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There is a nice, early souvenir program for sale on Ebay. It's too rich for my blood, but the map inside is something I have never seen before.

It looks like there used to be a parking lot about where Christmas Hollow is located now, and the current train station may have been a drop off near the parking lot? I didn't realize there used to be two train stations in the City. I have seen pictures of the town square as a parking lot, but have never seen reference to a parking lot in this location.

Here's a great opportunity for a collector. I've already got one, or wouldn't share it. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305080163421?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=FrS4fg5FRp-&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=oK_dwhamSt6&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 I saw on the Homestead Pickers Facebook page that Danny Eakin has announced that he will be retiring at the end of October. 

Those are some big, big shoes that won't be filled. Danny represents SDC to a whole lot of folks. I'll be sad to see him go, but wish him the best on his retirement.

My family has always enjoyed stopping by former-Herschend-property-Grand Village when we are in Branson. Over the years, we have watched cycles of it sliding downhill, perking up a bit, then sliding back down. A few years ago, a developer announced a major rehab and the addition of new buildings, but it never happened.

We visited this past weekend, and I believe it's in the worst shape ever. There are only a few stores left, and the vacant spaces look really shady. The centerpiece of the village--the cupola on the main building--is so rotted that it looks like it could collapse at any time.

The nicest store in the complex is Pete Engler Designs, and the lady working there told me that they would close at the end of the year and move everything to their store downtown.

It's almost to the point that the place needs bulldozed. One would think that in an era of stores moving out of indoor malls into strip malls that this place could thrive, especially in a place like Branson. It's sad to see its decline.

My family and I used to stay at Twelve Oaks until it sold to a new owner. We then moved our business to Branson's Best, and now it has sold to a new owner.

What are some local, family-owned places where you like to stay? You just can't beat the mom-and-pop, locally owned places for cleanliness and good service. Unfortunately, they are disappearing.

Here is a great Ebay find for the right person. I would buy it, but I've already got a copy. You don't see these around often.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174976119716?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=7369e00a1aac47839b27e210ca893687&bu=43215929656&ut=RU&exe=99322&ext=234172&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20211014012513&segname=11021&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cut%3Dut%2Cnqt%3Dnqt%2Cnqc%3Dnqc%2Cmdbreftime%3Dmdbreftime%2Ces%3Des%2Cec%3Dec%2Cexe%3Dexe%2Cext%3Dext%2Cexe%3Dexe%2Cext%3Dext%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

My family and I have visited the City for the Christmas season every year since 2002. My kids have never missed a year. We sadly decided to skip this year and stay close to home due to COVID. Fortunately, we were able to make a trip this summer and during the fall, but Christmas won't be the same without a trip to the City. 

Check out the Andy Miller concept art for sale on Ebay! These drawings are awesome. I would have loved to ride this ride!

https://ebay.us/cGIfPa

I rode Thunderation on Sunday, and one cannot help but notice the VERY rough bump that others have mentioned. Do some of the coaster experts know what's going on? Is that a fixable issue? It needs to be addressed.

I was at Dollywood this week and bought a DVD called "Jack and Pete Tell It All". I presume it is the documentary that was shown in Branson earlier this year. It is a fantastic documentary. I highly recommend it to anyone who is as devoted to SDC as we are on this forum. It is money well-spent.

BTW, this was my third visit to Dollywood. I spent my entire time there wishing I was at SDC. It just doesn't have the soul that SDC has, in my opinion.

Check out this item for sale on Ebay. I have never seen this image before! Too rich for my blood, though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Women-at-Marvel-Cave-Lynch-Cabin-Branson-Missouri-School-of-the-Ozarks-photos-/222201715881?

The phone in the General Store is broken! For as long as I can remember, one could pick up the receiver and hear people on the "party line". It was always one of those must-do things for my kids and me. It was one of those special little details that made SDC unique. I asked the lady in the General Store if it was going to be fixed, and she said she didn't know. If I had to place a bet, I would say that it is gone forever...like the Post Office, Tree House, Tom Sawyer's Landing, et al. Sigh.

I was in the General Store last month, and I asked if you could still get a post card with the SDC postmark. The lady behind the counter told me that the USPS shut down their post office last fall. I hated to hear that. That was one of those little things that made SDC so unique.

On a semi-related note, one of my childhood favorites was always the "party line" phone in the General Store. How exactly does that work? It must be pretty primitive technology, because it has been there for years. However, the audio is crystal clear. Anybody got any insider information on how that phone works?

This post is mainly Holiday World related, but I certainly hope that nothing like this happens to Silver Dollar City in the future! Apparently, the death of a member of the Koch family that owns Holiday world has resulted in a real family spat and problems for the park. I was at Holiday World yesterday, and it appeared to me that things at the park aren't as well maintained as they were in the past.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/mar/26/no-headline---holidayworld/

Does anyone know how to get in touch with Mark Edwards? Something tells me he is not online anywhere. I have a log hewing question for him.

While on the topic of Mark, he is one of my favorite aspects of the park. As long as SDC has Mark Edwards, Pam Gresham, and the Homestead Pickers, everything will be OK. 

You don't see something like this every day...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Beverly-Hillbillies-original-TV-prop-Granny-statue-Peter-Engler-carving-RARE-/321069526561?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac13c2e21

Now that Peter Engler has passed away, are the Herschend brothers the only Branson/SDC "personalities" left from the Beverly Hillbillies episodes that were filmed at the City?

This might need to be flagged as a sticky topic, but am I the only one surprised that Oliver North will be doing a book signing at SDC on Veterans Day weekend? Whether you love him or hate him, there is no doubt that he is a controversial figure. I am surprised that the City would invite controversy like that.

One of my favorite places to eat breakfast while in Branson used to be the old restaurant at the School of the Ozarks. The food was great AND cheap, plus the wait staff were all college students from every imaginable walk of life.  It was not uncommon for us to eat breakfast here every day of our trip. Unfortunately, when the new Keeter Center was built, the restaurant was closed. Anyone else remember this great little place?

I have been lurking on here for a few years now, but rarely post. I am a third generation SDC'er, and my kids are the fourth. My grandparents first brought my mom to SDC in 1960, and my family and I are season pass holders. I've been coming since the days of the Gandy Dancer, waterfall at Grandfather's Mansion, and the Huck Finn's Hideaway little entrance to the toy store (now the wood carving shop). It's a second home for us. We are descendants of the Caseys who built the Casey-McHaffie cabin.

Anyway, here's my question. My handle is "Pudgy Jones". Does anyone else remember this name from the American Plunge? I haven't seen anyone mention it, so I wonder if I am maybe going crazy. It seems like I remember the name from old whirlpool scene.