You’ll pass the College of the Ozarks, also known as "Hard Work U." Students don’t pay tuition; they work on a real farm. You might see a cow. Or a student milking the cow. It’s a real thing.
There’s also a town called Ozark, Missouri. Yes, it’s the actual name. Don’t get confused. It’s not the Netflix show. It’s just a place where people buy bait and drink iced tea. The sign says "Welcome to Ozark" and it’s impossibly cute.
About halfway, you’ll see Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. It’s a pond full of baby trout. Tourists throw pennies in like a fountain. The fish think pennies are food. It’s a beautiful, dumb cycle.
US Highway 65 - Springfield to Branson - Missouri | Drive America's
The Cashew Chicken Connection
This is the secret sauce of the trip. Springfield claims to have invented cashew chicken in the 1960s. A Chinese immigrant named David Leong created it. It’s breaded chicken, brown gravy, and cashews. It’s not authentic Chinese food. It’s better.
Branson has cashew chicken too. But it’s served with a side of frozen custard. See? The cultures are different. The 50 miles keeps the cashew chicken sacred in Springfield. Branson keeps it loud and proud.
If you eat cashew chicken in both towns on the same day, you become a Missouri Legend. I made that up. But it should be true. The distance is made for such a challenge.
