About Hollister, Missouri

Hollister, Missouri has a history much as thousands of other towns throughout the U.S.  It began around the turn of the century when a man name Rueben Kirkham opened a general store and applied to the Post Office Department for permission to establish a Post Office. The town is actually named after the birth place of his daughter in Hollister, California. Permission was granted and in 1904 the name of the Ozarks settlement was established. Hollister was incorporated as a town in 1910 with Professor J.W. Blankenship becoming the first mayor.

For the next 70 years Hollister enjoyed steady growth and welcomed businesses and tourists alike into their fair town. However, in the late 1970’s, Branson, Missouri began to grow in popularity. With foresight and ingenuity of the city management, Branson became a dominant tourist attraction in this part of the country to include northern Arkansas, Oklahoma, and southern Missouri. Slowly but surely, just like thousands of other towns throughout the U.S., Hollister began a death spiral as their businesses and resources dried up. They simply could not compete with their sister city.

However, instead of ceding defeat, Hollister reinvented itself.  Leaning on the early architectural designs from previous decades, Hollister morphed into a laid back community that complements and yet contrasts the hustle and bustle of Branson. The main street of the downtown area is Downing Street. Here you can find antique stores, cafes, restaurants and all sorts of retail establishments that are locally owned and operated.

Because the rental prices are much more attractive, many tourists and visitors come to Hollister to enjoy not only Branson but also the entire surrounding communities. Hollister is perfect for such endeavors in that it is centrally located, it’s near the hot spots, and at the same time it is laid back enough to relax and slow down.

If you’re coming this way, please consider Hollister, Missouri as a vacation destination. I promise that you will be so glad you did.