The Crafters of Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri is more than just a theme park, it’s a preservation of a way of life. I’ve visited Silver Dollar City for a family vacation a few times and each time I enjoy it even more. My first visit was a road trip without my husband where we found out Branson isn’t just for old people. The second visit was a Missouri family road trip where my daughter experienced her first extreme roller coaster ride. This latest visit was quality time with my teen son, who (thanks to video games) was interested in checking out the master crafters located around Silver Dollar City.

I’ve always been interested in the handcrafted goods available at Silver Dollar City, but when one is on a family vacation, sometimes it’s hard to stop and appreciate artwork when you’re running from ride to ride just to keep up with the little ones. My son and I had a wonderful time experiencing a simpler time, where fresh baked goods can be enjoyed right out the oven, or hand churned ice cream cools you down on a hot summer afternoon. We walked from shop to shop and observed artisans at work, demonstrating their crafts.

Pam Gresham, Master Chip Carver

From wooden keepsake boxes to carousel horses, Pam Gresham has been chipping away a solid wood for over 20 years. Pam was gracious enough to show us the finishing chips on a custom carousel horse.

Wayne Rice, Blacksmith

Wayne was making wrought iron roses when we happened upon him at work. He makes around 250 of these roses each year.

Of course, there are so many things of interest in the crafter’s area that it’s hard to choose a favorite.

Pottery

Leatherworks

Baked Goods

The baked goods were hot and fresh all day. We started our morning with Bubble Bread from the bakery at the park entrance and ended the day with fresh cinnamon bread from the mill.

Ice Cream

Silver Dollar City makes their own ice cream, which can be found in the ice cream shop in a variety of flavors.

The Culinary and Craft School

One of my favorite places to sit a spell at Silver Dollar City is the back porch of the Culinary and Craft School. On this particular visit, my son (who also likes culinary travel) and I learned how to make a chocolate meringue pie.

While we did ride some rides and enjoyed typical theme park activities, this particular visit was a more slow paced quality experience. Silver Dollar City offers something for every age group and interest, making it a good choice for a family vacation activity in Branson. The park offers wholesome family entertainment in one of the top US family destinations.

Special thanks to Silver Dollar City for sponsoring our park entrance for the day.