Branson and the Lakes

Among the settlers along the White River in the 19th century was a young man named Ruben S. Branson. Branson in 1880 at the age of 27 bought seven acres of land near the river and opened a general store. In 1882 he installed a post office in the store and the town became officially known as "Branson, Missouri." (In 1902 the town was renamed "Lucia," but two years later reclaimed the Branson name.)

Like many settlers, "Rube" Branson was an enterprising soul who developed a remarkable range of skills. He became by turns a druggist, carpenter, schoolteacher, gardener, and beekeeper. he also opened a distillery near Forsyth and, with his wife Mary, ran a boarding house. Branson also served as county assessor, county recorder, and county and circuit cleark. After a long and fruitful life of 82 years, during which he became known affectionately as "Uncle Rube," Branson passed away in Forsyth in 1935.

Branson from its earliest days has been a resort area. In the 1880's Victorian visitors from Springfield journeyed to the Branson area to enjoy float trips on the White River and its tributaries.

During the years of settlement along its banks, the White River at times erupted into destructive and even devastating floods. In 1900 private interests determined that a dam could restrain the river and also profitably bring the first electricity to the growing Ozarks population.

In 1907, as engineers were still studying the project, a sentimental novel based on Ozark hill life appeared. Written by minister and author Harold Bell Wright, who had come to the Ozarks to recuperate from tuberculosis, The Shepherd of the Hills was an immediate success and became a national best-seller. By 1910 visitors were coming from all over America to see the book's settings for themselves. (A film version, The Shepherd of the Hills, starred John Wayne was released in 1941.)

In 1911 construction finally becan on Powersite Dam. When finished in 1913 it created  the first lake in the Tri-Lakes area, Lake Taneycomo. This 22-mile-long, narrow body of water immediately became a favorite spot for vacationers.

In 1951 the Army Corps of Engineers completed the half-mile Bull Shoals Dam south of Lake Taneycomo, which impounded the White River and created a lake with 740 miles of shoreline and 45,000 acres of surface area. Bull Shoals Like rapidly became and remains today a favored spot for boaters and fishermen.

The third lake in the Tri-Lakes area, Table Rock Lake, was created by the Corps of Engineers on the White above Lake Taneycomo in 1959. Table Rock Dam is over a mile long and 252 feet above the old steambed. The lake has 745 miles of shoreline and a surface area of 43,000 acres. Table Rock has become world-renown for excellent game fishing.

Contributed by Frank Shipe
Be sure to check out his Ozarks gardening website OzarksGardens.com.