Silver Dollar City: Missouri

IF YOU'VE HEARD OF BRANSON, MISSOURI, the country-music boom town sometimes called "Little Nashville," then you probably know about Silver Dollar City -- the place that started it all. Called an Ozark Disneyland by one writer, it's a perfect place to bring motorhomes full of kids or grandkids, as shown by the ranks of rigs in its spacious parking lots. This year marks Silver Dollar City's 40th anniversary, and it's pulling out all the stops.

The Herschend family leased local Marvel Cave in 1950. So deep that Frenchman Don Piccard flew a hot-air balloon in it (you can see the photos that prove it), the cave still attracts thousands of visitors a year, even though the city has grown up around it. Brothers Pete and Jack Herschend were so instrumental in spurring the Branson tourism boom during the 1980s that they were featured in an issue of Forbes magazine, not to mention dozens of others.

"We saw the potential around us," says co-owner Pete Herschend. "We have Table Rock and Bull Shoals lakes, plus rivers and creeks and some of the prettiest Ozark Mountain scenery anyone could want. And we had country music already here in the form of The Baldknobbers and The Presleys." In fact, The Baldknobbers headlined the very first show.

It took awhile to awaken the businessmen of Branson, which was a sleepy little town best known as home to a roving preacher named Harold Bell Wright, who wrote a novel called The Shepherd of the Hills. (The book has sold more than 100 million copies and was made into a 1950s movie, starring John Wayne. It is also the basis of an outdoor drama performed annually in Branson, April through October.) But soon, old businesses were expanding and new ones were being added at an amazing rate.

Silver Dollar City, built on the site of an 1880s mining town, was designed as a pleasant diversion for folks waiting to explore the cave. For entertainment, a small troupe in 1880s costumes humorously reenacted the feuds waged by the Hatfields and McCoys.

"But very soon we moved way past the cave-tour concept, partly because the park drew 125,000 visitors our first year," says publicity director Lisa Rau. "Eventually we had Donna Douglas (who played Elly May Clampett) and other characters from The Beverly Hillbillies and various other rustic stars. And over time, it grew to what it is today: a wonderful coupling of entertainment and education."

Now a full-fledged theme park, Silver Dollar City began featuring Ozark woodcarvers and fiddle makers. A blacksmith (who has been one of the historical craftsmen/performers since 1960) still pounds out melodious tunes on his anvil, and people by the hundreds have been married in a Wilderness Church built of logs.

The Old Mine Restaurant, a popular dining place (ask for the "special table" for your friends), was soon a fixture, with fine vittles prepared by veteran chef R. Douglas "Moose" Zader.

Dozens of snack bars and rides were added, including a flooded mine and a water slide, but the heart of the park was -- and is -- its lavish festivals and entertainment productions, featuring craftsmen and performers from around the globe. To house the performers and craft shows, the Herschends set out on a construction program that more than doubled the park's available buildings between 1980 and 1995.

Most recent is Red Gold Heritage Hall, a 25,000-square-foot, 1,800-seat structure that hosts shows and events throughout the April-through-December season. It was completed early this year for the park's 40th anniversary. All buildings are historically themed and decorated, and Red Gold Hall celebrates turn-of-the-century Ozark farming, when tomatoes -- "red gold" -- were a major crop, along with strawberries.

This year, the Festival of America is being held September 7 through October 28 (Tuesdays through Sundays). The festival celebrates artwork, music, dances and specialty foods from around the nation. It also features America's most unique crafts, from Nantucket basket making to Amish woodworking and Dakota prairie art, with 75 visiting artisans demonstrating fine craftsmanship. "Portraits of America" features Saturday Evening Post covers and prints by Norman Rockwell and a pictorial presentation of musical-instrument makers from the Smithsonian Institution.

Heritage Hall features "Tastes of America," with regional culinary favorites, including blue-ribbon pies from all 50 states. Cooking instructors take center stage to prepare specialty dishes from around the country. American entertainment, from cowboy poetry to pioneer storytelling, Native American dancing to square dancing, also fills the park.

Additional special showcases include "Quilts of Liberty," presenting the states' prize-winning Liberty Quilts crafted for the American Bicentennial celebration, and "Pottery of America," an exhibit of styles and techniques of artisans from around the country.

In a park famous for creating new attractions, one of Silver Dollar City's earlier ones, Geyser Gulch, still packs folks in with its wild architechture, entertaining shows and water eruptions.

So popular has Silver Dollar City become that many people buy season passes and return again and again. In addition, no paddlewheel is left unturned as the festive showboat Branson Belle plies Table Rock Lake, bringing the 1890s to life. Sunset dinner cruises this year feature the hilarious act of nationally known Todd Oliver and his talking dog. It's impossible not to laugh at this perfect ventriloquism act. And for sheer beauty, don't miss the Russian adagio-dance team of Elena and Vadim Serykh, who will astonish you with their talent and acrobatic grace.

Silver Dollar City takes enormous pride in being a family park, and as trucker Ron Farris, who delivers supplies there from Springfield, said, "It's an incredible place, with so much to do, you hardly know where to start. I can bring my family and never worry about drunks because there aren't any. In Branson, just up the highway, I can enjoy The Strip with all its country-music theaters, and see major country entertainers."

Besides the nationally famous stars, there are shows like The Presleys, every bit as good, and they were here first. "It's better than Nashville's Grand Ole Opry!" says one happy vacationer.

Motorhomers should be aware that, although recent expansion and new roads have relieved much of the traffic, no one is going to break any speed records in Branson. But in Silver Dollar City, there's plenty of parking. In addition to the Silver Dollar City Campground, which has 185 shaded sites and a free shuttle to the theme park, the Branson area has ample RV parks. Check out the Trailer Life Directory for complete campground information.

"It's just a roller coaster of activity here!" says a cheerful Lisa Rau. "Speaking of which --" She points toward the roller coaster rising above the trees.

Article by: William Childress

Photos by: William Childress