Harold Bell Wright, a Kansas minister who had been diagnosed with consumption, came to the Ozarks to breathe the wholesome mountain air. Due to flooding on the White River, he asked for shelter at the John Ross cabin, intending to stay only overnight.
In keeping with the customs of the Ozarks, Ross and his wife, Georgianna, and their son, Matt, welcomed him to their home. Wright stayed for eight summers.
Wright eventually pitched a tent on the Ross homestead, making for himself a summer home on what would one day be known as Inspiration Point.
During winter months, he moved into the cabin warmed by the old stone fireplace.
Over several years, Wright made notes of his adopted Ozarks family, their neighbors, and the customs and traditions of mountain culture.
He roamed the hills and valleys, storing in his imagination scenes for The Shepherd of the Hills, his novel published in 1907.
More than a century has past since The Shepherd of the Hills books passed through the mail at the old Notch Post Office and into the hands of Ozarks hill folks. The Shepherd of the Hills marked a turning point in Harold Bell Wright’s literary career.
The book’s success also marked a milestone in the history of the Branson story.
I'm Always Roaming For The Rest Of The Story...
Nana
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