Gatlinburg is a
popular resort town known as the "Gateway to the Smokies" because it joins the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee. Gatlinburg is known for
its resort atmosphere, scenic natural setting, & its great variety of
unique shops & restaurants. Visitors stroll the inviting streets of this
quaint resort town all hours of the day & night all year long!
Gatlinburg was first
settled in the 1790's. Jane Oglesby, a widow, and her seven children, moved
from South Carolina into what was an unsettled Smoky Mountain wilderness area.
The area was first known as White Oak Flats. Later, new settlers, men who had
fought in the Revolutionary War settled in this area after having been given
land grants for their dedication & service to the New Country.
Community structures
were built in the small, but growing settlement. White Oaks Baptist Church was
built in 1835. A school was built and kept open 2 or 3 months a year. In 1860 a
post office was opened in a mercantile building owned by Radford Gatlin. In
appreciation for the office space the postmaster named the post office
Gatlinburg. Later the town once known as White Oak Flats became known as
Gatlinburg.
Radford Gatlin, was
thought to be kin of the inventor of the Gatlin gun. He was said to have a keen
intelligence & a businesslike personality. He was an outspoken advocate of
the Confederate cause, unlike some of the other settlers of the area. Although
it is said that he was forced to leave the area mainly as a result of his
differing political beliefs, the town still bears his name.
Because Gatlinburg
was at an entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park it became a
"Gateway to the Smokies". Tourists visiting the Park became the economic asset
that allowed Gatlinburg to boom into a large & wealthy resort town that
hosts visitors from all over the world. It has managed to keep its small quaint
atmosphere in spite of its prosperity, and continues to serve as a hospitable
host to millions of visitors each year!
Gatlinburg is located
1 ¼ hr. from the Nantahala River Gorge Area. A trip from the Gorge to
Gatlinburg includes an attractive and scenic drive through the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park. |
