15 sustained damage. And of the more than 100 attractions and shows, five or six sustained damage.

Most of Branson's hotels and shows are open or are preparing to open for the spring season. If you have any questions about where you are planning to stay, just call ahead.

Here is the latest information I've been able to assemble:

• Country 76 has reopened for the entire length of the "Branson Strip."
• Branson Landing reports that the majority of its retailers and restaurants will reopen for business today.
• Bass Pro Shops and Belks at Branson Landing remain open for business.
• Branson Airport was not damaged.
• Titanic Museum Attraction is closed until electricity can be restored.
• Silver Dollar City reports no damage.
• Sight and Sound Theater reports no damage.
• Showboat Branson Belle reports no damage.
• White Water reports no damage.
• The Wilderness reports no damage.
• Tanger Outlet Mall reports no damage. 
• 76 Express is closed for repairs.
• Angle Inn is closed for repairs.
• Best Western Center Pointe Inn is closed for repairs
• Blue Bayou Hotel is closed for repairs.
• Branson Express Inn is closed for repairs.
• Caprice Motor Inn is closed for repairs.
• Dollar Save Motel is closed for repairs.
• Grand Plaza is temporarily closed until electricity can be restored.
• Guest House is close for repairs.
• Hall of Fame Motel is closed for repairs.
• Hillbilly Inn is closed for repairs.
• Hilton Convention Center Hotel is closed for repairs.
• Holiday Inn Express is closed for repairs.
• Kimberling Inn in Kimberling City is closed for repairs.
• Leisure Country Inn is closed for repairs.
• Melody Lane Motel is closed for repairs.
• Music Lane Motel is closed for repairs.
• Ozark Mountain Inn is closed for repairs.
• Ramada Inn is closed for repairs. 
• Ramada Limited closed for repairs.
• Ria Motor Inn is closed for repairs.
• Riverboat Inn is closed for repairs.
• Silver Fountain Inn is closed for repairs.
• Green Gables Inn has reopened.
• Rosebud Inn has reopened.
• The Branson Variety Theater is closed pending repairs. This impacts the following shows: Twelve Irish Tenors, Hooray for Hollywood and Four Seasons/Beach Boys Tribute.
• The Baldknobbers opening night is postponed until Thursday, March 8 at 8 p.m. Phones and box office are still open.
• The Americana Theatre is closed pending repairs.
• Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater was damaged and is closed. The Legends in Concert and Brett Family Morning Show have been cancelled for the time being.
• Hot Hits Theater is closed for repairs.
• The Icon Theater is closed for repairs.
• Owens Theater is closed for repairs.
• Adventure Helicopter Tours is closed for repairs.
• The Track #4 for Track Family Fun Parks is closed for repairs
• The Branson Auto Museum is closed pending repairs.
• The Branson Veterans Museum is closed pending repairs.
• Dinasour Musem is closed for repairs.
• Lost Treasure Mini Golf is closed for repairs.
• Splash Country is closed for repairs.
• Branson Mall is closed pending repairs.
• The Branson Bridal Show scheduled for Saturday has been moved to the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center on Highway 76.
• Dancing with the Stars of Branson has been rescheduled for March 7th. It has been moved to the White House Theater. The VIP party begins at 5:30 p.m. and the show at 7 p.m.
• Wal-Mart on Highway 76 is closed for repairs.
• The following restaurants are closed: Branson Landing Restaurants, The Burger Shack on 76, Candlestick Inn, Charlie's Steak, Ribs and Ale, Level 2/Clear at Hilton Convention Center, Mazzio's Pizza, Montana Mike's on 76, Shoney's on 76, Taco Bell on 76, Time-Out Sports Bar, Ahoy's Restaurant (KimberlingCity), Cakes & Cream, Dairy Queen, Ell Charro, Elenita's on 76, Great Wall, Hong Kong Buffet, Jimmy John's, Maggie Moo's, McDonald's on Highway 76, Mexican and Chinese Cuisine, Midtown Cafe at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theatre, Pancho Villa, Papa John's, Starvin Marvins on Highway 76, Subway on Highway 76, TCBY.
• The following businesses are closed: Branson Mall, Branson Heights Shopping Center, Dalton's Express, Gourmet Coffee Downtown, H&J Gifts, House of Ink, Jubilee Foods, NASCAR Fan Zone, Nature Sunshine, Old Time Photo, Oozles, Ozarkland, Pit Stop, Port of Kimberling Marina, Quilts & Quilts, Same Day Auto, Vista Tee, Wal-Mart on 76, Weezies Upscale Resale, 76 Tire and Auto.

 I will provide the next update this evening or sooner if important information becomes available.  You can read more about Branson anytime at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

If you want to see photos or video of the damaged areas, KY3 in Springfield has excellent online coverage at www.ky3.com.

The Branson Titanic Museum - Largest Titanic Museum in the World



Recreated Grand Staircase of the Titanic

 Branson, of course, is a wonderful family-oriented resort area in the Ozarks of southern Missouri. While it is best known for Country Highway 76 and its many country music shows, Branson also has great appeal for people of all interests. There are historic sites, unique outdoor locations, museums, Table Rock Lake, trout fishing locations, a scenic railway, paddlewheel riverboat and much more.

One attraction that has become popular in recent years is the Branson Titanic Museum, which is billed as the World's Largest Titanic Exhibit.

Every resort area has unique museums and displays, but honestly this one is a step above the normal fare. Not only does it display 500 artifacts from the Titanic, it offers a chance to step back in time and aboard the famed luxury liner as she appeared in her full glory before her fateful maiden voyage.

Branson Titanic Museum

The Titanic is one of the best known ships in the history of the world because she went down after striking an iceberg on her first trans-Atantic voyage. More than 1,500 people lost their lives in the disaster and the ship settled to the bottom deep in the North Atlantic. It has been immortalized by numerous books and movies, including the Academy Award winning 1997 film by James Cameron.

At the Branson Titanic Museum, visitors explore not just museum displays, but recreated staterooms, berths, Marconi room and Grand Staircase of the magnificent ship. It is a rare chance to see the real splendor of the Titanic and to see what life was like for the actual passengers of the great ship before the disaster.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/titanic.

Branson, Missouri - Reliving the Romance of the Rails

There is an aura of romance that surrounds the old passenger trains that once rolled across the railroads of the South. As we continue our St. Valentine's Day look at romantic places in the South, it seems appropriate to focus on the Branson Scenic Railway in southern Missouri.

One of the finest such attractions in the South, the Branson Scenic Railway is a rolling historic site that takes passengers for rides through the scenic Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas. Leaving from its station in downtown Branson, the historic Ozark Zepher is a beautifully restored passenger train that features observation cars, a club car and regular passenger cars. It rolls through mountain valleys and over historic trestles and provides passengers with a chance to experience a 40 mile train ride that recreates the romance of train travel in days gone by.

 

The Zephyr uses a historic line of track that was laid between 1902 and 1905 at a then remarkable cost of $12 million. The challenge of building the tracks through the mountains caused the construction cost to soar, but the line was eventually finished, bringing passengers by rail to the developing resort area of Branson, Missouri.

The train station from which the Zephyr departs was built in 1905 and is now 105 years old. It provides an authentic beginning for trips into the past.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bransonrailway.

Summer Escapes #4 - Branson, Missouri

The beautiful city of Branson, Missouri, is a lively place for the entire family to break the heat during mid-summer. The shows, amusement parks, water parks, lakes, rivers and streams are in full swing. Whether you want to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air or stay inside for dining and entertainment, there is a reason why Branson is one of the South's top destinations.

A favorite spot on a hot day is Branson's Titanic Museum, which houses one of the world's largest exhibits on the ill-fated ocean liner. In addition to learning more about the ship and its passengers, visitors can see actual Titanic artifacts and touch a piece of an iceberg.

The Showboat Branson Belle and the Branson Scenic Railway also both offer excellent ways to escape the heat and enjoy a bit of history as well. The Belle is the largest vessel afloat on a landlocked lake in the United States and takes passengers back to the days of the great showboats of American history. The Railway features beautifully restored (and air conditioned) railroad cars and a chance to explore the Ozarks of Missouri from the windows of a historic train.

To learn more about Branson and its other historic and entertainment offerings, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

The Ghost of Big Cedar - Branson, Missouri

One of the South's more unique ghost stories surrounds historic the historic Big Cedar resort on the outskirts of Branson, Missouri.

The resort got its start as the private wilderness getaway of two wealthy families during the years before the Great Depression. Harry Worman, a railroad executive, and Jude Simmons, an entrepreneur, purchased the Big Cedar Hollow and its mysterious Devil's Pool spring, a tributary of the White River, as a private resort deep in what was then the wilderness of the Ozarks.

Several of the structures built by Worman and Simmons can still be seen at Big Cedar, now a resort owned by Bass Pro Shops and located in Ridgedale, a community about ten minutes south of Branson, Missouri. The resort has done an outstanding job of preserving and using the structures, incorporating them into the landscape.

Harry Worman was married to a young woman named Dorothy. Census records show that she was half his age and tradition holds that she was unhappy at Big Cedar. She supposedly ran away to Mexico with one of the staff members hired by Worman to maintain the wilderness estate and died there far from her Missouri home.

But if the stories of staff members of the resort are to believe, Dorothy came back home after all. There have been numerous reports of her restless spirit, dressed in a long white gown, being seen roaming the grounds. In fact, it is probably Branson's best known haunting.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bigcedarghost.

Showboat Branson Belle - Branson, Missouri

One of my favorite modern attractions in the South is the Showboat Branson Belle in Branson, Missouri.

I like the Branson Belle because it is a throwback to the romantic days of the big paddlewheel riverboats in the South. Many of these vessels featured live entertainment, and the Branson Belle is a floating show palace.

The showboat sails on Table Rock Rock Lake and is one of the largest landlocked vessels in the United States. Constructed on the banks of the lake, the Branson Belle is 278 feet long and 78 feet wide. She rises 112 feet from her hull to the top of her twin stacks and is powered by twin 16-foot paddlewheels.

Launched in 1995, she cruises the lake offering a variety of cruises, all of which feature live showboat-style entertainment and a chance to roam the decks as the boat is underway. She can carry up to 700 passengers on each cruise and is a popular Branson area attraction.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bransonbelle.

(The photo above is courtesy of the Showboat Branson Belle.)

Riding the Rails in the Ozarks

Like most Americans with a love of history, I am fascinated by trains.

In my travels across the South over the years, I've always made a point of seeking out railroad museums and excursion trains. I guess in a way they remind me of the days when passenger trains stopped in every town and were an important part of daily life. All of that is gone now and I think our country lost something in the process.

Two of my favorite railroad exhibits can be found about one and one-half hours apart in Branson, Missouri, and Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Branson is home to the Branson Scenic Railway. This outstanding railway takes visitors from the depot in downtown Branson for beautiful excursions through the Ozark Mountains. The railway's train, the restored "Ozark Zephyr," follows a functioning line that was built between 1902 and 1905. The train features a variety of passenger cars and passengers can move from one to the other as the train is underway. Please click here to learn more.

In Eureka Springs can be found the ES&NA Railway. Operating from the depot on North Main Street (Highway 23 North), the Eureka Springs train takes passengers on a much shorter ride than the Branson one, but is still a fun ride. It travels from Eureka Springs north into the mountains, recreating the days when passenger cars were the way to travel. Please click here to learn more.

By the way, if you haven't checked out the main page at http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ lately, I hope you'll take a few minutes to check it out. The site has grown by leaps and bounds and I think you would enjoy seeing all the new locations that have been added.

Branson marks 50 years of Live Music

2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the live music scene in Branson, Missouri. From that initial spark, Branson has grown into what 60 Minutes calls the "Live Country Music Capital of the Universe."

That makes the Branson Strip a historic landmark. From an initial start with one or two shows, Branson now features more than 100 live shows, featuring all types of music and entertainment, amusement parks, the Branson Scenic Railway, the Showboat Branson Belle, resorts, hotels, restaurants and much more.

What many people do not realize, however, is that the Branson area is rich in historic sites. From Big Cedar Resort, which preserves structures from a private wilderness resort built before the Great Depression (and also boasts its own ghost) to the historic Silver Dollar City amusement park, which you might recognize because some of its buildings where used as sets for the "Beverly Hillbillies" tv show, the Branson area has numerous points of historic interest. The mountain scenery of the Ozarks is also quite beautiful.

To learn more, please visit our new Branson pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Southern Ghosts Part Three - Big Cedar, Missouri

On the outskirts of the modern tourist mecca of Branson, the Big Cedar Resort preserves several historic structures as part of the wilderness themed complex.

Among these is the Worman House (seen here).

Built by Harry Worman, an executive with the Frisco Railroad and one of two prominent businessmen that bought the Big Cedar Valley during the 1920s, the house is now a noteworthy restaurant.

It is difficult to imagine that the beautiful scenery could have been a miserable location for anyone, but according to legend the Big Cedar Valley felt more like a prison than a vacation spot for Worman's young wife, Dorothy. Fond of the society and parties, she feld out of place and lonely in the house at Big Cedar and, as the story goes, ran away and died at an early age.

Employees and guests, though, often see an unusual shadowy figure walking the grounds of the resort at night, prompting the growth of a legend that Dorothy Worman haunts the place that once caused such misery in her life.

To learn more about Big Cedar Resort and its history, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1 and follow the link for Big Cedar Resort.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part Seven

Resuming our look at historic sites in and around Branson, Missouri, this is the Showboat Branson Belle.

Although the Belle is of modern construction, she is a remarkable historic landmark in her own right. She is the largest paddlewheel vessel on a landlocked lake in the United States.

The Branson Belle also brings the days of the grand Mississippi River showboats back to life. She takes passengers for a variety of cruises that include live entertainment and a chance to experience the spectacular scenery of the Ozarks.

The boat was built on the shores of the lake she now sales. To avoid contaminating the water, the builders could not use grease to slide her down into the lake. Instead, they used thousands of bananas. She may be the largest boat in history ever launched using bananas.

To read more about historic sites around Branson, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

The photo above is courtesy of the Showboat Branson Belle.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part Six

This is a view of what the residents of the Branson area call "bald knobs." This one can be seen at the Ruth and Paul Henning State Conservation Area.

This unusual rocky hilltops became known as the meeting places of the "Baldknobbers." These gangs of outlaws and vigilantes met at isolated spots in the Ozarks during the years after the Civil War to plot raids for robbery or to hand out mountain justice as they saw fit.

The groups terrorized the region for a number of years and were the outgrowth of guerrilla gangs that roamed southern Missouri during the Civil War.

The legends of the Bald Knobbers continue to live in Branson. One of the first musical groups to open a show on Country 76, the Branson Strip, was the Baldknobbers and a comical version of the original outlaws has treated train ridders at Silver Dollar City for many years.

The Bald Knobbers figure prominently in the famed novel, The Shepherd of the Hills, and the region is filled with folklore dating back to their reign of terror.

Our series on the historic sites of Branson will continue. Until the next post, you can read more about the area by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part Five

This is a view of the bison or buffalo herd at Dogwood Valley Nature Park near Branson, Missouri.

It is difficult to believe today, but these huge and majestic animals once roamed the Ozarks in great herds. Over hunting and the expansion of the frontier drove them out of the region in just a few decades.

Today, however, they can be seen again grazing in sight of the mountains. Dogwood Valley, owned jointly with nearby Big Cedar Lodge by Bass Pro Shops, preserves thousands of acres of beautiful Ozark scenery. The naturalists there are working to reintroduce a variety of rare native animals to the park, including bison and elk. They can be seen on the guided tram tour that takes visitors through miles of beautiful park terrain.

Our series will continue. To read more before the next post, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part Three

One of the favorite historic sites in Branson actually rolls out of town almost daily for excursions through the beautiful Ozarks.

This is the locomotive of the Ozark Zephyr, a beautifully restored train now preserved and operated by the Branson Scenic Railway.

The railway operates on tracks that have been in use since a $239 million dollar project brought the railroad to Branson in 1902-1905.

Visitors to the railway can explore the original 1905 depot and take 20 mile rides that lead through the beautiful mountains of southern Missouri. Along the way, the conductor points out historic points of interest and provides an introduction to the history of the restored cars. Passengers can move from car to car and experience what it was once like to ride the rails through the South.

For more information on this and other historic sites in Branson, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Our series will continue.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part Two

Long before the world ever heard of Branson, Missouri, this rough and picturesque mountain setting in the Ozarks was made famous by the talented novelist Harold Bell Wright.

Wright's 1907 book, The Shepherd of the Hills, brought the mountains, valleys and wilderness of the Branson area to life for readers around the world. A remarkable achievement in Southern literature, the book was the first novel in history to sell more than 1,000,000 copies. It also sparked a flood of visitors to the Missouri Ozarks, initiating the tourism industry that would eventually make Branson what it is today.

The Shepherd of the Hills is a haunting story about a man who suddenly appears in the mountains seeking peace and redemption for a dark secret. He endears himself to the people of the area and, in the process, comes to better understand life, love, nature and God. It is a magnificent book that has been enjoyed by millions of readers and is as timeless today as it was when written.

Many of the sites associated with the Shepherd of the Hills can still be seen today at the Ruth and Paul Henning State Conservation Area in Branson. The park offers beautiful Ozarks' vistas that include the valleys, mountains and forests brought to life in the book. Wright based his novel on real places around Branson and in doing so preserved forever the settings of a century ago.

Paul Henning, a native of Missouri and the creator of such classic television shows as The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, fell in love with the settings described by Wright and, with his wife Ruth, preserved many of the locations from the book. Thanks to their civic mindedness, much of the land is now incorporated in the Henning State Conservation Area.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1 and look for the link. If you have not read Shepherd of the Hills, it can be read for free online by clicking here. The book is also still in print and available through most bookstores.

Our series on the historic sites of Branson, Missouri, will continue.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part One

We turn our focus today on the major Southern resort city of Branson, Missouri.

Known around the world for its music and live entertainment, there is also a great deal in Branson for the history minded visitor.

The city is located in the beautiful and mysterious Ozarks region of southern Missouri. These mountains, hills and valleys fostered a lifestyle unique in the South during the decades before the Civil War, during and after the Civil War.

As they drifted west from the east, settlers roamed into the mountains and established small farms, mills and trading stores. They were tough, determined people who scratched a living from the mountain soil and developed a culture unlike any other in America.

Union and Conferate forces moved through this region during the Civil War, as did irregular bands of guerrilla fighters. Jesse James is among the names often mentioned in the area. There were also regular armies, however, and the Battle of Wilson's Creek was fought just 50 miles north of Branson on the outskirts of Springfield.

Over the next few days we will be looking at a wide variety of historic sites in and around the Branson area. I think you will find this to be a fascinating journey into the Missouri Ozarks and hope you will check back often.

Until the next post, you can learn more by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Coming on Monday - Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri

The fascinating city of Branson, Missouri, is known world-wide for its live shows and entertainment. 60 Minutes called it the "Live Country Music Capital of the Universe" and with good reason.

What many visitors do not realize, however, is that the city is also a centerpiece for the culture and history of the Missouri Ozarks. The entire Branson area is rich in history, culture, folklore and spectacular natural scenery.

Beginning Monday, we will start a series that will give you a tour of the "other Branson." Be sure to check back then to learn more about the fascinating historic sites, culture, natural wonders and heritage of Branson and the Missouri Ozarks.

Spring Travel Part Eighteen: Branson, Missouri

Continuing our series on some of my favorite Spring travel destinations in the South, no list of great Southern places would be complete without including Branson, Missouri.

Called the "live country music capital of the universe" by the CBS program 60 Minutes, Branson is indeed that and more. A major family resort area, it is home to more live performances than either New York or Las Vegas, amusement parks, museums and a variety of other attractions.

Branson also has a rich history. The town received its first recognition as a tourist destination following the publication of the phenomenal book The Shepherd of the Hills. The first American novel to sell more than 1,000,000 copies, the book was based on the lives of people living in the Ozarks around Branson.

This was also the home of the infamous "Bald Knobbers." So named because they assembled on moonlit nights on the mountain "balds" surrounding the Branson area, these outlaw gangs originated as guerilla bands during the Civil War but continued their predatory ways after the war had ended.

Branson also offers a wide variety of other historic sites and is a center for preservation of Southern music and culture.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Spring Travel Part Seventeen: Henning Conservation Area, Missouri

One of the classic books about the South is Harold Bell Wright's Shepherd of the Hills.

The first American novel to sell more than 1,000,000 copies, Wright's book tells a captivating story about people living in the Ozarks of southern Missouri and was largely responsible for the beginning of tourism for the resort city of Branson.

Many of the settings from Shepherd of the Hills can be seen today on the outskirts of Branson where they are now part of a large state conservation area. They were preserved largely due to the generosity of the creators of another Southern icon, The Beverly Hillbillies.

The Ruth and Paul Henning State Conservation Area in Branson, Missouri, preserves a historic setting of Ozark "balds," valleys, mountains, caves and more. Paul Henning, a native of Missouri, was the creator of such 20th century television classics as The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres and Petticoat Junction. He and his wife, Ruth, loved the Missouri countryside around Branson and helped save and make public the tract that preserves many of the settings from Harold Bell Wright's great novel.

To read more about the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area, please visit: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/henning1.

Spring Travel Part Six: Roaring River State Park

This is part six of a continuing spring travel series on some of my favorite spots of historic interest in the South.

Roaring River State Park is one of the most absolutely beautiful places I've ever seen. Located just outside of Cassville, Missouri, the park is only 20 miles from Eureka Springs, Arkansas and 50 miles from Branson, Missouri.

The Roaring River rises here, from a spring deep within a cave in the park. Walkways lead visitors up to the mouth of the picturesque cave and the crystal clear water is stunning. A noted trout fishing haven, the park is home to a fishery where visitors can see thousands of trout in all stages of growth. The river itself is so clear that the fish can be seen from dozens of yards away.

Historically, Roaring River contains important Native American sites and the locations of early mills. The park also contains a beautiful array of historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed structures dating from the Great Depression.

To learn more about this beautiful state park located in the Ozarks of Missouri, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/roaring1.