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The Shepherd of the Hills History
 In 1907, a novel was published that forever changed the way of life
for Branson area residents. That novel, The Shepherd of the Hills, went on to become the fourth most widely read book
in publishing history, selling millions of copies and attracting many people to the Ozark hills around which its story is
centered.
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The author of this novel, Mr. Harold Bell Wright, began coming to the Ozarks in 1898, having been instructed by his physician
to find a climate more suitable for his health. Wright decided to venture southward from his home in Kansas, where he was
a preacher. He happened to wander upon the homestead of John and Anna Ross, known as Old Matt and Aunt Mollie in his novel,
who welcomed him and allowed him to pitch a tent on their land. The tent went up on Inspiration Point, thus named because
of the awesome views of the rolling Ozarks hills that the ridge provides. Wright woke every morning to these views, and describes
the scenery perfectly in The Shepherd of the Hills. |
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Though the setting was of great importance in the book,
it was the storyline that made it an epic. The characters involved were based on real people that Wright encountered during
his eight-summer camp-out on the Rosses' homestead. The Rosses' son was portrayed in the book by the character of "Young Matt."
"Sammy Lane" was reportedly based on three different young ladies. There is a story behind every character in the novel, which
makes Wright's work even more special to the area and its history.
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 Following the publication of The Shepherd of the Hills, natives began noticing a great influx of
visitors wishing to see all that Wright had told of. After a few years, feeling the strain of the Ozarks' custom of treating
visitors like family, the Rosses chose to sell their homestead and move to nearby Garber. The homestead was purchased by Miss
Lizzie McDaniel, a feisty lady from Springfield who appreciated the story written by Wright and wished to see the homestead
prosper. She relocated to Inspiration Point to welcome the visitors, living in the Ross cabin for a time before moving her
parents' home down from Springfield. She even began putting on the very first dramatization of the story, right on her front
lawn.
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 The Shepherd of the Hills has been translated into 7 different languages, and
produced by Hollywood 4 times... one starring John Wayne in his first Technicolor film.
In the 1950s, Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Trimble purchased the farm. Together with their
son, Mark, the Trimbles envisioned great things for the homestead, and decided to begin a nightly play based on the novel.
Sadly, Dr. Trimble passed away before he could see his dreams become reality. However, his wife and son persevered and came
through with what is now The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theatre, with the nightly drama just down the hill from the original
cabin that the Rosses lived in. With the Trimbles' guidance, the homestead became a popular place for visitors to come and
tour Old Matt's Cabin, peer into Little Pete's Cave, and at night, experience the legend of The Shepherd of the Hills.
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In 1985, former cast member Gary Snadon and his wife Pat purchased the
farm from the Trimbles. Inspiration Tower was built in 1989, on the 100th anniversary of Harold Bell Wright's first visit
to the area. In 1996, the play was performed for the 5,000th time, making it the longest-running outdoor drama ever. It continues
to break records with every performance. The 40th season anniversary of the outdoor drama was celebrated on September 25th,
1999, and a special show welcomed hundreds of previous cast members who came back for the occasion.
Many people have shared in making The Shepherd
of the Hills Homestead and Outdoor Theatre what it is today: a legend. We invite you to experience the legend for yourself.
Source: http://www.theshepherdofthehills.com/history.php
Home: http://www.theshepherdofthehills.com/home.php |
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Please Note: Information is deemed reliable-however all information contained on this
site is subject to errors, omissions, deletions or withdrawal at any time. This website is to be used for a guide only.
Real Estate practices vary from city to city and from state to state. Traditionally, square footage is not measured in the Springfield MLS. Square Footage
listed on this website are derived from County Tax Records to give you an estimate of size only. It should be noted
that some County Records are incorrect or not updated when additions are made to homes. A true and accurate lot size can only
be determined by survey. Buyer needs to do their own due diligence.
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