Park name changed to Shepherd of the Hills State Park
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 4, 2022 – Missouri State Parks announced today it is changing the name of Ozark Mountain State Park to Shepherd of the Hills State Park. The change comes after considering comments and suggestions submitted by the public at four public meetings held at the park.
Public input has always been an integral part of the planning process for Missouri State Parks. “We take all comments and suggestions into consideration,” said Dru Buntin, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “And we listened when a proposal to change the park’s name came to us from the Society of the Ozarkian Hillcrofters.”
Governor Mike Parson and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe were at the park to announce the unveiling of the park’s new name.
“This is a historic event for Missouri State Parks,” said Governor Mike Parson. “We are not only unveiling a new name, but we are also honoring a talented writer whose book brought tourists to the area so many years ago and continues to do so today.”
In his book, “The Shepherd of the Hills,” Harold Bell Wright’s description of the region’s beauty detailed not only why he was drawn to the area, but it also caused readers to want to see it for themselves.
“As Missouri celebrates more than 200 years of statehood, it is fitting to recognize those whose lives have contributed to its rich history,” Buntin said. “Capturing the imagination of a nation, the vivid descriptions of the Roark Valley and the personalities of the Ozark Region were the impetus for the explosion of tourism and population growth in the Branson area.”
Renaming the park accordingly honors Wright’s contributions to the region. His description of the region drew thousands of visitors to the area for more than a century and will continue to do so for generations to come.
The announcement of the name change came on a special day, Harold Bell Wright’s 150th birthday. Changing the name to Shepherd of the Hills State Park reflects the landscape described by Wright.
The park is not open to the public yet, but once it opens, visitors will be able to see more than 700 known plant species and 53 breeding bird species. Eventually, visitors will be able to explore more than 400 acres of glades, more than two miles of Roark Creek and five other tributary streams.
Shepherd of the Hills State Park is located at 4424 Sycamore Church Road, Branson. For more information about the event, please contact Carl Bonnell, Ozark Region deputy director, at 417-334-4704.
For more information on the park’s conceptual development plan, please visit mostateparks.com/page/90071/conceptual-development-plans.
For more information on Missouri state parks and historic sites, or to view the Park and Site Status Map, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.