Old Branson School Park Traditional Geocache
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"This popular area for visitors to picnic is located along Highway 76 next to the Dixie Stampede Dinner Theatre. Facilities include a covered pavilion and picnic tables. A public restroom resembles the one room schoolhouse that was once located on this site."
Reuben Branson came to Taney County (named after Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney) in the early 1880s and opened a general store near the White River. His store became the post office in 1882, officially listed as Branson, Missouri. Apparently Mr. Branson found a buyer for his store in 1884, when William Hawkins was appointed the second postmaster. In the late 1880s, a one-room school was constructed on a site now known as the "Old Branson School Park" located on West Highway 76. Hawkins was postmaster in 1902 when the name of the city was changed to Lucia. It was officially known as that for only two years, according to United States Post Office records, and became Branson again in 1904. Reuben Branson lived to see considerable change in his namesake town before he died in Forsyth in 1935.
The following information was provided by White River Valley Historical Quarterly.
“We are here on this 17 day of September to dedicate this area, formerly the Old Branson School property, as a park to be known as the Old Branson School Park. We are meeting on the 200th Anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America. Had it not been for the signing of this instrument we probably would not be here today. However a land of Liberty and Freedom can slip away like a delicate flower. Only by constant vigilance will we hold it.”
The school was donated to the city of Branson after a storm blew down a nearby tree which landed in the middle of the building, caving in the roof at its center. The club who previously owned the school decided that the best course instead of trying to rebuild or remodel the building which was already leaning, was to transfer the property to the City of Branson, a gift for a city park. Mrs. Margaret Harrison, president of Table Rock Extension Homemakers Club, found it her duty to take care of the transfer as voted unanimously by the members. The transfer was made by her proposal which gave the property to the city for a park. The City acknowledged the gift and notified the three trustees of their acceptance, enclosing a sketch for the future park and the preservation of the name of the school.
The old school bell was later added on. It was a casualty of the War. It had been taken down and sold for scrap but was yet intact when found at Kirbyville. The Club was able to rescue the bell, but now no building but the Park was also the answer in preserving the Old Branson School Bell. The dedicated it to the park with the intent “this day be long remembered and the remembrance of the perseverance of a Civic Minded group of women who wanted to preserve the memory of the Old Branson School with this program on this Bicentennial day of September 17, 1976.”
(This cache was archived - just bringing back some of my favorites to the area - also adding a bit of hisorty to the listing too!)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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