Steve Pokin

SPOKIN@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Pay attention, before another piece of Taney County history vanishes.

That's the message from Rick J. Gunter, who writes about Ozarks history and has a Facebook page.

This month, the 160-acre Shepherd of the Hills tourist attraction in Branson closed after 57 years. A bank foreclosed and now owns it. The final live performance of the drama of the same name was performed in 2016.

Gunter worries that Old Matt's Cabin, which was built in the mid-1880s, could be bulldozed in the dead of night should, for example, a condo developer buy the property on West Missouri 76.

The cabin was a main attraction, along with the play and the nearby 230-foot Inspiration Tower.

The cabin is also known as the John Ross home; it plays a pivotal role in the history of not only Branson, but the Ozarks.

In the 1907 novel "The Shepherd of the Hills," the fictional character of "Old Matt" Matthews was based on Ross, and the fictional house where Old Matt lived was based on the structure that still stands.

Harold Bell Wright, a minister and author, wrote the book — over 2 million copies were sold by the mid-1920s.

The book's depiction of the Ozarks established Branson as a tourist attraction long before the bright lights of the Branson strip appeared.

I initially thought nothing could happen to the cabin because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It doesn't matter. Just because a building is on the register doesn't mean it is safe from being knocked down in the name of progress. Property rights trump all. It says so right on the register's website.

"National Register listing places no obligations on private property owners. There are no restrictions on the use, treatment, transfer, or disposition of private property."

More than anything, Gunter tells me, the listing provides tax breaks for restoration and preservation of historic structures.

Gunter doesn't know who will buy the property. As far as I know, no one does.

KY3 reported on May 8 that two companies are interested. The station interviewed owner Sharena Naugher. She said one potential buyer wants the land for another use; the other is interested in continuing the show.

She told the TV station that in its heyday, 230,000 people attended performances of the outdoor drama each year. In the past two years, attendance has been 30,000 to 40,000 people — the lowest in history.

Although Gunter isn't sure what the future holds, he knows the past.

Taney County has 10 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Three no longer exist.

The Branson City Park Historic District and the Sammy Lane Resort Historic District disappeared in 2003 during construction of Branson Landing on Lake Taneycomo. The Swan Creek Bridge, north of Forsyth, was removed in 1989.

“People are worried because of things that have happened in the past in Branson," says Gunter, who lives in Sparta.

“Branson has a very bad track record in terms of saving things that are historical."

He's unsure who might step forward to save the cabin but, obviously, the preferred option would be that the new owner continue the operation.

John Sellars, executive director of the History Museum on the Square, says it's a balancing act to manage progress and historic preservation.

I ask if the loss of Old Matt's Cabin would be a significant historical loss in the Ozarks.

"Oh my goodness, yes!" he says.

The city of Springfield, he says, lost what was probably its most historic building — the Frisco Train Depot. In 1926 it underwent a large-scale remodeling and expansion. It was reconfigured in the California mission style.

"The depot witnessed more history than any other building in the city," Sellars tells me. "We have a photo of Teddy Roosevelt speaking in front of it. We have a photo of (Harry) Truman speaking there from the back of a railroad car there."

But the last passenger train left the station in 1967. The depot was shuttered.

Abandoned, the depot fell into decay and was not properly secured. It was demolished in 1977, despite being on the Historic Sites Register of Springfield.

In the meantime, he says, the city, railroad and a possible developer could not reach agreement, he says.

I called Leslie Wyman, managing director of the White River Historical Society, to ask if she was concerned. The organization's mission is to preserve, protect, and promote the cultural history of Taney County and the upper White River Valley region through programs and educational events.

She told me the sale was so recent that her board has not discussed what might happen to the cabin, and she had no personal opinion right now.

Keith Thurman, 68, worked at Shepherd of the Hills for 50 years, the last 38 directing the play.

"The bottom line is this: The Shepherd of the Hills is the reason there is a Branson. I believe somebody will take it and give it a little bit of a face-lift and put us back on the map," he says.

"It makes me sick, absolutely sick, to think that anybody would come in and take that cabin down. They might as well burn down Branson."

These are the views of Steve Pokin, the News-Leader's columnist. Pokin has been at the paper five years and over the course of his career has covered just about everything — from courts and cops to features and fitness. He can be reached at 836-1253, spokin@gannett.com, on Twitter @stevepokinNL or by mail at 651 N. Boonville, Springfield, MO 65806.

On May 25, join Steve Pokin for Answer Man Live! Featuring The Answer Man, a Live Q & A with questions from readers, gourmet outdoor picnic and much more! Get tickets: Tickets.News-Leader.com​​