The Museum Was Moved
A memorial to Rogers and Evans was set up in the museum for a few years after their deaths. However, it moved to Branson, Missouri, in 2003, from Victorville, California, where it had previously been situated. There was a financial consideration in play. A heavy tax was levied on the Rogers house after Evans’ death, requiring additional funds to maintain the museum. It appears that a more “touristy” location was required.
Too Much Competition
In the end, things didn’t go as planned. Even though the museum was moved to Branson in Missouri, it did not receive nearly as many visitors as the family had hoped it would. There was a lot of competition from other tourist attractions in Branson, and there wasn’t as much of a nostalgic feel as there was in Apple Valley.