Things to do nearThe Shepherd of the Hills

The Shepherd of the Hills holds a distinctive place in American literary and cultural history. Harold Bell Wright lived among the Ozark hill people of this region in the early twentieth century, and the novel he wrote here became one of the first American books to sell more than a million copies, bringing national attention to the rugged beauty and tight-knit communities of the Missouri Ozarks.

The historic homestead at the heart of today's attraction preserves the physical landscape Wright described, including Old Matt's Cabin, a working grist mill, and several original structures that give the property an authenticity rare among heritage sites. Visitors can explore the grounds on foot or by guided jeep tour, learning about the real people behind the novel's thinly veiled characters and the hardscrabble rhythms of nineteenth-century Ozark farm life.

Inspiration Tower, rising above the treetops, offers some of the most commanding views in the region and provides a sense of the vast, unhurried landscape that shaped both the settlers and the writer who documented them. Each evening during the performance season, the outdoor drama transforms the grounds into a theatrical stage, with the surrounding woods, live animals, and pyrotechnic effects creating an atmosphere that is genuinely immersive.

The Shepherd of the Hills stands as a place where literature, landscape, and living history converge in a way that rewards curious visitors with a deeper understanding of the Ozark region and the American story it carries.