My wife and kids have often dreamed about moving to Branson (I'd be all for it too, just to be close to SDC). But for those who live or have lived in Branson, is living there as fun as visiting there? Or, does familiarity breed contempt? Just curious. I can imagine the traffic would get old real quick.
I really wanna live in Branson too!!!!!!
So someone, please answer Parson!
I was somewhat thinking about moving to Branson when I retire someday so I'd be interested in hearing about this as well. Retirement: Either Branson or the mountains. Sounds good to me but my tastes may change over the next 16 years.
Branson is in mountains! Not quite like Colorado tho!
I remember when Stonebridge was being built; at that time I said "one day I will live there, and walk to Silver Dollar City."
I've also made comments about the Cemetery! lol
oh please do answer this as I too am moving to branson within the next few years....
What are the neighborhoods like?
Is the school system good?
Is commute to and from work bad? (I plan to work at Cox.)
Is Branson living much different from when I visit?
I can't wait to find out firsthand...someday
I think http://g.co/maps/6hn54 (http://g.co/maps/6hn54) <---that place would be as cool as many for me. I can't imagine traffic being all that bad on an everyday basis. Depends on where you lived and worked I guess. Looks like they have covered boat docks for guests if you wanna come visit Parson. Bring your pole.
I lived and worked in Branson, and went to school there, from 1978-84. The last two years of high school at Branson were fun! The chorus teacher was a singer at Foggy River Boys. My art teacher was a square dancer at Shepherd of the Hills Pageant. The father of one guy I ate lunch with each day OWNED Shepherd of the Hills. Bruce Herschend, Jack's son, went to high school with me. He graduated in '79, I graduated in '80. Noted writer, photographer and educator Townshend Godsey's grandson and I were pals in high school and college. Summers I worked at SDC, upon high school graduation, I went to School of the Ozarks, and many of my classmates worked with me either at SDC or at the music show I worked at. I remember seeing the Presley children dropped off at school every day by their mom. They now are in the family show, one of those kids is known on stage as Cecil...the comedian. Many of my friends were the outstanding Branson entertainers of the day. Terry Sanders, and many others. When my family lived near Lake Taneycomo, each hour in the summer during the day we heard the cannon fire from the pirate ship at the Sammy Lane Pirate Cruise. A buddy from the music show I worked at was also a pilot of the Lake Queen. It was a great time to live in Branson, and I am fortunate that my parents moved there when they did because of a job they had in healthcare. It took some getting used to the traffic, but day to day life was always fun...in the quiet time of winter then (prior to Ozark Mountain Christmas) it was peaceful and there were few tourists. The locals all knew the backroads, so even in the heart of summer, we could avoid alot of traffic. There were no shopping malls in Branson, so for "big time" shopping we had to go to Battlefield Mall or Northtown Mall in Springfield. We boated, fished and swam in Table Rock Lake...one buddy I had then had parents that owned a lakeside house, complete with boat dock. Whoo! Always a fun time there. It's funny, but when you live in Branson, you come to realize it is a town like any other, but with that big tourism twist there is always something fun to do on a day off from work or school. So I would encourage anyone to move to Branson, but remember, it's not all running to shows or going shopping or out to eat...most of the time you will do like you do now in your hometown...go to work, go to school, and then RUN FOR HOME! Because after a hard day, there is no place like home. Even if home is Branson. My brother stayed in Branson and raised his family there. He and his wife have a restaurant and catering business. My mom and dad moved away because they had another job to go to. Dad is gone, mom has remarried...sister and I both moved out of Branson to finish school, go to college, started careers, families...but I can say honestly Branson was one of the best places I lived, I will always remember those fun experiences I had while living there. If you have a chance to move there and make a living, best to you! Hope you can, and I hope it is as happy of an experience as I had!
I am hoping for a positive experiance myself. Its far enough away from home that I wont get homesick and can always hop in the car to visit if I feel the urge to immerse myself in family. I am looking forward to living in a town that has always brought me such happy times and great memories!
Quote from: MissinTheGreenTrams on November 17, 2011, 09:30:04 AM
I am hoping for a positive experiance myself. Its far enough away from home that I wont get homesick and can always hop in the car to visit if I feel the urge to immerse myself in family. I am looking forward to living in a town that has always brought me such happy times and great memories!
I feel the exact same way!! Great minds think alike ;)
I'm buddies with one of the sons of Jak from SIX (Kyle). He's doing his mission right now, but he had told me he was born in Huntington Beach, CA, lived there til he was 14, moved to Las Vegas for a few years, and then moved to Branson. He said Branson is the best place he's ever lived.
I've lived in Branson for 3 years now and I can say that I love almost everything about the town. Working for a theatre or SDC you get into almost any show or attraction for free or extremely cheap, lots of local discounts and "area apprecation" events. It really is just a small town, you know everyone who everyone works for and how their season is doing. There are a few downsides to living in a tourist town though...for one taxes are the highest in the reigon our sales tax is now up to 9.6% also, gas is always higher here than just 10 miles (gas has stayed steady at $3.29 a gallon for 4 months while in springfield it has gone down to $2.98 some times) So cost of living is quite a bit higher here than some places. The other thing is that we mostly have "tourist" resturants...they get old pretty quick. Also, don't go to work for a place that you love and think that it will be like being on vacation everyday...times are changing, those places aren't what they were "back in the day" and more so for employees. Other than those few things, I plan to live here the rest of my life, it's a great town, if you can find a good steady job keep at it and you'll be very happy here.
I have family that live there. they moved there in the 80s and love it. but there are a few times they wish they had never moved there just like everyone else I'm sure, they actually live in forsyth though so they do get away from all the tourest and it is a Little cheaper there. i also am very good friends with the Sims family that used too own compton ridge campground, they have lived there all their lives and as far as i know they love it and would never live anywhere else, Jeff once told me he has the best of both worlds, country living with a semi big city atmosphere. so i say go for it man if that's what you want do it ;D
I wanna live in Reeds Springs! It seems like a little country town and it pretty much borders Branson. Perfect for me!!
Add my name to the list of folks that want to retire there - eventually. Once we all reach that age, we could open an SDCFans.com condo, or lodge, and start our own little community. ;D
Quote from: Ozark BBQ on November 17, 2011, 12:45:08 PM
Add my name to the list of folks that want to retire there - eventually. Once we all reach that age, we could open an SDCFans.com condo, or lodge, and start our own little community. ;D
Great idea Ozark!
count me in! ;D ;D
1. I eventually want a cabin @ Indian Point on Table Rock......eventually.....
2. What would the name of the community be?? Would Rube be the Mayor? Or better yet the museum curator.
hey trams, i think rube would be the museum curator NO doubt...
maybe junior would be mayor..
We do own a bit of property (yes lakefront!!!!) on Indian Point...we just need the means to be able to build there! Thankfully as a family we are very determined to get there for more than a survey of the land.
So thats a start for our SDC community rube, now to obtain some neighboring porperty......figure out the housing situation....... This is good!! I bet we can have this all figured out and done say int he next 20-25 years or so!! LOL!!
I will open a rehab facillity!!!
Mayor, huh? Yeah! I'll take that job! :)
Ok, lets see,
we have a mayor, "
doctor" for aches and pains,
Museum,
i will help with secruity around the complex/living area...
what else?
My degree is in Interior Design, so i could help design some of the floorplans! ;D
I'm a pipe fitter and a maintenance at us steel so am i qualified?
Get us an ambulnce and ill help out there.
doctor needs a nurse, count me it.
Well, I guess I could be...oh I don't know.....how about....the Parson!
i'm a auto detailer, i'll keep ya'r alls vehicles clean! ;D
I'll design some artwork, signs, or advertisements for our new home away from home. ;D
Wellll count us in! We'll help keep everyone taken care of in the hospitality portion? ;) I do enjoy living here, it's a simpler way off life. No high stress which is great. Sure it's taken some getting used to from big city (Denver, CO) but we like it & don't plan on leaving. Soon we will be doing some work on the property we have off Table Rock (1.5 acres approx) in the Ridgedale area by Big Cedar Lodge. Just remember when you do move here, jobs are either seasonal or yearly depending on what you're doing......so plan accordingly!
I'm not sure about everyone else, but my dream is to retire in Branson, and just live off of my own savings. Okay, that's pretty tough in this economy, but it's my dream at least. ;D
I lived there for the better part of my life. I taught in Kirbyville and just across the border in Omaha, AR. I lived in Hollister and, later, in Harrison since the housing boom made buying in Branson out of a teacher's price range. This was shortly after Time or Newsweek did an article about Branson causing the first big homeless problem we had seen. People got off the bus with guitars strapped to their backs and no job or place to stay. A homeless tent village sprang up at a campground on the way to Springfield.
I miss living their so much it hurts. It was the best place to raise a family with plenty to do on days off. The comp program among tourist-related businesses mad it fjord able to see shows and go to SDC regularly. So many days off, I'd take my daughters out to the city. I'd watch hows while the girls rode rides. We would meet on the upper side porch at the Gas Light theater, have lunch, then play some more.
I may be biased, but the schools were good with smaller class sizes, caring teachers, and strong parental support.
The best part was being able to get out and play, but also being able to go home and live like the strip wasn't even there, too.
The constant challenge was to second guess the traffic and use the best route to get around.
When you move there, you'll find that more relatives want to come visit you. :)
I live in Las Vegas now. The only time I'm on the strip is when relatives come for a visit.
I lived in Branson West for about four years. It was an idyllic life as I am from the Ozarks myself and loved having my first taste at a real job (with SDC) and being away from home for the first time.
Nights were full of fun cruising the strip. I recall always rolling down my windows driving past the White River downtown and feeling the cool breeze and fog fill my car on hot summer nights....before the Landing was built.
I live in Orlando now and maybe I just cannot tell reality from fantasy, but I've always lived in a "resort" or "vacation" town. If I have my choice, I'd live in Branson forever....but that was a simpler time as well.