Historic Homestead Tour

Historic Homestead Tour Photos (10)

Tour the actual homes of the main characters in Harold Bell Wright's book, The Shepherd of the Hills, on this Historic Homestead Tour. This novel tells the story of the Ozarks and the difficulties that these people faced on the frontier. Wright based his characters off of real people he met in the Branson area and all of the tales in the novel are based from his very own experiences.

The novel is Wright's most famous work, published in 1907. The shepherd, an elderly and mysterious stranger, escapes his life in the city to come to this part of the country. He stays in Mutton Hollow of the Ozarks where he encounters the main characters of the novel. He follows them through their hardships and teaches the readers about strength and weakness, success and failure, and absolution and punishment. 

The tour includes stops at Old Matt's Cabin, Inspiration Point, Wright Church, and Little Pete's Cave. Your first stop will be Old Matt's Cabin, which served as the Ross family home for approximately 30 years before it was established in history through Harold Bell Wright's famous novel.  Built in the mid 1800's, this cabin is a main point in the story. 'Old Matt' was based on Ross and the place where 'Old Matt' lived is based off of this real John Ross cabin. Inside the cabin you will find numerous antiques and historical items, including clothing worn by John and Anna Ross, some of their furniture, photographs, tools, cooking utensils, and much more. Then it's time to head on to the incredible views at Inspiration Point! This tour is a must-do if you love history and literature. 

Make a vacation out of it and find other fun things to do in the area!