Branson Wednesday Nov. 6
Our relaxed pace continued anew. Our primary daytime activity was a visit to the Ralph Foster Museum at the College of the Ozarks. The museum had memorabilia over a wide range of topics. Some were unique to the Ozarks and some were usual for a regional museum which may receive school bus groups. Their tag line is the Smithsonian of the Ozarks.
Beverly Hillbillies car
We went through pretty quickly the large collection of firearms and fishing tackle. We were surprised to see a collection of Kewpie Dolls, Chris was not even aware of them. I had heard of them but never realized how ugly they were. We were both surprised to see and read about hair receivers; a bowl-like item women of the late 19th century would use to collect hair from their brushes etc and then use the collected hair inside lockets, etc.
Benton’s painting for Grapes of Wrath
There were displays about Ozark history, particularly radio station KWTO “Keep Watching the Ozarks” and the role it played locally and in developing country music stars. (Ralph Foster was the owner and originator of the radio station back in the 1920s.)
Foster’s reproduced office for KWTO
We took a picture of the car used in the “Beverly Hillbillies”. Not sure younger readers will connect with this reference-if not, look it up. Research is good for you. The Clampetts were from the Ozarks in the show. There was a Thomas Hart Benton painting there that was used as the movie poster advertising the film based on John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”.
part of the fishing tackle collection
After the museum we visited their chapel and the jam and fruitcake shipping department. Usually you can watch the fruitcake making process but evidently the students were just shipping them today.
One of Andy Williams sweaters-he performed in Branson until his death in Sept . 2012
The hot tub called to us again in late afternoon. We had dinner at the restaurant attached to the resort. It also handles bus groups coming to see the Tony Orlando show. We made it there before the bus groups but by the time we left it was a mad house. The cash register drawer in the bar area was only opening intermittently. The waitress who was covering the bar area was going to be handling bus group number six when they arrived. The host was trying to get one large group-not sure where they came from-to leave the area they were sitting in as it was reserved for a specific bus group. Evidently they had six motor coach buses that evening. We left without knowing how that was going to be resolved.
College of the Ozarks chapel
Our evening show tonight was titled “Six”. The six eldest sons of a couple-they had ten sons total-sing songs and perform skits. They have no band, their vocals are great and they each “perform” the sounds of musical instruments (drums, trumpet, etc) with their voices. The songs were very enjoyable, the sketches and humor only so-so. The show began a little late, two buses arrived just at 8 pm.
The show “Six” with 3 generations of males.
The second half was the Christmas show. They brought in a great baritone for one medley and at the end, the sons of the six singers marched in singing. The finale was the fathers and sons performing one last song accompanied on the piano by the singers’ father. The mother of the six died a few years ago of cancer, they sang a tribute to her also. In her late teens, her doctor told her she would never be able have children. Wrong.
Ed and Chris Wednesday Nov 6 11:45 pm
Chris Klejbuk and Ed Heimel travel adventure 
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