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About Branson

Branson Missouri is one of the premier family vacation spots in the country. It is known today as the "live music capital of the world" but it has a rich history dating back to its first days in the 1800's. Starting with a small store at a riverboat stop, the city now boasts over 40 theaters with 60,000 theater seats, over 70 live theater shows, over 200 lodging facilities with over 23,000 lodging rooms, 5,000 camping spaces, over 350 restaurants, three lakes, 9 golf courses, over 200 retail outlets, numerous attractions, caves to explore and year round activities and entertainment.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

BRANSON.COM

Branson.com is the official website for EVERYTHING that's happening in Branson, Missouri. As you read this, click on the highlighted words and they will take you to the respective pages for more information. We're going on a tour of our unique area, so come on, let's get started.

Would you like to take in a show while you're in our area? Branson has something for everyone. Magicians for the family, rock 'n' roll, country, family harmonies, comedy, variety, dinner shows, gospel, and well-known performers that play limited engagements. You may not have known that Branson has more theater seats than Broadway.

We have some wonderful museums and attractions. You can take your family to play miniature golf, enjoy go-carts, water parks, and history museums. You can see the Titanic and even stop at the famous College of the Ozarks.

And of course you need a place to stay, whether it be camping or in one of our wonderful lodging facilities. We have cabins, bed and breakfasts, motels, 5-star hotels, lodging with a convention center, condos, and camping. You can relax on a piece of property snuggled in our beautiful Ozarks, and you can choose the price that will fit your family budget.

One of the many reasons to come to Branson is our shopping. It is so much fun! We have those unique areas that have all the Ozark-flavor shops, and of course we have outlets for those that are always looking for bargains. Our historic downtown shopping is delightful, and we have even added a new shopping area, Branson Landing, on the water front. There are many nooks and crannies around town where you'll find an unexpected treasure, so keep your eyes open for that one unique item you want to take home.

We cannot fail to mention our golfing. Many do not know of the quality of golf courses that are here in Branson. There are golf pros to help perfect your swing, par-3 courses to 18-hole championship courses, and some of the best pro shops in the Midwest.

Our three lakes are breath-taking and the fishing is for the whole family. We have bass, trout, catfish, walleye, and places to rent a fishing boat, ski boat, or a house boat on which you can watch the sunset at the end of the day.

One thing is for certain, we have FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!! Buffets, fast food, slow food, family restaurants, steaks, fish, food with music, outside restaurants, waterfront restaurants, gourmet restaurants with linen napkins with delicate wines and beautifully arranged food. It's a lot of fun to eat in Branson, even if you just want coffee or an ice cream cone for the kids.

When you think the night is over and you'd still like to do just one more thing... we have a nightlife that will please all. You can sit quietly while overlooking the water, or go dancing and see the celebrities, a comedy club, or a local pub.

Now why wouldn't you come to Branson? It's a family destination with something for everyone. There is not one area in the United States that can beat the hospitality and friendliness that is shown throughout the beautiful Ozarks.

We'll see you soon!

Posted by CathyMarz at 9:56 AM

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There are some great
Branson shows to see as well!

January 20, 2009 at 11:00 AM

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Missouri's Wildlife


White-tail deer are a common sight in Missouri today.
Other species have not fared as well.

Historically, Missouri was home to a great diversity of ecosystems that contained a vast array of wildlife. These ranged from the prairies and savannas of northern Missouri, the wetlands and bottomland forests found along the state's rivers and in the bootheel, to the oak and pine forests of the Ozarks. Two hundred years ago one would have found abundant mountain lions, black bears, elk, gray wolves, red wolves, prairie chickens and other wildlife species that today are greatly reduced in number or completely gone from the state. Despite great success in restoring white-tail deer, turkeys and river otters, many species remain absent from our state's landscape.

MCE works to ensure the continued survival of Missouri's wildlife species through the protection and restoration of their habitat.


The pallid sturgeon is one of
twenty-four federally listed species in Missouri.


Cougars in Missouri

Cougars in Missouri – Here for Now, But Future Uncertain.


Until recently, the last documented report of a wild mountain lion in Missouri was an animal killed in 1927 in the state's southeastern "bootheel" region. After more than one-thousand reported sightings – seven of which have been confirmed – it is now no longer disputed that at least a small population of mountain lions once again roams the state.

The confirmed sightings include some caught on video, a road kill and some verified through tracks and other evidence. They cover a wide range geographically, from northeastern Missouri, to suburban Kansas City, to the heart of the remote Ozark region. While only a few years ago state biologists considered cougar sightings akin to UFO reports, they now appear more open minded about the presence of big cats in our state. It is simply too hard to ignore the mounting evidence.

In 1994, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service prosecuted a case involving photographic evidence that 'coon hunters in the Ozarks had killed a mountain lion, and even obtained confessions from the men who shot it. This was the first of the string of confirmed reports. Over the next eight years, six more confirmed sightings occurred, including a road kill last fall just north of Kansas City. According to state biologists, only one of these cats showed clear evidence of being an escaped pet.

The 100-pound cougar killed last October on a suburban Kansas City freeway was found to have fed on deer and raccoon, according to microscopic tests of hair found in its digestive tract. DNA tests performed at Central Michigan University showed the cougar was a North American type, further indicating that it probably was not an escapee. "I think it was living on its own for awhile, if not totally wild,'' said Dave Hamilton, a biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Hamilton speculates that the cat could have wandered south along the Missouri River from the population in South Dakota's Black Hills.


Cougar
Photo by Larry Moats, USFWS


Cougar Cub
Photo by Gerald and Buff Corsi
©California Academy of Sciences


It is unknown just why cougar sightings are becoming more common in Missouri and states further east. Wildlife biologists note that the large prey population – including white tail deer – could have an impact on the number of big cats, but no one knows for sure. There seems little doubt, however, that mountain lions are expanding eastward. The closest stable populations to Missouri are found in Texas, Colorado and South Dakota.

For its part, the Missouri Department of Conservation now seems ready to acknowledge that the big cats, from whatever source, do inhabit our state. The Department has formed a mountain lion task force to address sightings and livestock depredation issues. In addition, mountain lions remain classified as "endangered" under Missouri law, meaning they are protected unless they are pursuing or attacking humans, livestock or domestic animals. In those instances they may be killed, but must be reported immediately to a conservation agent and turned over within 24 hours.

The future for the mountain lion in Missouri looks bright if the state's residents can be convinced that the species is a positive addition to the already abundant wildlife. Although humans continue to encroach further into rural parts of the state, the large population of white-tail deer and substantial public landholdings may be enough to sustain a population of the big cats.


By Edward J. Heisel, 2003.

Our Thong Tree

Our Thong Tree
Trail Tree near Branson MO

Thong Trees

Typical Trees: The typical trail tree is a white oak with an abrupt bend several feet from its base. The main trunk then extends horizontally for several feet terminating with a rounded end that usually has a small mouth. One or more main branches grows vertically from this horizontal segment of the trunk, each becoming a new supporting member for the upper branches of the tree. The horizontal portion of the trunk often slopes downward [either by design or perhaps from the weight of the vertical limbs over time]. The majority of the trees have this shape, and stand out clearly from the other trees in the woods. On the Sassafras Mountain ridge, one can often see from one trail tree to the next tree in the chain.

Atypical trees: Along the path of these more typical trees, there are some other trees that stand out in the forest, but have other [similar] shapes. The trees on the left below look like the typical trees that have been reformed by climate and time. Others, like those on the right, are atypical, but share qualities that suggest they are also "shaped" by human intelligence, though their inclusion is more by proximity than anything else. While it's tempting to guess their meaning [...pointing towards water, ...a branch in the trail], such thoughts remain in the realm of speculation at this point.

Are they pointing? Certainly, walking through the woods, they seem to be pointing out a route. On the left, we've plotted them with extensions on the classic trees that have a clear directional alignment. There are a lot of them that do line up with the path along the mountain ridge, but plenty of others that don't. Once they're all photographed, we intend to plot them by morphology along with nearby water sources and known Indian settlements to try to get at the question of whether they're "pointers" or simply "markers."

As you'll see in the references, these unique trees are found throughout the United States, and are generally interpreted to be trail markers from our American Indian past. But, so far, we've mostly found speculative and anectdotal reports without much scientific study. We hope that we can provide a central registry for these trees and develop a community of interested parties who can respond to the questions these trees ask with a definite answer.

Visit the Mountain Stewards website to see 100's of these trees!

http://mountainstewards.org/