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.

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.

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.