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Branson is a city in Taney County, Missouri, United States. It was named for Rueben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s. * The population was 6,050 at the 2000 census. Today it is sometimes referred to as a "family-friendly Las Vegas" because of the numerous shows and attractions, as well as the flashy building decorations and neon lights. The Branson Micropolitan Statistical Area embraces Stone County, Missouri and Taney County, Missouri.
Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 6,050 people, 2,701 households, and 1,661 families residing in the city. The population density was 144.4/km² (374.0/mi²). There were 3,366 housing units at an average density of 80.3/km² (208.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.50% White, 0.84% African American, 0.86% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.47% from other races, and 1.59% from two or more races. 4.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 2,701 households out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.76. In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,997, and the median income for a family was $43,145. Males had a median income of $31,769 versus $21,223 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,461. 12.1% of the population and 9.7% of families were below the poverty line. 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 17.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. "Family-friendly Las Vegas" Originally envisioned as a center for lumber shipment, the city began to develop tourism in the 1930s. Today, Branson is a major regional destination in the United States with a well-known reputation for live music theaters, primarily in the Country genre. The city hosts three major amusement parks, as well as a diversified armada of live theaters that house everything from comedy and magic shows to variety music and dancing. Built along a portion of Highway 76 nicknamed "The Strip" because of its Las-Vegas-style roadside neon signs, Branson has built its reputation as the family-friendly version of its Nevada counterpart. Entertainment and Vacation Destination Author, painter, and pastor Harold Bell Wright began visiting the area in 1898 and used it for the setting in his book The Shepherd of the Hills. Following publication in 1907 of The Shepherd of the Hills, locals began to see the first tourists longing to experience the scenic Ozarks as Wright had. In the late 1950s the first two country music shows, The Baldknobbers and Presleys' Country Jubilee, appeared along Branson's main thoroughfare, Highway 76. In the early 1960's the Hershend family opened Silver Dollar City an 1880's themed craft village on the site of Marvel Cave. Over the years Branson has grown to include over 100 live shows in nearly 50 theaters, other tourist attractions include museums, three pristine lakes, 10 championship golf courses, an IMAX Theater, a zoo, year-round festivals and events, nearby mountains, and wilderness areas. Local attractions include Silver Dollar City and Marvel Cave, Celebration City, Dixie Stampede, White Water Branson, Showboat Branson Belle, The Shepherd of the Hills, Mickey Gilley, Yakov Smirnoff, Stone Hill Winery, Ride The Ducks, Branson's American Star, The Tracks, and Splash Country. Famous celebrities in Branson have included Roy Clark, Wayne Newton, Mel Tillis, Ray Stevens, Jim Stafford, Yakov Smirnoff, Boxcar Willie, Andy Williams. Bobby Vinton, Charlie Pride, Tony Orlando and the Osmonds. In the spring of 2006, the surviving members of the original Bill Haley & His Comets began a long-term residency at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater. Newly opened for the 2006 season, the Titanic Museum which includes artifacts from the actual site. Also on dislay are models of the ship, a full scale replica of the grand staircase and recreations of various rooms of the ship, in addition to eye-witness accounts of the events that occurred. Branson Landing opened in the summer of 2006 on the Lake Taneycomo waterfront in downtown Branson. The $420 million lakefront project includes retail space with Bass Pro Shops and Hudson Belk as anchors in an outdoor shopping mall of 100+ stores and restaurants. "The Landing" as it is affectionately called also contains a boardwalk as well as a multi-million dollar fountain that performs hydrotechnic shows every 15 minutes. In addition the site also offers condominiums located above the retail space, and a Hilton hotel and convention center are currently under construction. Developers are laying out plans for Pinnacle Peak to be located adjacent to Celebration City off of Highway 76. The $250 million dollar European themed development is planned to open in 2009 and will contain year-around attractions including an indoor water park, aquarium and themed restaurants and shopping. Eureka Springs, Arkansas (another popular tourist destination featuring the Great Passion Play and the Christ of the Ozarks statue) is located nearby. Branson is home to the non-commercial, non-profit broadcast network Heartland Public Radio http://www.heartlandpublicradio.org which features a 24-hour-a-day Classic Country music format (Classic Heartland) and a 24-hour-a-day Western/Cowboy music format. Heartland Public Radio is enjoyed by over half a million online listeners every month, and its programming is also available to terrestrial AM/FM radio affiliates in the U.S. and around the world. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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