Branson, MO

[photoLith]

On my way back from St. Louis last week I stopped through Branson. Pretty much anywhere within a 100 mile radius of Branson you start seeing signs for it. I never thought in a million years I'd see it just because Branson absolutely is everything that is wrong with America in my honest opinion. But, I thought since I was driving by I might as well witness the horror. Downtown Branson had a pretty good looking Hilton Hotel that was recently completed and a decent outside Mall but once you get out of the downtown, its seriously Hell on Earth. Basically, it's a town that resides on the tourist industry which revolves around cheap tourist traps that only untraveled people would be entertained by and terrible old timey Christian music.
















































Beautiful.

[Thundertubs]

Oh dear. That's just... well... the river seems kind of pretty I guess.

[destroycreate]

The first 5 photos I was like "hmm, actually that looks pretty decent for small town America."


....Then I got to the Obama photo...

So glad I live in a civilized city, and a civilized

[photoLith]

^
I live right in the thick of it too.

[Kingofthehill]

Ahh, yes, the American Hinterlands.

[destroycreate]

Totally waiting for the "ZOMG HOW DARE U ITZ ACTUALLY A REALLY NICE URBAN CITY AND UR ELITIST/SNOBBY/IGNORANT FOR THINKING THIS WAY" comments.

[photoLith]

^
Oh, it will happen lol and its always from the people that have never lived in small podunks in the south.

[giallo]

I won't go any place where Cooter is a name of a person, place or thing.


I'm really liking all these threads, man.

[simms3_redux]

I saw similar Obama shirts in Reagan International Airport in DC and in downtown DC in numerous locations. Sure they add to our preconception of Branson, but these shirts can be found everywhere.

Did you happen to catch any pics of the theme park around there?

[xzmattzx]

It doesn't seem that bad. It looks a lot like a cross between Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, from the gorilla climbing a fake building to the themes of the little motels, with Amish Country in and around Lancaster PA, and its Christian-themed music theaters. Some of the buildings have an interesting story to tell, albeit different. That Titanic hotel is notable as your typical eccentric roadside Americana.

I think it's worth showing places that you think are bad because others might see things differently. Or, others might agree with you and can make an opinion based on things that they have actually seen now.

[photoLith]

No, but it was right to the right of the area in my last picture. But Branson is a redneck wonderland for sure, dont kid yourself

[glowrock]

Branson may be redneck wonderland, but I still somehow feel the need to visit it someday! Actually, perhaps not, but I was always wondering what the hell it looked like!

Thanks for posting these, photolitherland! Hell, I'm going to be in Tulsa this weekend, gotta get myself ready for a photo thread out there! Hahaha

Aaron (Glowrock)

[JivecitySTL]

I can honestly say I'd rather live in Kabul than Branson. It is one of the most god awful places on Earth. I am ashamed to live in the same state, although please understand that Missouri is an extremely dichotomous state.

[Evergrey]

ughhh... Missouri looks awful

[LSyd]

the first dozen or so photos look like a nice small town and then hell hits, and it gets a little better in kitsch value towards the end (Titanic hotel!!!?) but that's probably just a nicer level of hell.

i'm sure there are worse places out there though.

-

[LSyd]

disregard

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[Kilgore Trout]

looks amazing. in a ironic, "wow, this stuff actually exists" kind of way.

of course i can say that because i don't have to put up with any of this shit in my daily life. those obama shirts are crazy!

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

ughhh... Missouri looks awful

Branson is some sort of portal to hell, not really indicative of even typical outstate Missouri which is usually mild, empty, and usually stars and bars free and not some sort of in your face culture shove. No offense to Arkansas, but I'd rather it have been 12 miles south.

[simms3_redux]

You know to us it's bad, but to your average American family looking for a weekend getaway that at least won't be inappropriate for small kids it works (I know my family would never go there, but just saying). Someone mentioned it has elements of Niagara Falls in it, and I agree. Niagara Falls does not garner too much criticism it seems, but when I went I thought it was the hoakiest place I had ever been to. Still, it does provide family entertainment to your average family, and I guess that's its purpose.

Is Branson near the Ozarks? If it is, then it is at least near one of the most beautiful wild areas of the country.

[JivecitySTL]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

ughhh... Missouri looks awful

You are actually talking about Missourah. It's an entirely different state than Missouri.