Pigeon Forge is a
popular action packed tourist town located within easy driving distance to the
Nantahala River Gorge. Pigeon Forge grew steadily after the formation of the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Pigeon Forge has a large variety of dinner
shows and music theaters. It is home to the famous
Dollywood theme park and
the Dixie Stampede
Dinner Show. It has excellent shopping with its over 200 factory outlet
stores in shopping malls.
In the l700's and the
early 1800's the river banks in the area were lined with Beech trees. The
beechnuts that they produced were a staple part of the diet of the Passenger
Pigeons that visited the area. Large flocks of these birds feasted on the
abundant harvest along the riverbanks. Beechnuts were a mainstay of their diet
and it was a natural stopping off place for this now extinct species. The river
became know as the Pigeon River as a result of the large number of these birds
that fed along its banks.
Pigeon Forge was
settled in the late 18th Century. Pioneer Isaac Love established an iron forge
in 1820. His son, William, built a tub mill in 1830. Daily work revolved around
the business of repairing farm implements. When a post office was established
in 1841 it was given the name Pigeon Forge. The name was a combination of the
iron works and the Little Pigeon River that flows through the town. The town
was a small peaceful community with cornfields and farming projects.
Pigeon Forge grew
steadily after the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in
1940 and today is a popular tourist destination.
Some of the music
attractions that can be enjoyed nightly are as follows:
Pigeon Forge is about
a 1 ½ hour drive from the Nantahala River Gorge. Traffic is light on the
Parkway at night for visitors who want to drive over to enjoy top vocal artists
in the nightly musical productions. |
