In 1882, Rueben Branson opened a general store and post office in the area. Branson was formally incorporated in 1912 and construction of the Powersite Dam nearby on the White River which would form Lake Taneycomo was completed.

In 1894 William Henry Lynch had bought Marvel Cave and had begun charging visitors to see it. Hugo and Mary Herschend bought the cave in 1950 and began hosting square dances in it that were televised on Red Foley’s Ozark Jubilee. The Herschend Family modernized the cave with electricity and cement staircases, and in 1960, the Herschends opened Silver Dollar City.Silver Dollar City was a recreated frontier town of five shops and a church, and it featured a log cabin with actors playing out the feud between Hatfields and McCoys.

Harold Bell Wright had published his novel about the Ozarks, The Shepherd of the Hills, in 1907. The Old Mill Theater began its first outdoor production of Shepherd of the Hills in 1960, and the show still runs today.

1963 Table Rock Dam on the White River was completed creating Table Rock Lake.

The Presley family became the first to move their show to Highway 76 in 1967 (which would become known as the "strip"), and the Baldknobbers moved their show to Highway 76 in 1968. This area would eventually grow to more than 50 theaters – most located on Highway 76.

In 1983 Branson began its transformation into a major tourist attraction when the 7,500 seat Swiss Villa Amphitheatre opened in Lampe, Missouri. The theatre, which was later renamed the Black Oak Mountain Amphitheatre before utlimately closing in the early 2000s, proved there was a market for large music gatherings. Ironically, it started out as a venue for rock bands Def Leppard, Lynyrd Skynyrd, REO Speedwagon, Steppenwolf, and Ozzy Osbourne.

Also in 1983, Roy Clark opened the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre, becoming the first famous country music star to have his own venue in Branson. Many of performers that have played in Branson first played at the Celebrity Theatre. A series of larger theatres opened soon thereafter. In 1987 Box Car Willie became the first entertainer with a permanent schedule in Branson.

In 2007 ground was broken for the $155 million Branson Airport on land formerly belonging to Tennessee Ernie Ford south of the community. It is scheduled to open in May 2009 and it is claimed that it will be the largest privately-owned commercial airport in the United States. The construction which involves flattening several Ozark mountains is said to be the largest earth moving project in Missouri history. Currently the closest commercial airport is Springfield-Branson National Airport 50 miles northwest of Branson. That airport is totally owned by the City of Springfield.

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