An Interesting Read

MissinTheGreenTrams · November 03, 2010, 05:08:34 PM

I know there is a forum about alf bowlin here somewhere i just cant find the dern thing! I was reading a book called Missouri Hauntings and am waiting for Branson Hauntings to get checked back in but anyway, I was reading about our good buddy Alf Bowlin. The man was a nutcase! I am not going to go into specifics about what he did but it wasnt nice. It was stated that his head was chopped off and impaled and placed in a small town for all the people to see and that his body was buried not far from Branson.

Now if I member right the story in the forum was that his head was eatin by a pig/feral hog. One man two different stories. At least the decapitation was the same.....any thoughts? Another story was that the SOTH was haunted. The old rugged cross or somethin about Old Matts Cabin. I dunno. Its kinda of a boring read. So there ya have it.

Junior · November 03, 2010, 05:58:22 PM

After Alf was beheaded for being a nasty highway robber, his head was carried to a Union camp and a reward was paid to someone. Alf and his gang killed many people robbing in the Civil War era. He hung out and robbed people at "MURDER ROCKS" which is now the site of a new golf course south of Branson.

Junior · November 03, 2010, 06:00:46 PM

Yes, Shepherd of the Hills is haunted. A confederate rider is often seen around the Old Mill Theater, and at Inspiration Point. I went to high school with Kelly Trimble, whose dad owned Shepherd of the Hills Homestead then. Kelly said many employees saw the horse and rider on several occasions. He however thought it was bull! The Shepherd of the Hills haunting is listed in a national register of haunted places directory that was available in big chain bookstores as recently as the last two or three years. I've got a copy of it.

MissinTheGreenTrams · November 03, 2010, 06:02:18 PM

thanks for the info J. I am going to check that book out.

sanddunerider · November 03, 2010, 07:35:43 PM

Well IF SOTH is haunted, why dont they do a special ecent for halloween. What a perfect time to explore that possibility.

MissinTheGreenTrams · November 03, 2010, 07:43:24 PM

Goes back to the religon aspect. They are a very christian oriented group from the way I understand and celebrating spirits and the walking dead isnt favorable. So with that being said.....

Junior · November 03, 2010, 08:27:12 PM

Yup, the Snadon family, current owners of Shepherd of the Hills, have a strong faith. I went to high school with their daughter Shawna, and she and her husband operate a Christian ministry at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Her family went to church with our family back in the old days, at the United Methodist church on Hwy. 76 next to the Veterans museum. They sat in the pew in front of us! No Halloween stuff at Shepherd of the Hills Homestead! Back in the old days, Shawna worked at SDC, in the ticket booth area, at the turnstyles, too. We both also worked at Hee Haw Theater in Branson during that time. The Snadon family are good people. I'm glad to have been associated with them back then.

sanddunerider · November 03, 2010, 08:31:24 PM

of course you are right junior.. i do not think of the "bad" that halloween represents.. no offense intended to anybody.

Junior · November 03, 2010, 08:34:55 PM

None taken. My wife and I don't do Halloween up very big, in fact, I had to go to work Halloween night. We do enjoy sitting in lawn chairs on the front driveway passing out candy to the little kids. One thing though, my wife said this year about 7:30pm, a kid came up and said "this is my third time here." My wife got a bit hacked off, denied him a treat, then put up the lawn chair went inside and turned off the porch light. I really don't blame her for doing so, either.

Ozark Outlaw · November 03, 2010, 11:24:17 PM

One of the interesting things about the Ozarks is just how many stories there are to tell about the various characters that have graced these mountains. As a result, however, the Ozarks are known to have just as many story tellers, each of whom have their own interpretations of the actual events.

I always find it so fascinating to listen to each story teller recount their own version of the story that has transpired, and compare it to what other people are saying, and to the historic facts.

sanddunerider · November 04, 2010, 02:20:28 AM

junior, i dont blame the wife. its a shame the kids cant make 1 round on the neighborhood and enjoy the "festivities".. kids like that ruin the fun for the others.