Smoky Mountain Blog

Fishing for Rainbow's

2008-06-02T07:34:00.003-05:00

Beginning today and continuing through June 14, 2008, the National Park Service is allowing anglers and avid fisherman to fish and keep rainbow trout caught along an eight mile stretch of Lynn Camp Prong and its tributary Marks Creek.

The rainbow trout are thought to be the cause for the decline in the native brook trout and the Park Service wants to remove as many rainbow as possible before adding a fish toxin to the waters in September.

Soon after September, the Park Service will move brook trout from other areas within the Park into that same eight mile area, that will once again be closed to anglers.

Smoky Mountain Stables Extends Season

2007-12-14T15:19:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service has announced that the Smoky Mountain Stables will remain open throughout December, weather permitting. Daily from 9 am to 4 pm, the stables will offer one hour guided horseback rides for $20 per person per hour.

The weather has remained pretty seasonal, so conditions are ideal for horseback excursions through the Great Smoky Mountains. In case of unstable weather, visitors are encouraged to call 865-436-5634 before arriving.

US 441 Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur Under Construction

2007-11-27T09:46:00.000-05:00

Road work began November 5 and is estimated to continue through early spring of 2009 on the road known as the spur, which accommodates an estimated 11 million visitors annually.

Preliminary work has already begun with single lane closures along the north and southbound lanes, however closures will not be permitted during the holidays.

Along with paving work, three extensive projects are scheduled to be completed including repairing the drainage system and the lighting system in the northbound lane of the tunnel, slope stabilization at Norton Creek Road, where a landslide occurred on the west side of the spur, and work at the Huskey Creek overpass.

The National Park Service will pay an estimated 6.3 million dollars to complete the project.

Cades Cove Rd. Closing Dec. 5th & 6th

2007-11-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed to motor vehicles on the 5th and 6th of December for hemlock woolly adelgid spraying and road work. The loop will remain open to all foot traffic on both days.

This will be a unique opportunity for photographers, bird watchers and nature enthusiasts seeking to enjoy the cove without the inconvenience of automobiles.

Ice and Snow Close Newfound Gap Road

2007-11-16T12:49:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service closed Newfound Gap Road through the Smoky Mountains Thursday afternoon due to inclement weather conditions. Winter arrived quickly with an overnight low of 19 degrees and 1 and 1/2 inches of snowfall.

The Park Service expects to re-open the road later this afternoon, weather permitting.

Buyer Beware

2007-11-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

Pigeon Forge City Commission Tuesday denied a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited the display of all hotel, motel and lodging rates within the city, but they did promise to pass an ordinance that prevents the posting of dishonorable rates on the signs.

City Attorney, Jim Gass said the ordinance he writes will state that rates posted on signs must be honored, or the consequence will be a $50 fine for each infraction. The police department will be expected to enforce the law.

We heartily endorse the new ordinance proposal and hope it is written, passed and enforced as soon as possible. Some innkeepers have been flagrant in their disregard for truth, and it gives the whole area a bad name. So visitors, question every rate you can or get a confirmed rate before you arrive in town.

Popular Areas Closing for Winter Preparation

2007-11-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

With winter quickly approaching, the National Park Service will close several popular roads, campgrounds and riding stables over the next few weeks.

The Sugarlands Visitors Center will be open 8 am to 5 pm daily, the Oconaluftee Visitor Center will be open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily and the Cades Cove Visitor Center will be open 9 am to 5 pm daily throughout November.

The Cades Cove Riding Stables will close November 5th, Sugarlands Riding Stables closed November 1st and the Smokemont Riding Stables is closed for the season. The Smoky Mountain Riding Stables will remain open until November 25th. All five horse camps, Round Bottom, Tow String, Big Creek, Anthony Creek and Cataloochee will close November 12th.

Balsam Mountain/Heintooga roads closed November 1st, Parsons Branch and Rich Mountain roads will close November 9th, Round-bottom/Straight Fork roads will close November 12th and the Clingman's Dome and Roaring Fork Motor Trail will close December 1st.

Elkmont Campground will remain open until December 1st and the Cades Cove campground will remain open all year. Balsam Mountain and the remaining self-registering campgrounds are already closed for the season.

LeConte Lodge will close November 20th and re-open in the spring.

Cades Cove Shuttle Tours

2007-10-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

Local citizens, led by Randy Boyd, founder of Radio Systems, have teamed with the Southeastern office of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) to provide a shuttle vehicle for tours of Cades Cove in the Smokies.

Boyd is putting up $250,000 of his own funds for the vehicle, and he says, “I just enjoy the Park and I couldn’t think of a better way to give back. The Cades Cove area has always been beautiful, but it almost to the point where I am embarrassed to try to take guests from out-of-town because it’s so crowded it turns out to be a bad experience.”

Hoping to implement the service by next summer, Allisa McMahon, NPCA program coordinator, said work remains to be done on the business plan before a “clean fuel” vehicle can be chosen for the tours.

“We’re looking at options based on mileage – the shuttle would have to run daily,” said McMahon

Visitors would have to pay a small fee to use the shuttle. The fees would be used to offset operational costs.

The NPCA/Boyd plan is unrelated to the National Park Service’s planning process for the future of Cades Cove, said Bob Miller, park spokesman.

“They (NPCA) have not approached us about a shuttle,” he said. “We’re certainly interested in seeing traffic problems mitigated whenever it’s possible, but we haven’t had any discussion about how their shuttle might work. It’s unrelated to the outcome of whatever the park will decide to come out of the Cades Cove planning process. The next public meeting on the plans will be in 2008.”

3rd Annual Passion Play on the Smokies

2007-10-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

Just as the 15th Annual Townsend Heritage Festival is winding down with Celebrity Dunking Booths, an Arts and Crafts Fair, Old Timers Day and rides on the Little River Railroad’s hand-powered steam engine, the 3rd Annual Passion Play in the Smokies is set to launch its 2007 season on October 5-6 at 7 p.m.. There will be performances each weekend throughout the month and an additional performance on Sun, October 14 at 6 p.m.

After an absence of more than a decade, the production of the timeless story of Jesus is receiving a joyous return to the Townsend Amphitheater, and producer/director Mark Pedro is once again portraying Christ, a role he starred in back in the 90s before the amphitheater closed.

“It was my feeling that we shouldn’t let the amphitheater go to waste when we could use it for the glory of God and present the Gospel through drama, music and dance,” Pedro said.

The passion play is a true feast for the senses, with the show’s authentic and colorful costumes, period sets, artistic lighting and sound design. The play showcases the talents of professional singers, dancers and actors. One of the highlights of the show is the inclusion of traditional Hebrew dance, performed by the internationally known Benote Tzion. The group is based in Knoxville and they use a form of Israeli style praise-dance to interpret many of the scenes utilizing silk worship banners and flags.

“The interpretive dance really gives a beautifully full understanding of the emotion behind the scene,” said Pedro. “Many Passion dramas simply tell the story of Christ’s last week on earth. We begin with His baptism and include many of His miracles and His parables in addition to the more traditional scenes included in all Passion drama.”

One common thread runs through all the productions past and present, and that is the beauty of the outdoor setting located on Bethel Road in Townsend, only three miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The play is presented by Crown of Thorns Ministries in cooperation with the Chilhowee Baptist Association. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. Discounted tickets for group of 10 or more are available for $8 each. For more information on schedules and tickets’, call 865-448-3505 or go online to www.passionplayinthesmokies.com

Smokies Trails Clean Up Continues

2006-12-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Park officials continue clean-up efforts on numerous trails in the Smokies after a powerful wind storm blew through the area in November.

The following horse trail remain closed: Gregory Bald, Lower Mount Cammerer, and the West Prong trail.

Official also urge caution on Cove Mountain Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail, Hannah Mountain Trail, Maddron Bald Trail, Meigs Creek Trail and Rabbit Creek Trail.

Parsons Branch Road and Twin Creeks Trail areas remain closed.

Cades Cove Loop Rd. Closes Temporarily

2006-11-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

Park officials have tentatively scheduled to close the Cades Cove Loop Road on November 28th and 29th to treat Hemlock trees for the hemlock woolly adelgid.

The Park Service will confirm the closing on November 27, 2006.

Some Smokies Trails Remain Closed

2006-11-07T11:03:00.000-05:00

Ace Gap, Crooked Arm Ridge, Gregory Bald, Hannah Mountain, Indian Grave Gap, Jakes Creek, Lower Mount Cammerer, Lumber Ridge, Lynn Camp Prong, Middle Prong, Miry Ridge, Panther Creek, Rich Mountain, Rich Mountain Loop, and the West Prong trails remain closed to horseback riders.

Park official also have closed the following trails to horseback riders, hikers and bicylists due to fallen trees, sinkholes and debris:

Albright Grove Trail, Chestnut Top Trail, Cove Mountain Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail, Maddron Bald Trail, Meigs Creek Trail, and the Old Settlers Trail.

Crews are working to clear the trails as quickly as possible, but some trails will continue to be closed throughout the winter.

Hiking Not Recommended on Certain Trails

2006-11-03T12:41:00.000-05:00

Albright Grove Trail, Chestnut Top Trail, Cove Mountain Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail, Maddron Bald Trail, Meigs Creek Trail, Old Settlers Trail, Sugarlands Mountain Trail and Rainbow Falls Trail are not recommended for use due to the large number of trees down.

The Appalachian Trail between Doe Knob and Spence Field, as well as Crib Gap have been re-opened.

Damage to the Smokies Costly

2006-10-30T16:54:00.000-05:00

Campgrounds, roads and trails damaged by the 106 mile per hour winds in mid October on the Tennessee side of the National Park is expected to cost over half a million dollars.

Officials have submitted a request to the National Park Service for storm damage relief totaling $350,000 and extra labor costs are expected to be an additional $200,000.

Fire fighters and clean up crews removing debris and clearing trails have been asked to work through Christmas to re-open some of the 24 trails currently closed to horseback riders.

Park officials have about six more weeks to complete most of the repairs until the winter weather arrives and they say that several trails will remain closed until next spring.

Gatlinburg has Great New Digs!

2006-10-29T16:45:00.000-05:00

Gatlinburg was originally named White Oak Flats, and now developer Marc Postlewaite, along with local craftsmen, architects and designers from Disney and MGM, is putting the moniker on a new settlement on Glades Road, right in the heart of the Arts and Crafts Community and just 3 miles from downtown, Gatlinburg.

The $50 million 14-acre, European themed White Oak Flats Settlement and Lodges will feature a retail area, offering everything from artisans studios, a wedding chapel, 50 retail shops, a winery, fine dining establishments, and perimeter parking, as well as a residential area with 84 condos in mountain lodges, meeting facilities, a pool, spa, fitness center and club.

The mountain lodge condos are going on sale in just two days, and the turn key rental program will allow owners to receive a 60% return on the rentals of their condo, plus benefit from the natural appreciation of property in this mountain settlement.

Sales for the first 33 condos will begin October 30th and construction is scheduled to begin in April of 2007. Postlewaite expects completion of the residential construction to be completed within a year. For additional information visit www.whiteoakflatstn.com.

The Wonderland Hotel to be Preserved

2006-10-24T12:32:00.000-05:00

According to Park officials, the Wonderland Hotel, one of 70 buildings in Elkmont that were once part of the bustling railroad community, will be carefully removed from the site and historically preserved.

Beginning November 1, Moran Construction Company of Abingdon, Virginia will begin dismantling the two-story hotel and has set a completion date of December 8th, 2006. Artifacts and significant pieces will be removed by hand and taken to the park’s archival storage area at the Department of Energy’s Office of Scientificant and Technical Information Storage facility in Oak Ridge.

Officials stated that the work will not affect the Elkmont Campground, however the area around the hotel will be closed to the public.

Equestrian Trail Closures in the Smokies

2006-10-21T07:28:00.000-05:00

Due to the amount of debris, fallen trees and erosion after hurricane strength winds hit the Smoky Mountains, the National Park Service has officially closed several trails to horseback riders between Elkmont and Cades Cove.

The trails closed include Ace Gap, Anthony Creek, Rich Mountain, Rich Mountain Loop, the Appalachian Trail between Doe Knob to Spence Field, Crib Gap, Crooked Arm Ridge, Finley Cane, Gregory Bald, Boat Mountain, Hannah Mountain, Indian Grave Gap, Jakes Creek, Lead Cove, Lumber Ridge, Lynn Camp Prong, Meigs Mountain, Middle Prong, Miry Ridge, Panther Creek, Russell Field, Schoolhouse Gap, Turkey Pen Ridge, and West Prong.

Hikers may still navigate the trails, but are encouraged to use extreme caution.

The Smokies Continue to Recover from Powerful Wind Damage

2006-10-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

Park officials have re-opened the entire 11 mile Cades Cove Loop Road and the Cades Cove Picnic Area, however the Cades Cove Campground is operating on a limited basis throughout the rest of this week and weekend.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Anthony Creek Horse Camp remain closed, but officials expect to have the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail re-opened this afternoon.

Backcountry campers and horseback riders are encouraged to use extreme caution on trails after finding numerous trees down on Trillium Gap Trail. For saftey reasons, officials are urging horseback riders to not enter the backcountry.

Debris is still visible around all the roads, but officials expect to have everything cleared up in the next couple of weeks.

Roads to the Smokies are Opening Back Up

2006-10-19T09:47:00.000-05:00

Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road and the Little River Road all re-opened Wednesday, however half of the Cades Cove Loop Road, Roaring Fork Motor Trail and Upper Tremont Road remain closed.

The Cades Cove Loop is open only to Sparks Lane, but Park officials expect to have the remaining portion of the Cades Cove Loop Road open later today.

The Cades Cove Campground, the Cades Cove picnic area, Anthony Creek Horse Camp and Metcalf Bottoms picnic area are still closed.

Horseback riders and backcountry hikers should be aware of potential damage and use caution on all trails.

More Roads Re-Open in the Smokies

2006-10-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service has re-opened the Gatlinburg bypass, Greenbrier Road and the Cosby entrance road.

Crews are furiously working to clear other roads in the area that remain closed and expect to have most roads re-opened by the end of the afternoon.

Little River Road Re-Opens from Gatlinburg to Townsend

2006-10-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service has cleared the Little River Road running from Sugarlands Visitor Center in Gatlinburg to Townsend. However, the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area and bathroom facilities remain closed due to no power and lack of water.

The Foothills Parkway West, Greenbrier Road, Cherokee Orchard Road, Clingman's Dome Road, Laurel Creek Road and Newfound Gap Road remain closed, however Park officials expect the roads to be cleared and opened by the end of the day.

Powerful Winds Close Roads into the Tennessee Side of the Smokies

2006-10-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

A powerful low pressure system pushed through East Tennessee and the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountains last night with hurricane strength winds and has closed roads into the National Park during its peak season. The Little River Road between Towsend and Gatlinburg, the Newfound Gap Road and the Laurel Creek Road into Cades Cove all remain closed this evening.

Although the Park Service expects to have the roads into the Park re-opened tomorrow, they are urging campers to vacate the Smoky Mountains, saying emergency services may not be able to reach campers in need.

Two campers in the Cades Cove Campground were taken to a nearby hospital after a tree fell onto their camper. Both have been treated and released. Cades Cove will remain closed through tomorrow and possibly longer.

Nearly 8,000 homes were without power last night and early this morning, however officials say that 3,100 homes remain without power. Park officials are also watching rising waters, which may cover some roads.

Parsons Branch Road Closed Beginning Oct. 17, 2006

2006-10-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

The National Park will begin repairs due to the flood damage on Parsons Branch Rd. beginning October 16, 2006. The road had been closed to motor vehicles, however it remained open for hikers, horseback riders and bikers.

The road will be closed to the public until construction is completed. The firm hired to make the repairs has a June 15, 2007 deadline.

Townsend Beverage Referendum

2006-10-03T18:18:00.000-05:00

After Townsend residents received special legislation, the residents held a meeting on whether to allow restuarants to sell cocktails and wine.

Although no wine or liquor stores will be permitted as part of this referendum, the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau insists that to allow such a referendum to pass would greatly increase tourism to the "Peaceful Side of the Smokies".

Other cities nearby have seen liquor by the drink get voted in, but the issue remains in Townsend.

Results should be reported soon...check back for the latest updates!

Cades Cove Riding Stables Update

2006-08-28T13:45:00.000-05:00

The riding stables at Cades Cove have re-opened after closing for roughly a week due to liability insurance.

Under the new policy, all riders under the age of 16 must now wear an equestrian helmet, adult riders must wear a helmet or sign a release form, children under the age of 6 may no longer ride alone, and riding double is no longer allowed.

The average horseback ride is 1 hour long, depending on conditions. Cost is $20 per person for horseback rides, $7.50 per person for carriage rides, $6 per person for hayrides and $8 per person for guided hayrides.

The stables located in Cades Cove at 10018 Campground Dr. in Townsend, may be reached at 865-448-6286. Open 9 am - 5 pm daily. Closed November 7 - March 15th.

Balsam Mountain Road Re-opens in the Smoky Mountains

2006-07-20T13:56:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service will re-open Balsam Mountain Road tomorrow. The road had been closed for repairs on a low-water ford damaged by flooding. The 13-mile-long route runs from Balsam Mountain into Cherokee, North Carolina.

Palmer Creek, Beech Gap and Hyatt Ridge trail will now be accessible for hikers and horseback riders.

Road and Trail Closures in the Smokies

2006-06-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

Several roads, trails and parking areas within the park are currently closed due to construction or weather related conditions.

~ Balsam Mountain Road will remain closed until July.

~ Beyond Round Bottom Horse Camp, the Straight Fork Road will remain closed until July and horse trailers are not permitted on Straight Fork Road at this time. The Round Bottom Horse Camp is also closed at this time.

~ Parsons Branch Road closed indefinately due to flooding.

~ A portion of Twin Creeks Trail, between the Noah Bud Ogle cabin and the Grassy Branch Trail will be closed beginning November 28, 2006 for approximately 13 months.

~ The Little RiverTrailhead in Elkmont will not permit parking after 5 p.m. June 9th - 19th due to firefly displays. Backpackers and hikers must remove their parked vehicles by 5 p.m.

~ The back half of the Newfound Gap and the Oconoluftee Overlook parking areas will be closed during the repaving of 441.

~ Backcountry campsite number 13 is closed due to bear activity.

Ramp Festival Time!

2006-05-02T12:14:00.000-05:00

I thought Ramps were indigenous to just the Cosby, Tennessee area of the Great Smoky Mountains, and I also thought that the local Ramp Festival there was the only one of its kind in the United States. Kind of weird for me to be so wrong on both counts, but then I’ve never gone to the Festival or ever tasted of the wild leek that literally stinks up the town every May. Maybe I’ll make a trip up there this year and try the things out. After all it took me 60 plus years to discover mixed greens, and I now try to put them in everything I cook!

Again, the Knoxville News Sentinel’s famed Sam Venable is responsible for my enlightenment. In today’s paper, he wrote of the wide-ranging interest in these smelly, onion/garlic veggies and mentioned a number of celebrations of these plants throughout West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. I’ve read that they serve up gourmet scrambles using the ramps and eggs, eat them raw, or slice them into fried potatoes and chop them into a cornbread mix. In fact one group of women in North Carolina dehydrate the ramps and combine them with stone-ground cornmeal, and sell the mixture as “fast as they can pour it into 11 ounce bags. The outfit also packages and sells jars of ramp salt and ramp seasoning.” For more info, contact the Smoky Mountain Native Plants Association (P.O. Box 761, Robbinsville, N.C. 28771)

Ramp consumption used to be limited to the mountain poor, but now the consumption is so great that the National Park Service has banned ramp-digging in the Smokies. And in Cherokee National Forest, visitors need a free permit to gather up to five pounds for personal use. Organizations may collect up to 500 pounds of the ramps in Cherokee for a charge of 40 cents a pound. It’s no wonder that native plant groups are working with farmers toward “a goal of creating a sustainable harvest of homegrown ramps, perhaps to help offset some of the loss from tobacco cutbacks. Funny how things go around, ain’t it?” says Venable.

Brook Trout are Legal Again!

2006-03-27T15:38:00.000-05:00

Thirty years ago, in 1976, the powers that be removed the native Brook Trout from the list of species that one was allowed to catch and eat from streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I didn’t know what the reasons were until yesterday, when an article appeared in the Knoxville paper.

Columnist, Sam Venable, a lover of all things native to the beloved Smokies wrote that by the end of the 20th century the Brook Trout had almost vanished from all but the most remote streams in the Park and needed to be protected. Now after much research and restoration work, the Brookies are once again on the legal list and can be fished for and kept.. Mr. Venable is as delighted by the news as I am and the news brought back vivid memories to both of us.

I had never once caught a Brookie in the Park but I was lucky enough to be camping with friends when two of the group brought back a mess of the small fish for dinner. I was unimpressed with their size but I was caught up in the excitement that preceded dinner. The buzz about the fish being delicious and hard to catch was noted, but it was the first bite of the gorgeous, golden fried morsel that hooked me. That was my first and last taste of Brook Trout as the ban went into effect almost immediately thereafter.

I read the paper, caught the article by Mr. Venable and spent a long moment savoring that creekside dinner from 30 years ago. Then I took a phone call from a local store telling me that I had won a new rod and reel in their grand opening celebration!! Now that’s Serendipity! It will cost $56 for fishing licenses for my grandson and myself, and we’ll camp at Elkmont or Cosby this year instead of at Douglas Lake.

April 15th is the day to look forward to, and I thank Sam Venable for alerting me to the good news. He too knows well what we’ve been missing all these years!

What’s New in Pigeon Forge?

2006-03-18T11:05:00.000-05:00

Finally, developers are seeing that Pigeon Forge is a good venue for upscale shops, restaurants and attractions. For too long, locals like myself have tried to ignore the tacky souvenir shops and fake Cherokee merchandise that used to be so prominent in the shops.

Real money is being poured into town and there are many new venues for families to enjoy.

Teaster Crossing, a $15 million retail and restaurant development between the Parkway and Teaster Lane. Johnny Carino’s Italian restaurant and Bullfish Grill will be joined shortly by a family-oriented Bear Creek Grill, a casual restaurant featuring a little of everything from pizza to catfish.

The retail component of the complex will house 32,000 square feet of approximately 25 shops. Darby Campbell, co-owner of the Crossing said, the center “sets the new standard in Pigeon Forge……..the restaurants are first class……….the traffic has been phenomenal and it’s a lot more upscale than anything has been in the past.”

Campbell also uses the same “upscale” adjective to describe a hotel in the complex. The Inn at Christmas Place will feature ponds, fountains, Bavarian architecture and theme suites on its six acres, and it is scheduled to open in June of ‘07 with 145 rooms or suites.

Across the Parkway, the Walden’s Landing development has erased all memory of the Ogle’s Water Park with a good-looking complex of shops and restaurants. Lunch at the Atlanta Bread Company recently was delicious and the menu made it difficult to choose just one item. The center also includes Birkenstock Place, Calhoun’s Restaurant, John Deere Country Toys, Clothes and Gifts, the Smoky Mountain Brewery and the Tool Zone.

Dollywood remains the most popular attraction in the Smokies and it is constantly renewed with more shows, more and better attractions and more action. Dolly Parton comes home to lead her Springfest “Smoky Mountain Adventure Parade” on April 7th. This is the 21st annual repeat of the parade and it heralds new attractions at Dollywood including the $6.5 million Timber Tower Ride. The ride turns nine times per minute as it makes its way to the top of the tower. Then the tower begins swinging from side-to-side, allowing the vehicle to topple in many directions at a 60-degree angle making riders feel certain they will be crashing into the water below. Parton’s Splash Country also has a new Fire Tower Falls with one of the tallest and fastest slides in town. It will be wildly popular.

If you plan to come for the parade……be warned! Come early and grab a good spot. The parade is full of marching bands, floats and of course Dolly and it usually draws upwards of 60,000 people along its route.

Another intriguing new attraction is called Zorbing, which originated in New Zealand. It is the experience of climbing inside a giant plastic Zorb ball then rolling downhill at up to 30 mph!!

The Jurassic Boat Ride is a large indoor attraction bringing guests face to face with prehistoric creatures, volcanoes, waterfalls and caves. This is all done right-side-up in a boat, whereas the new WonderWorks is all upside down. It is billed as an adventure for the mind and is only one of two such attractions in the country.

April will be a busy month in Pigeon Forge with much to do and tons of stuff to see. To give you a brief overview of the month’s activities, consider this list:

Dollywood’s Festival of Nations, which highlights the cuisine and the cultures and crafts of over 12 world countries: Quiltfest’s 12th annual competition where top quilters show their quilts and teach more than 60 classes. An Easter egg hunt April 15th: a Merle Haggard concert the end of the month: the annual Scrabble Tournament: and the Spring Rod Run………..to name a few. Come on down!

The Smoky Mountain Field School this Month

2006-03-10T15:23:00.000-05:00

Some twenty-eight years ago, a number of University of Tennessee professors decided they wanted to share their love and knowledge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with visitors to our state. They established the Smoky Mountain Field School and began offering courses for adults and families on wildflowers, birds, trails, waterfalls, etc. Now there are over 70 of the short courses offered from March through November and while each is taught by an expert, the classes give families a good look at the park through guided day hikes or overnight backpacking trips.

Space is limited to from five to 20 people depending on the course, and reservations are required in advance. The overnight backpacking trip to Mt. LeConte scheduled for April has not filled yet. For more information call 865-974-0150.

The following programs will meet this month:

“Introduction to Orienteering” will be this Saturday, March 11th at the Sugarlands Visitor Center training room. Neil Buckingham will lead a lecture, classroom activities and field exercises on the fundamentals of competitive and wilderness orienteering. Cost is $49.

“Advanced Orienteering” also will be this Saturday. It provides an opportunity for more instruction on using a map and compass to navigate remote areas. The “Introduction to Orienteering” class must be taken first. Cost is $49.

“Tracking and Nature Observation” will be Saturday, March 18, in the Abrams Falls area. The all-day class, led by Wanda DeWaard, will teach you how to spot clues and signs that animals leave behind as you do some tracking and observing. Cost is $49.

“Getting Re-Connected: Nature Awareness Skills” will be held on Sunday, March 19, from 1-5 p.m. Naturalist Wanda Dewaard will lead the family program to acquaint participants with the Great Smoky Mountains. Cost is $29 for adults and $25 for children 6-12.

“Waterfalls of the Smokies” will be Saturday March 25, in the Cades Cove area. Families are invited to learn about amphibian biology, ecology and research. Cost is $35 for adults and $25 for children 6-12.

“Sharing Nature with Children”: will be Sunday March 26. Led by Charles Maynard and David Morris, the family event will be held along a mountain stream and an old railroad bed. Participants will learn about plans and animals that depend on the forest for life. Cost is $29 for adults and $19 for children 6-12.

The Smokies are Ready for Campers!

2006-03-08T11:59:00.000-05:00

On Friday, March 10th, a number of concessions, campgrounds, riding stables and roads are scheduled to open after being shut down for the winter.

Included in the secondary roads that are set to reopen are Little Greenbrier, Rich Mountain and the Roaring Fork Nature Trail. Clingmans Dome Road is set to open April 1, and the Heintooga Ridge Road will follow on May 12.

Work is still being done on Balsam Mountain Road and it will remain closed until the work is completed on the low-water crossing at the junction of Straight Fork and Balsam Mountain Roads. Hopefully the road will reopen by July 21. Parson Branch Road also remains closed because of damage from flooding and it is expected to reopen by the 2007 season.

Newfound Gap Road on the North Carolina side of the park between Collins Creek picnic area and Newfound Gap is being repaved, and visitors can expect one-lane closures during weekdays but not on weekends.

Reservations can be made at three of the park’s developed campgrounds (Cades Cove, Elkmont and Smokemont), plus group campsites, horse camps and picnic shelters. Reservations can be made up to five months in advance of your trip by calling 1-800-365-2267 or by internet at http://reservations.nps.gov.

Horseback riding is available at four stables in the Smokies at a rate of $20 per person per hour. The Smoky Mountain and Sugarlands Riding Stables are to open March 15, followed by the Cades Cove Riding stable on March 17 and the Smokemont Riding Stable on April 1. Buggy rides and hayrides are also offered by Cades Cove Riding Stables and there are also ranger-led hayrides open to the public.

LeConte Lodge will open March 20. Reservations are required way in advance of your planned stay and can be made by calling 865-429-5704 or by emailing at: reservations@lecontelodge.com. One night at the lodge costs $89 per adult and $72.50 per child 10 and under, tax not included. The price includes two meals, dinner and breakfast.

The park has 10 picnic areas available on a first-come, first-served basis. Open all year round are Big Creek, Cades Cove, Chimney Tops, Cosby, Greenbrier, Deep Creek and Metcalf Bottoms. Collins Creek will be open March 10, and Heintooga and Look Rock are scheduled to open on May 12. The park’s largest picnic pavilion at Twin Creeks opens May 1, on a limited basis because of construction of a new science lab. The Twin Creeks pavilion will be available only on weekends and federal holidays for this season. Reservations are required and can be made through the National Park Reservation Service. Fees range from $35 to $75 depending on the number of people in your party.

Family Campgrounds open on a staggered basis March 10. Fees range from $14 for the more primitive, smaller campgrounds like Look Rock and Abrams Creek: $17 at the more developed campgrounds like Cataloochee and Deep Creek: and $20 to $23 at Cades Cove, Smokemont and Elkmont between May 15-October 31, 2006.

Campers have an opportunity to stay in “generator free” sections of campsites for the 2006 season, and the “generator free” sites are at Cades Cove, Elkmont and Smokemont. State your preference clearly when making reservations

Cades Cove Loop Road Closing for Repairs

2006-02-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

Beginning February 27th and continuing through March 5th, the Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed for repairs to motorists due to a collapsed stream crossing near the exit of the Loop Road.

Hikers and bikers will be allowed to use most of the Loop Road during the closure.

New Science Center in the Smokies

2006-02-02T14:07:00.000-05:00

Ground has been broken in the Smokies for the first time since the 1960s, on a 15,000 square foot building dedicated to scientists and students who visit the park to work on ATBI or the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory project. The project is involved in identifying every living organism inside the park’s 520,000-acre boundary.

Since 1997, the ATBI has found 3,500 species new to the park, and more than 500 species previously unknown to scientist. First thought that 15 years would be required to complete the inventory, the project is ongoing and is having a positive impact on parks throughout the country, with over 57 national parks and 113 scenic areas currently conducting their own ATBI studies. This includes 15 state parks in Tennessee, who with the help of local colleges and high schools, have launched their own studies.

Located just off Cherokee Orchard Road in Gatlinburg, the building is expected to be completed in 2007, and it will be named the Twin Creeks Science and Education Center. Known as a “green” center, the building will have ultra low-flow plumbing fixtures along with waterless urinals. Special windows will reduce the need for artificial lighting and much of the building’s materials will come from recycled sources.

In 2005, Congress appropriated $3.9 million for the building project, but with escalating construction costs the final price tag turned out to be $4.4 million. The deficit was covered by the Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountains Association who each donated $285,000. The city of Gatlinburg helped defray the $300,000 sewer system costs by extending its own system to the building.

The finished building will include a working area for visiting scientists, offices for park staff, a chemical laboratory and climate controlled curatorial space for natural history specimens.

Louise Mandrell bids farewell to Pigeon Forge

2006-01-11T07:43:00.000-05:00

After an eight-year run in the theater that bears her name, entertainer Louise Mandrell announced in April she was selling the theater and leaving the county, citing her husband's debilitating illness. Mandrell, the last of the big-name entertainers to headline a theater here, closed out her run with two New Year's Eve performances.

Many in the community will miss her charity work, as she was a supporter of United Way, Friends of the Smokies, Boy Scouts, March of Dimes and the Dr. Robert Thomas Foundation at the hospital. After some time off back in Nashville, she's expected to star in a Broadway musical by next summer.

Business Booming at Interstates

2006-01-09T09:41:00.000-05:00

Both development directors at Knox County and Sevier County are hoping to come up with a large parcel of land at the juncture of both counties for use as a draw for industrial development.

"We're about out of industrial property at the interstate," said Allen Newton, executive director of the Sevier County Economic Development Council. "It's one of those things when you're looking for property, you need a lot."

Officials have been working together for about a year to find property for a joint industrial park near Interstate 40.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Tuesday that whatever industry the proposed park attracts, it would provide a lot of jobs for both neighboring counties.

"We think that could be a win-win situation," he said.

Knox County officials also believe such a partnership helps everybody involved.

"I think we have to look at things from a regional perspective," said Todd Napier, director of development for the Development Corporation of Knox County. "As less developable land becomes available in each of our counties, we have to look for land elsewhere."

Though a joint industrial park with another county would be a first for Sevier, local officials have already made significant progress over the past few years in promoting industrial land on their own. Three speculative buildings have been sold to diverse smaller-sized industries in the John L. Marshall Technology Park on Pittman Center Road.

While that program has been successful, "our future is going to be focused on the interstate," Waters said.

Competition with other areas for large industry is depending more on interstate accessibility, which Sevier and Knox counties share, according to Waters.

Bass Pro Shop Opening Wildly Successful

2006-01-09T09:39:00.000-05:00

It may have been the most anticipated business opening in Sevier County since Tanger Five Oaks. For months people driving the interstate saw this massive retail store go up across from Smokies baseball stadium. Not only did shoppers want to get inside, city of Sevierville officials couldn't wait either. The store is the cornerstone of the city's Central Business Improvement District (CBID), a state-backed commercial area that should mean millions for the city's coffers.

The store's opening day Nov. 29 attracted an estimated 12,000 people - record numbers for the chain. More than 23,000 visited the store on the ensuing Saturday. The store has a waterfall, a Starbucks and, soon, a seafood restaurant.

Bass Pro Shop is Open in Sevierville!

2005-12-01T09:40:00.000-05:00

More than 240 sales associates helped manager, Jim Osborne to ready the 135,000 square-foot super store for its first customer today, November 20, 2005. Inside the store the Starbuck’s coffee counter as well as the Tracker boat and ATV dealership have their own set of employees to train for the grand opening.

The store opened at 9 a.m. this morning with a host of celebrities scheduled during the Evening for Conservation, which will start at 6 this evening. NASCAR driver Kerry Earnhardt, fishermen Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Jason Quinn Wally Marshall and Tim Horton, and former University of Tennessee Titan football stars will be on hand.

Once the Evening for Conservation begins, 10 percent of all sales will go to the “More Fish” campaign of the National Fish Habitat Initiative.

The store is designed to look like a lodge, with a wood interior, and a mezzanine overlooking the main floor with a view of the large fireplace. A huge fresh water aquarium of 18,000 gallons and a 7,000 gallon trout stream will be featured here. In addition to the Starbucks counter, an Islamorada Fish restaurant is planned to open in the spring and it will feature a 13,000 gallon salt-water aquarium behind the bar.

Also on the first floor, customers will find fishing and marine goods, apparel, gifts, sunglasses, marine technology and the Tracker dealership. The mezzanine will house hunting supplies including bow
or gun, camping, footwear and a rifle arcade with 50 animated targets and a seminar room that can hold up to 20 people.

The intersection where the Bass Pro Shop is located is at exit 407 off Interstate 40, and to date there is something interesting going on at three corners of the intersection. The Smokies Baseball arena is across the street and the new Heritage Log Home display room and factory is also located here. This is the exit that most visitors who are coming to the Smokies will get off to go into Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and we will just hope that the alternate routes that are on the drawing board for the area will get completed quickly to aid the traffic tie-ups that are so prevalent here currently.

Cades Cove Loop Road Closed November 29-30!

2005-11-21T10:05:00.000-05:00

The hemlocks need additional treatment to kill the wooly adelgids, those Asian insects that have killed so many of the lovely trees in the Park. The 11 mile road around Cades Cove will be closed to all vehicular traffic, including bicycles but hikers will be allowed.

On November 30, only the western end of the Loop Road will be closed to vehicular traffic. Visitors will be detoured at Hyatt Lane (the second crossroad) and directed to cross the valley and exit. The detour will shorten the tour of the Cove to eight miles and will eliminate access to the Cades Cove Visitors Center and the Cable Mill area for the day. It will also affect the following trailheads: Abrams Falls, Cooper Road, Rabbit Creek, Wet Bottom Trails and the Gregory Ridge trailhead.

Large truck-mounted sprayers will treat the trees with an insecticidal soap/oil solution that has proved efficient in killing some of the pests. So make your plans accordingly and mark your calendars with the dates.

Wisconsin Developer Bringing the “Dells” to Sevierville

2005-11-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

My sister and I grew up in Michigan and spent wonderful summers at a cottage near Glen Arbor, Michigan on Glen Lake. They were long summers of low key, water sports and horseback-riding filled days and we relished the evenings spent with our parents in the family-oriented taverns surrounding Glen Lake. Great memories.

As my parents aged and their finances increased, northern Michigan summers were relinquished for summers spent in the more luxurious Long Lake Lodge in the Wisconsin Dells. The resemblance to our idyllic Michigan vacations ended with the landscape. The lodge was relaxed and comfortable with great food and wonderful water and pool facilities and the bar was as close as the nearest college student servers. It was definitely a step up for our family, and gave my sister and I a new perspective and a taste of sophistication as we contemplated college.

I say all this in anticipation of the new Wilderness Resort that was just announced for Sevierville. Pete Hellend, third-generation co-owner of the family owned Wisconsin enterprise that developed the indoor water park concept in the Dells, will break ground on the $100 million resort in May.

As per the Dells, the hotel and condos will feature rugged, mountain architecture, lots of stone and logs and water, water, water. It will be connected to Sevierville’s $182 Million Events Center on Route 66 coming in to Sevierville, near the Eagle’s Landing Golf Course and will feature restaurants, a shared court yard, coffee shops and retail, plus new roads and easier access. In addition a second resort hotel on 14 acres south of the first will showcase another 348 guest rooms and business center.

If this resort is as successful as the other Hellend projects in the Dells, Sevierville will have to work hard and fast to draw workers to the area for the needed employee base of 200, with an expected expansion of 1000 jobs. Pigeon Forge is already having trouble recruiting enough employees to staff the increased expansion there, so we’ll watch this project with interest closely………..I’ll also reflect back on my youth during its construction and hope the Resort will resonate with the same comfort and sophistication that I so enjoyed in the Dells of Wisconsin.

Main Street Marketplace and Riverwalk are Back on Drawing Boards!

2005-11-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

Building permits could be issued as early as next week for the proposed development in Pigeon Forge that has been delayed for months over a dispute with the Environmental Protection Agency. It seems that the retail, resort and entertainment complex did not obtain the necessary wetlands permit, and the EPA halted progress on the project until the developers had met all its demands.

The Riverwalk project is located on a 150 acre property bordered on south of Teaster Road and Jake Thomas Road, and it’s southern most border is lined by the Little Pigeon River. This property will contain Marketplace, a 270,000-square foot lifestyle center with a projected cost of $75 million. It will contain restaurants, retail establishments and a 12-screen movie complex. About two acres of this property contains the wetlands that were inadvertently damaged by a contractor during site prep work, and the lack of a permit drew the ire of the EPA. All is well now and work can once again commence.

On the north side of Teaster, across the street from Riverwalk, the Pigeon Forge Village is planned. This project is an estimated $525 million development on 110 acres. The plans here are for condos, a water park, retail shops, restaurants resort lodges and entertainment venues.

The two different projects will employ about 3,400 people and generate more than $40 million a year in annual tax revenues. It is an interesting fact that Pigeon Forge is home to 5,400 residences and already the various attractions, hotels, motels and resorts are having to “import” employees to staff their businesses!

T-Shirts Net Friends of the Smokies $70,000

2005-11-05T11:59:00.000-05:00

What a huge success the “Save the Hemlocks” tee shirts have been! The Great Smoky Mountain Association has sold over 6,000 of the short and long-sleeved shirts to date, and they are well on their way to meeting the $100,000 goal.

All the money go to the Friends of the Smokies and is used for the various hemlock projects like the successful nicotine spraying for hemlock predators and treatments with the special ageldid-eating beetles that were released in the park this year.

The shirts feature the art of Robert Tino, one of our most famous Smokies artists, and they can still be purchased. To order yours, call 1-888-898-9102 or visit www.SmokiesStore.org.

Twin Creeks Science Center to Be A Reality

2005-11-03T13:30:00.000-05:00

Because of the invaluable assistance of both the Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountain Association, the long delayed Science Center has finally been slated for construction late this year or early in 2006. Each of the organizations above raised $285,000 to make the center possible. It will be built in the Park not far from Gatlinburg.

The new space will be the catalyst for the Park’s large natural history collection, with many items scattered in different resting places. Now all the items can be put on display at the Science Center. There will also be facilities for the flora and fauna collections to be properly stored and exhibited and the specimens will be available to visiting researchers and scientists.

There will also be offices for park scientists, short term work space for visiting researchers, a 1,000 square foot education room for seminars and impromptu programs, a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) data room, a map room with enough space to spread out and use the maps, wet labs and an “aquaria” room to raise insect larva and for other aquatic research.

“Moose Catches Horse Chased by Elk”

2005-10-27T09:46:00.000-05:00

A humorous article appeared in the latest issue of Bearpaw, the quarterly magazine put out by the Great Smoky Mountain Association and I have quoted the title of the article in toto.

It seems that a North Carolina rancher lends two of his horses, Bill and Rocky, to the Mountain Farm at Oconaluftee for demonstrations each year. Twice early this spring handlers found the corrall fence broken and one of the horses out in an adjacent field. Elk tracks were also noted. The second time it happened, quite a struggle was waged to recapture one of the horses and get him back.

Evidently, Elk #22 lost two of his elk friends, one having died and the other wandered off. Elk are gregarious animals and #22 was lonely, having visited with cows earlier in the year before being relocated within the park. This time old #22 jumped the fence into Bill and Rocky’s field and spooked old Rocky who ran through the fence and took off, galloping down US highway 441 toward Cherokee! That’s when a moose got involved…….Ranger Jay Moose, that is. He grabbed some apples and headed off after Rocky. The Ranger found Rocky’s tracks in the snow and #22’s tracks were in hot pursuit! Somewhat farther along, Ranger Moose noted the elk’s tracks veered off, and very soon he caught up with Rocky, still trotting and determined to put distance between himself and the lonely elk.

Finally the apples did their trick and the horse let himself be caught and walked back to the ranch, some 4 miles back down 441. Both horses have been sent to their owner’s ranch for a break and they will be returned later this fall. Good story!

Science-Based “WonderWorks” Coming to Pigeon Forge

2005-10-24T11:27:00.000-05:00

Two of the Smokies most generous benefactors, Earl and Margit Worsham have announced their major investment in an Orlando based theme company called WonderWorks. The closed Music Mansion property will undergo a transformation into the upside-down look of the new property within the next few months.

The Dollywood property was officially sold to WonderWorks for $7.25 million and construction of another $7 million will go into the 70 foot tall building. This location will mark the second of four expansions planned by the owners of the WonderWorks company, and the Smoky Mountains are expected to exceed the popularity of the Orlando based enterprise. The Orlando business has had over seven years of success and Worsham said, “We know that its potential for success in Tennessee will far exceed the Florida venue. In our visits to similar science-based facilities around the world, we found that WonderWorks was equal to or better than any we have seen.”

Sande Weiss, the former GM of Louise Mandrell’s theatre was hired to become vice president over the new company, and she expressed pleasure at being considered for the project. She said, “I’m honored and very excited about this unique project. I remember when I flew to Orlando to preview the property. My imagination ran wild about how successful WonderWorks would be and how a unique attraction such as this was needed in Pigeon Forge. I’d never seen anything so visually extraordinary, targeted for family fun and yet educational. It has elements for everyone.”

There will be a state of the art theatre within the facility that will seat 300 people for dinner, which will include an outrageously funny show. The size of the structure will be over 45,000 square feet, and they expect to hire over 100 people for the spring ’06 opening.

Another New Cabin Resort in Wears Valley

2005-10-17T11:43:00.000-05:00

In the aftermath of the horrendous Katrina hurricane that wiped out so many coastal cities, everyone has become more conscious of ways to prevent damage to the places they love. This is certainly true of those of us who love the Smoky Mountains and the surrounding foothills that are being scraped of foliage and trees and planted with one cabin after another.

Now we’ve learned that another developer from out of state has taken a ridge line and cleared it of trees for a cabin development called the Preserve Resort, and we are struck by the irony of that name when no regards are being given to the old stand timber along some of the ridges. We’ve posted other blogs about the over-building of cabins in the area and we’ve hated to see the damage that has been done to Wears Valley……….one of the most beautiful, scenic valleys in the Smokies and one of the least developed, until now.

Two years ago, our campground clients experienced the best year they’ve ever had here, and at the same time we were hearing from cabin businesses that their numbers were down. We worried then about the number of cabins being built and felt that maybe a saturation point was being met. But since then, around 400 more cabins have been built and the Preserve Resort is just the latest.

However, as much as we want to carp and complain about the scarred hillsides, we do have to send kudos to the developers of this resort for doing something that our Sevier County Commissioners should be demanding of all new developments. They are adding built in fire protection to each cabin.

Legacy Homes, a Montgomery, Alabama based business, will be adding 12,000 gallon water storage tanks underneath each of the cabins as they are built in the Preserve Resort. It is well known that the local fire department can only fight a fire with the water that is in their tanker truck, and that would not be sufficient in case of a serious blaze. The fire department is furnishing technical help to Legacy about the specific valves to be used in the water storage tanks.

So thank you, Dale Noland, CEO of Legacy Homes, for volunteering this safe guard for the community. Now we wonder when the county commission is going to get up to speed and implement new zoning laws that require all new mountainside developments to add the storage tanks to their cabins? Subdivisions are required to have fire hydrants, but cabin developments have no regulations in place to protect them or the mountains from which they derive their income.

Lee Greenwood Theater Will See New Life

2005-10-13T10:47:00.000-05:00

We’ve never understood the ill fate of the lovely Lee Greenwood Theater along with the restaurant and retail complex formerly known as the Maplewood Farm Shops complex that was opened in 1996 in Sevierville and closed in 2000. We ate at the gorgeous restaurant with awesome views atop the bluff overlooking the French Broad River, and while the restaurant was never a sell out, the food was good enough. But word has come out today that a church and a developer have purchased the 57 acres of land and buildings and we feel like raising three cheers!

The Knoxville News Sentinel announced that Blue Ridge Development and the new Hope Church of Sevierville have purchased the complex for $13.5 million, with Blue Ridge taking the 30,000 square foot retail center and 25 acres of land, and the Church taking the 1,776-seat theater for future sanctuary and office space, and the restaurant for a conference center.

There is a lot of undeveloped land included in the purchase and Pastor Tom Sterbens’ plans include the construction of a home for unwed mothers, a drug rehabilitation center and a retreat for visiting ministers here. On the other hand, Blue Ridge principal, Don Barnett plans to build condos on the awesome bluff, and his plans may also include a Christian Superstore in the retail space that is available. It sounds like a win-win situation for the bank that held the foreclosed properties and the two entities that have interesting plans to refurbish the properties. We’ll watch the progress with great interest and new hope!

Pot-Bellied Pigs Killed by Bears

2005-10-10T11:09:00.000-05:00

It seems awfully early for bears to be coming off the mountains in search of food, but one or more bears found three pot-bellied pigs on a farm in Friendsville, located fairly close to the Smokies. The pigs were killed and eaten over a two-day period on the farm of Blount County Commissioner David Graham.

Wildlife officers are certain they were attacked by bears since the carcasses had deep scar wounds from a bear’s powerful claws. One pig that was wounded in the first attack was attacked again the next day and succumbed to the injuries. The pigs each weighed about 300 pounds.

If the mast and forage in the mountains is in short supply, it could be a long winter for the area farmers and care should be taken to protect cattle and horses and obviously, pot-bellied pigs. On second thought, I guess all livestock could be imperiled if the bears are hungry.

Bass Pro Shop Superstore to open November in Sevierville

2005-10-07T11:17:00.000-05:00

What great news this is! The huge 135,000 square foot superstore is 65% complete and this week the local Job Fair saw over 1,000 applicants sign up for jobs! There are still 240 full time and part time positions open and they encourage anyone with retail experience or training experience to apply. Although the Grand Opening is set for November 15, the actual opening will occur in October.

The store will feature a 25,000 gallon aquarium and a 3 story waterfall. When completed it will also feature an Isla Morada Seafood Restaurant and “ultimately, we’ll probably have a Starbucks Coffee bar on the inside, too,” said General Manager Jim Osborne, who has been with the business for six year.

The company is very community oriented and Osborne said, “we have a lot of donation requests that we get on a regular basis. We try to hit as many as we can, our focus being on conservation and youth.”

In fact, on November 16, the store will hold an Evening for Conservation event and we can expect to see this type of responsible public event very often. Welcome to Sevierville Bass, we’re very happy to have you here!

Lee Greenwood Theater Will See New Life

2005-09-30T11:46:00.000-05:00

Heritage Log Homes Consolidates and Expands in Sevierville

2005-09-27T09:16:00.000-05:00

After completing 32 successful years in Sevier County, the Heritage Log Home facility will finally open a new, centralized location on the interstate, right across from the new Bass Pro Shops Superstore, and close to its model home on Route 66, the famous Exit 407 going into Sevierville.

The new 70,000 square foot facility will open in the new Smith-Thomas Technology Park, and CEO Bill Parsons said, “This is going to be so much more efficient,” having the administrative offices, mill and production facilities all under one roof.

President of Heritage Log Homes, Mike Magill said the new location will allow them to grow at a faster pace. Last year they set a new production record and they expect to top it again this year. Magill said the log home market has matured and more people realize that log homes are not just a trend, but more a home with a more comfortable feel than brick or other exteriors.

“We really don’t sell log homes,” said Magill. “We sell an opportunity to live a particular lifestyle.”

Heritage has separated itself from competitors in quality, technique and marketing, he said. The company holds several patents for new homebuilding technology.

And we always love to hear how important a good employee base is to the success of a business. Magill said, “The most important heritage we have is our employees. There’s not enough I can say about the team of 85 that represents Heritage.

1783 Fort in Kodak Being Rebuilt!

2005-09-24T09:50:00.000-05:00

An archeological dig began in Sevier County in July and Arthur Bohanan, President of the Hugh Henry Station Foundation, is actively helping. Bohanan, the youngest of 11 children, grew up in the mountains with no electricity and he can trace his local roots back to 1790.

Bohanan, a former Knoxville Police Department crime lab specialist, retired from law enforcement in 2001, and has gotten interested in geneology which meshes nicely with his interest in excavating the old Sevier County fort, called Hugh Henry Station after a Major who had a house on the creek on Dumplin Road.

The work will continue through September and volunteers are welcome to help the University of Tennessee archeology department. They estimate the dig will take up to five years and will cost about $2 million.

This summer Bohanan and his granddaughters were sifting through dirt by the chimney base they found, when they found a 1735 Spanish coin, a prehistoric flint, pottery shards, homemade nails and a porcelain doll’s head estimated to be more than 200 years old. They also found a baby spoon. You’re welcome to join the fun from 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

In October, horse teams will appear on site, and the rebuilding of the fort will begin with horses dragging the logs in place. Plans are to open the fort to tourists in the spring of 2006. Eventually the site will include a pioneer and Cherokee village, farmstead, visitor center and museum with picnic tables and a walking trail along the old Great Indian War and Trade Path, which extended 1,100 miles from Alabama to Pennsylvania.

Other Harvest Festival celebrations include:

September 15-17: Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival:
September 16-17: Faith Trio at the Sevier Country Fairgrounds:
September 29-October 1: Circle Your Wagons at the Fairgrounds:
October 6-7: Spurrin’ “S” Rodeo at the Fairgrounds:
October 7-10: Columbus Day Sidewalk Sales at Tanger Oaks:
October 21-29: Fourth Annual Fall Festival at Quincy Farms:
October 27-30: Sons of the Revolution re-enactiment of the 1780
Battle of Boyd’s Creek at Major Hugh Henry’s Estate at Henry’s Station in Kodak

A New $14M Gatlinburg Development Begins!

2005-09-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

Teresa and Andy MacKinnon have owned the well-known and respected Lineberger’s Seafood restaurant on the Parkway in Gatlinburg for over 17 of its 40 years, and today at a groundbreaking ceremony adjacent to the existing restaurant, they announced extensive plans for a new Linberger’s Plaza that will incorporate over 20,000 square feet of space.

The Plaza will include an enlargement of the current restaurant, which is not expected to close during the extensive renovation. Plans also include development of over 2.5 acres where a motel was razed to incorporate over 15 to 20 shops that are in the works. The complex will front on both the Parkway and the River Road and will also include a replica of the Mount Cammerer Fire Tower located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The MacKinnon’s purchased the motel property about a year ago and tore down the motel to move the project forward. “This has always been a dream of ours,” MacKinnon said.

We certainly wish them well and welcome the addition of a new plaza to the city. With the changes to the convention center and some new construction throughout Gatlinburg, we are seeing some of the older shops and motels disappear and new businesses with a new look come into the town. It is fun for the locals to drive through Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and even Townsend and Wears Valley to see all the spruced up and new businesses. Come see for yourselves!

New Attractions in Pigeon Forge

2005-09-20T10:31:00.000-05:00

If it has been a couple of years since you visited the Smokies, you will be delighted at the number of changes that have come to town. New restaurants, music theaters, quality condos, shops and attractions abound.

Johnny Carino’s and Bullfish Grill went up alongside each other very close to the new Fiddler’s Feast music theater. Carino’s is an Italian restaurant, Bullfish is all American steaks and chops and the Fiddlers Feast offers supper along with musical entertainment. The Fiddler’s Feast joins Dixie Stampede, Black Bear Jamboree, the Showplace Dinner Theater, the Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery Show and a musical performer at the Private Eye Grille who plays 30 different instruments.

Beer and Wine is now available in the restaurants and other new chain favorites include Red Lobster, the Olive Garden, TGI Fridays, Mandarin House, plus locally owned favorites like Calhoun’s, Connors and the Smoky Mountain Brewery.

This fall Jurassic Jungle Boat Rides expects to open on the Parkway. It is described as a “massive indoor special-effects thrill ride” with boats traversing waters filled with dinosaurs, snakes, volcanoes and waterfalls.

Last fall, Boyd’s Bear Country opened with a huge red barn full of bears, and it has already logged in over 1 million visitors. “We’re off to a good start, and the reaction from guests has been great,” said Will Edwards, store manager. The huge building encompasses 120,000 square feet and houses over 60,000 bears and in October a month-long Halloween event is planned.

There will be daily scavenger hunts in-store as well as other trick or treat specials and the on-going “Breakfast with the Bears”, is featured daily except Sunday. Appearances by costumed Boyd’s Bear characters is held during the Buffet from 9 am to 11 am daily. On Sundays a special “Sunday Country Brunch” featuring prime rib and all the fixings plus entertainment is very popular.

Coming on September 23, the Pigeon Forge Bear store will host its first big collector’s event, in which collectors get a private peak at the 2006 product line. Approximately 500 collectors are expected to attend the reservation-only event.

Among the theaters running full day schedules this fall are: the Smith Family Theater, Country Tonite, Old Smoky Hoedown, Smoky Mountain Jubilee, Memories, American Jukebox Theater and the Comedy Barn.

Morning shows include the Blackwoods performing at the Black Bear Jamboree, Triumphant Quarter at the Louise Mandrell Theater (which is in its last season), and Terry Evanswood’s Grand Illusion (Magic show) at Country Tonite Theater.

Plus remember its almost October and Pigeon Forge businesses are gearing up for another competition during the Harvest Festival….bragging rights for the most audacious, eye-popping displays of scarecrows, pumpkins, gold, orange and purple asters, hay bales, corn shucks and did we say pumpkins? About 40 businesses compete with elaborate decorations and it is truly a wondrous thing to see. Plan a visit this fall!

Here Comes the Gatlinburg Craftmen’s Fair

2005-09-19T11:44:00.000-05:00

Without doubt, autumn is the very best time to visit the Smoky Mountains. Just ask any native when they take the time to go up and enjoy the weather and the events. It is always the same answer…….in the fall. There is so much to do here in the fall and the temperatures are mild, the colors start to change and the fabulous Craftmen’s Fair comes to life.

Any time of the year the 8 mile loop that comprises the Great Smoky Mountain Arts and Crafts community is alive with activity. It is located on the northeast side of Gatlinburg and it is the ONLY zoned crafts community in the United States. Daily live demonstrations of candy making, wood working, quilting, broom-making and pottery throwing are just a few of the activities that go on.

In downtown Gatlinburg, on Thursday September 22, thirty of Gatlinburg’s finest restaurants will serve menu favorites for a United Way fund-raiser at the Taste of Autumn Benefit at the Convention Center. Following that, the Gatlinburg’s Craftmen’s Fair becomes the focal point of 180 craftspeople from all over the United States. They arrive at the Convention Center October 6-23. The Fair will also feature live country music and bluegrass entertainment daily.

So mark your calendars and bring the car with the biggest trunk. If you can’t find a Christmas gift for everyone on your list, you need new specs. I have never been to the Fair without finding treasures for everyone. Enjoy!

Annual Robert Tino Homecoming

2005-09-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

The Annual Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival begins in October and will feature Sevierville artist Robert Tino. His Gallery, located on the family’s 350 acre farm just off Route 66 on Douglas Dam Road will host two days of festivities on October 1 and 2.

The festivities will begin at 10 am daily and go to 5 pm. Mountain craft demonstrations, storytelling, bluegrass music, stilt walking, pumpkin carving and art and food will be in abundance. Tino, a favorite son and established artist in the Smokies will also autograph 500 of his limited edition prints for sale at the Homecoming.

“Reasons to Remember” is available for $130 and it depicts a swinging bridge crossing the Pigeon River with a father and two children fishing on the bank. Tino says, “the title comes from things that mean a lot to me – being able to spend time with my kids.”

His children, 6 year old Chloe Beth and 8 year old Riley, were the models for the watercolor along with a fisherman of whom Tino had snapped a photo. Asked if he and the children do fish together, Tino responded with a laugh and said, “I paint a lot of things that I don’t have anything to do with. And fishing’s one of them.”

A companion piece to Reasons, called “Follow the Leader” will be sold as a package with the first print for a special price of $190. It shows five children lined up crossing a log over a creek. Chloe and Riley and two cousins and a friend are featured in this print. “It’s a happy painting,” said Tino.

Last year Robert and his wife, Mary John hosted over 2000 visitors, many of whom went home and brought back chairs so they could relax and watch the day long festivities. Don’t forget yours either! For more info call 865-453-6315 or toll free 1-800-675-6961.

The Volunteer Spirit’s Alive and Well

2005-09-13T11:03:00.000-05:00

We posted a blog about 5 days ago concerning the incredible generosity of the Fee/Headrick Entertainment Group headed up by David Fee. This Group owns The Comedy Barn Theater, the Black Bear Dinner Theater and they just purchased the Louise Mandrell Theater with plans for a Christian/Gospel type show here. These are very successful people, and they are hugely philanthropic. Last week they were among the first to also donate $10,000 to the Red Cross.

The first blog we posted was about Fee’s welcoming response to some of the victims of Katrina who showed up at the Comedy Barn last week. After speaking with them, David arranged for cabin accommodations and gave them free tickets to his theaters’ shows for the remainder of the week. But, as Fee heard the stories and the desperation of people trying to rent vehicles to go back and rescue family, he realized he had become a catalyst for the survivors, and his first volley of generosity was upped to extraordinary proportions.

He bought a large, refrigerated truck, and then with employees and community support loaded it with supplies and headed south. They arrived in Metairie. Louisiana and provided the first bottled water and other supplies the survivors had seen. At FEMA’s request, he then brought back 12 people who had lost their homes, and they even rescued one of the group’s dogs who had been stranded for 6 days without food or water.

They returned to the Comedy Barn with a police escort and Sevier County Ambulances immediately took some of the group to area hospitals to receive the first medical care since the storm. One more trip to deposit other survivors with extended family was made to New York and we’re sure the Fee mission isn’t over yet. They have gone the extra mile to extend support, supplies and a soft place to fall for so many people who are trying to forget the tragedy and horror of the storm. Our kudos to you all!

Workers Needed in Sevier County

2005-09-08T10:13:00.000-05:00

Retailers and restaurant owners in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville are bemoaning the lack of employees available to fill jobs in the area. It seems that there are many more jobs available than people to work them and some of the new restaurants are making do with less staff than they would normally have.

New in just Pigeon Forge are the Fiddler’s Feast dinner theatre, Bullfish Grill, Connors, The Chop House, Johnny Carino’s, the Olive Garden, Red Lobster and the Smoky Mountain Brewery. Bob McManus, owner of the Bullfish Grill would normally hire 120 employees to staff his restaurant, but he has just 88 employees. Interestingly, I ran a Knoxville News Sentinel review earlier about Bullfish, and it gave the restaurant rave reviews for the wonderful service, so even though McManus would like to hire more employees, he is obviously doing a good job with the staff he has.

Now with the gas prices escalating beyond belief, the struggle to attract new workers is going to be harder than ever. The same owner of Bullfish, Bob McManus, is looking to the future and partnering with others to build affordable apartments along a stretch of Dollywood Lane. The new buildings would have a common area with a kitchen that renters would share, with individual bedrooms to keep costs down. They hope to have them open by next year and we will follow this development as it goes forward.

On another front, I am glad that there are some quality new restaurants coming into the area and I hope that the beleaguered former employees of Lin Tibbett’s Open Hearth will find new employers who will treat them with the respect they deserve. It seems after years of owning a number of Waffle Houses and the well-known Open Hearth restaurant, Mr. Tibbett’s just shut the doors and turned his back on employees, many of whom were unpaid. Thank goodness that the area is seeking more people. We hope these employees will find jobs easily and will be appreciated for the hard work they perform.

A Nice Review of the Bullfish Grill

2005-09-06T08:27:00.000-05:00

We haven’t had a chance to visit the group of new restaurants in Pigeon Forge that have appeared this summer on the Parkway, so it was with interest that I read a review in the Knoxville News Sentinel this morning.

Written by a newspaper staffer who calls himself the Grub Scout, the article first focused on the feeling of déjà vu that came over the Grub Scout as he entered the facility. The place felt familiar to him and he remarked that the signage, the menu and the décor all reminded him of restaurants owned by the Connor Concept Group and the Park Grill in Gatlinburg. That’s not a bad comparison at all as all of the restaurants that compare to the Bullfish Grill are comfortable, classy places themselves, and I know that I would enjoy dining in this new restaurant too.

The atmosphere received four and a half stars out of five, as did the service, which was called “outstanding” from the moment the hostess greeted them. The “service team” of waiters, bus staff and management kept the table neat and made the Grub Scout and his wife most comfortable and they were welcomed with a courtesy visit from the management, which the reviewer always seems to like. The rating for the food was just a half star lower and while it too seems to mimic the Connor restaurant chains, that is NOT a bad thing.

The fried green tomatoes are a favorite appetizer of mine at Connor’s where they are served atop the most tasty grits imaginable. The appetizer fills me up and I learned that at Bullfish’s, the serving is even more plentiful……..they came on a platter and were adorned with dollops of goat cheese! Somehow the reviewer and his wife were able to tear themselves away from the platter without ruining their appetites.

A 20 oz. Kansas City Strip was grilled and seasoned to perfection and it was served with a side of cheese grits and a Caesar salad. The wife ordered swordfish napped with a tangy tomato and citrus sauce with a side of sugar snap peas and a house salad. Once again, the entrees were abandoned to save room for the dessert, which was a luscious sounding, sweet-tart, two-layer key lime pie. Yum!

Bullfish Grill scored a 95 on its Department of Health inspection, and there is a smoking section and a non-smoking section, with beer and wine service available. We welcome the restaurant to the Smokies and will visit just as soon as we can.

Knox County Sends Helicopter Crews to New Orleans

2005-09-03T09:54:00.000-05:00

Sheriff Tim Hutchison and 8 deputy officers plus three helicopters headed down to New Orleans to assist FEMA with search and rescue work in the devastated area struck by hurricane Katrina. The KCSO aviation contingent was specifically requested by New Orleans officials.

Neither Hutchison nor Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale knew how long they would remain in Louisiana, but they expect most of the costs will be borne by FEMA. Hutchison said that New Orleans is “essentially isolated, like an island, and that’s why they need helicopters.” The road in and out of New Orleans across Lake Ponchartrain was destroyed by the storm making it more difficult for rescuers and relief vans to get into the area.

The heroes are many: helicopters and crews have worked non-stop as long as daylight exists, and we are in awe of their abilities, perseverance and dedication to the victims. They have plucked over 1400 survivors from the devastated towns without incident. Kudos too, to the shrimp boaters who have rescued over 3,000 people.

May God extend His mercy to all the victims and all the heroes and bring the misery and suffering to an end.

Katrina Hurricane Victims in Town

2005-08-31T11:00:00.000-05:00

Some of the evacuees from the horrendous hurricane Katrina in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia made their way to the Smokies this week and we’ve been gratified to learn of the generosity and philanthropy of some of the cabin businesses, restaurants, motels and comedy theatres in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

In particular, we want to mention David Fee, one of the owner’s of the Comedy Barn Theater in Pigeon Forge. Known locally as a great place to work, the theater owner’s gifted their employees with huge bonuses at Christmas time, and they are always among the first to come forward with aid when they see help is needed. So it wasn’t a surprise that their theater made the news again when they hosted a number of families who fled from Katrina and came here for solace and safety.

David Fee announced that a check for $10,000 was on its way to the Red Cross, and he extended free access to the theater to any resident of the storm if they show a driver’s license. The Free ticket offer is open until September 12th.

Fee said, “So many evacuees were in our theaters last night that after talking to them, we decided that we had to do something to help. Two families in particular came to our show last night after driving all day from New Orleans. They believed that they had lost everything and decided that they needed a laugh so they came to The Comedy Barn Theater.” Fee put them up in a chalet and provided them with theater tickets for an entire week.

“The Comedy Barn Theater is all about laughter, and it is a unique gift we can give to people in pain,” Fee said. We certainly agree with that and commend Fee for extending his hand to these families and for the theater’s continuing generosity.

More Development on Cove Mountain Denied!

2005-08-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

It is with relief that we add our applause to the large audience that waited at the courthouse in Sevierville to learn whether the County Commissioners would allow the addition of yet more development along Wears Valley. Cove Mountain is the area’s largest and most visible peak encompassing 942 acres and developers wanted to add 61 lots to 89 acres of it. The vote was NO and the residents in the area approved with thunderous applause.

We’ve been concerned for the last three years about the amount of construction of cabins in the whole area of Pigeon Forge and Wears Valley and the destruction it has brought to the mountains. Pollution from sediment has affected the streams and ground water to say nothing of the loss of timber and the resultant gouges made to the sides of the mountains.

Just the other day I was driving on the back roads (Bird’s Creek Road) coming from the Glades Road Arts and Crafts community of Gatlinburg and going towards Upper Middle Creek (the road on which the main entrance of Dollywood sits) when I looked over to my left and saw a whole mountain had been zig zagged to the top with roads and denuded of trees in preparation of more construction of cabins. When is the area going to be overbuilt? Is it already overbuilt?

Two years ago, I saw an alarming set of numbers suddenly appear on a former web site I worked for which had a large number of cabin clients as well as campground clients. For the first time in the website’s 8 year history, the campgrounds numbers surged past the cabin numbers, and the cabin numbers dropped off. It was the best year our campground clients had ever had and we felt it might be the signal pointing to over construction of cabins in the area. I also took calls from the Knoxville News Sentinel asking pointed questions about the industry and I deflected them as best I could, all the time wondering if the death knell for the cabin industry was echoing through the mountains already.

But that was two years ago and the construction still goes on unabated. I can only trust that the commissioners will be as vigilant as they can be to assure any further developers submit very clear plans about what they are building so good decisions can be made about the construction. And too, we hope the residents never give up their rights to hear, learn, veto or applaud what is planned for their neighborhoods.

Bald Eagles Build Nest in Seven Islands Area of Knoxville

2005-08-09T10:28:00.000-05:00

A very interesting story appeared in today’s Knoxville News Sentinel about a pair of eagles raising two eaglets this spring high above the waters of the French Broad River in the Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge of Knox County. The public park is a first-class research and educational facility for the benefit of wildlife, and this is the first time eagles have been known to nest here.

Eagle’s nests are the largest nests built by any bird. They use sticks from the ground or from broken tree limbs to construct the huge things and the construction can take from a few days to months. They are enlarged each year they are used and they typically can be as large as 5 to 7 feet is diameter and 3 to 4 feet tall. The largest on record was 9 feet in diameter and 20 feet tall. The oldest at 34 years was estimated to weigh over 2,000 pounds!

Linda Claussen, whose family gave part of the land for the refuge, discovered eagles carrying sticks to enlarge a nest in the spring of 2004. She also saw a pair in the throes of courtship with the aerial tumbling and foot grasping they are known for. But no eaglets appeared until this past spring, so she assumes that the pair were immature and not the 4 to 6 years of age it takes before they are capable of reproducing.

Since April, when the eaglets were discovered at the refuge, they have grown out of the nest and have been seen flying up and down the river with their parents and no new pair of courting eagles has approached the nest. Obviously the refuge hopes the nest will be used again and that Knox County will grow more familiar with the birds.

Now That’s Hot!

2005-08-03T10:14:00.000-05:00

No one will argue about the summer of ’05 being hotter than normal, but some will argue about whether they have the hottest job in the world.

Roofers and street pavers surely rank up at the top of the all time hottest jobs this year and two others swell those ranks as well……..being the engineer/fireman and his assistant on Dollywood’s Express train.

It get up to 2,800 degrees inside the boiler of the coal-fired Express, but that doesn’t stop Scott Ogle or Dirk Chandler as they shovel mounds of coal in the furnace during a regular 30 minute outing. Beads of sweat run down their smiling faces as Ogle and Chandler wave to the Dollywood visitors and blow the train’s whistle in passing.

Ogle has worked on the train for the past 17 years, working some 13 hour days. Chandler now 24, was just an 11 year old boy the first time he stood behind the gate and stared at the train. It was also the first time he met Scott Ogle and they have now worked happily together for years, in a labor of love for the Express.

String Time in the Smokies

2005-08-01T11:12:00.000-05:00

A two-day FREE Bluegrass festival will be held in Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge from 1 pm to 7 pm August 6th and 7th. Sponsored by radio station WDVX and the city of Pigeon Forge, the Saturday show will feature a number of performers including the Burson Family, Shadow Ridge, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Greenbrier and the Grascals. Sunday’s show will highlight Paul Williams and the Victory Trio, Melonie Cannon, the Tony Rice Unit and the Del McCoury Band.

More information can be obtained from the Pigeon Forge Special Events Office at 865-429-7350.

New Pigeon Forge Visitor Center

2005-07-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

Dolly’s image and voice appear on the large flat screen television on the wall of the visitor center, and she urges you to see what is happening in Pigeon Forge today. Just step into the 34-seat theater and the doors close automatically behind you as the screen comes to life.

The theater displays well-programmed presentations of mountain scenery, shopping malls, Dollywood, rollicking shows and Christmas lights, along with the latest attractions, shops and restaurants that make up this very busy foothills town. It gives visitors a quick, thorough overview about what is available in the area.

Kay Powell, Assistant Director of the Department of Tourism for Pigeon Forge, said, ‘It’s magic. A lot of times, people don’t know what they want,” and the presentations make them “ask more questions.” She is seeing larger numbers of vacationers visit the area more frequently for shorter periods of time. It is not unheard of for groups of people to come here 6 times during the year. Powell said, “some people even come nine times a year”, and we need “to show them what’s new.”

The new, $100,000 system allows for easy additions or deletions to be made to the presentation, and as Rouser Company GM, Martin Rouser added, “the program allows audio and video files in any format, including high-definition video, to be easily dragged and dropped into sequence.” It’s “much easier than with conventional methods of presentation,” he said. “It’s extremely flexible.”

Great News for the Park’s Gorgeous Hemlock Trees

2005-07-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

Finally, the park managers are getting results from one of the many different treatments they have tried on old growth and new growth hemlock forests in the Smokies that have been decimated by the woolly adelgid.

Two and a half years ago, park personnel treated the trees with a nicotine-based insecticide which was injected into the soil or directly into the tree if located close to water. Tom Remaley, forester with the Smokies, said recent lab test revealed traces of the chemical are still present in the needles of the treated trees, and he added, “the important thing is that the treated hemlocks were green and had new growth. They stood out in stark contrast to the untreated hemlocks, which had gray, transparent crowns.”

The woolly adelgid is just one of many pests that have killed more than 90 percent of the park’s Frasier firs between 1960s and 1990. Soap sprays and tiny predator beetles that feed on the woolly adelgid have also been used to combat the damage done by the destructive pests, but the results are not in as to their effectiveness yet.

Park crews have now treated all the hemlocks in the front-country campground and developed areas, and they have expanded their efforts to include hemlocks in old-growth areas like Albright Grove and Cataloochee. The hemlocks grown along streams and provide shade for fish and water animals during the summer. The Smokies contain almost 90,000 acres of forest where hemlocks make up 4,950 acres of pure hemlock forests and 800 acres of old-growth hemlocks that are at least 150 years old.

The magnitude of the effort to rid the park of the woolly little pests is best imagined with a drive through the park on a lovely day. The huge number of hemlocks and firs contained in the park is mind boggling when viewed from the roadside, and the number of hiking miles to get to them all has to be astronomical. The park managers and personnel have to be congratulated on a job well done, for the loss of just one of the gorgeous hemlocks is a tragedy to lovers of the Smokies.

Tuckaleechee Caverns Adds New Seismic Attraction

2005-07-21T13:20:00.000-05:00

In collaboration with TVA and the University of Tennessee, the Vananda family of Townsend, Tennessee, owner’s of the world famous Tuckaleechee Caverns, are adding a monitor for earthquakes and nuclear blasts as part of the international Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization verification program.

The seismometer is about the size of a large bucket and it transmits information via a cable to a console center located in the welcome center for the Tuckaleechee Caverns. Visitors can watch the earth’s movements on a monitor. This is the second monitor placed inside the caverns. The first one stopped functioning several years ago.

The equipment is sensitive enough to detect an earthquake in California of a magnitude of 0.5 or greater. The data ends up being sent to TVA and then on to Vienna, Austria where the center for the Test Ban Treaty Organization is located.

Abrams Creek - Best Kept Secret to Great Fishing

2005-07-20T08:28:00.000-05:00

Many hikers and visitors to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park are familiar with the Abrams Creek area before it goes over Abrams Falls and drops downhill past Abrams Campground almost 500 feet and 7 miles to the Chilhowee Lake. That 7 mile stretch is isolated and hard to reach and usually too shallow to traverse easily in a canoe without having to drag it long distances over slippery, moss-covered rocks and trees. Ah ha, the reason then is obvious as to why the secret of good fishing here has been divulged at last. Very few float, fish and camp afionados are comfortable with the added verb "drag" being thrown into their day of relaxation, and we now know it takes a special breed of sportsman to attempt this 7 mile drop to Chilhowee Lake.

Gerry Dickens, son Zack and friends Billy Fly and Bob Hodge, are the avid fisherman/sportsmen/athletes who are willing to take the chances, watch the weather and keep their fingers crossed for a good spate of rain. They also have the patience to wait for the murky creek to settle before using the skills and energy needed to traverse the downed trees and mossy covered rocks in the creek, and to lug the canoes when they reach a dry patch.They also have a better than normal chance of finding the pools of fish along the creek. The water here is too warm for trout, but the small mouth bass and redeye bass catches can be awesome. For instance, in just two days of intermittent fishing, three of the guys pulled out over 150 over-the-size-limit small mouth using a white tube jig with one-sixteenth-ounce heads. I said three guys because Bob Hodge, who also writes for the News Sentinel, was supposed to go along on the trip but ran late and told the three to go on ahead of him. He would "catch up" to them as soon as he could.

After reading Bob's article in the Sunday section of the Sentinel, it makes me wonder if he had ever traveled the same footage required of his "catch up", as it was a harrowing trip even without having to drag along a canoe. He met a poisonous Copperhead on top of one of the rocks and a northern water snake who "thinks they are" poisonous as well, and he had to keep picking himself up after a continuous series of walk-slip-falls, walk-slip-falls, etc. He admits to coming very well equipped with plenty of food in case something went wrong. "I had a compass, first aid kit, two flashlights with extra batteries, a sleeping bag and my best I'm lost-an-over-here whistle. I also had my backpack, fishing rod, a micro tackle box and a pair of exstra shoes. Unfortunately, I also brought along my 44 year old legs," Bob said with a chuckle. I guess this accounts for the walk-slip-falls portion of his ordeal.

Anyway, he was constantly in and out of the water, trying to push through thick rhododendron which didn't work and back into the water to slide some more. He continues, "it was while I was crawling over a big pine that my hand slipped...and when I looked at my pinky it was pointing in three directions, the skin was twisted and it was already swelling."

After continuing another 150 yards, Bob realized he was staring trouble in the face and he turned back retracing "my steps to the car. I didn't even wet a hook."

The doctor deadened his hand so he could pop my finger back into place. "My pinky was dislocated and broke all at once, but after some pulling, followed by snapping and crackling, it was whole again", he added. However, when he learned from Gerry that they had caught over 100 smallmouth, Bob admitted that, "I don't know what hurts more."

Endangered Hemlocks Get More Help

2005-07-14T09:14:00.000-05:00

A boost in funding from the federal government and Friends of the Smokies has enabled the National Park to expand its efforts to save the hemlock trees.

Early this year, Park Rangers released over 50,000 predator beetles and hope to release another 100,000 this winter. With the help of Americorps volunteers, the Rangers also treated trees at all 100 backcountry campsites and at all front country campgrounds, picnic areas and historic sites. The methods used included soap sprays, soil drenches and trunk injections.

Hemlocks throughout the Appalachians are being besieged by the hemlock woolly adelgid, a tiny Asian insect that was first confirmed in the Smokies in 2002. If not stopped, the adelgid will wipe out most of the hemlocks here.

The Eastern hemlock is one of the most common trees in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and in the Smokies alone over 700 acres of old-growth hemlock are being treated by Park crews. If the predator beetles can get established in the Smokies, it would be the most cost effective way to reduce hemlock mortality.

Free Entry to the Smoky Mountains National Park

2005-07-12T08:58:00.000-05:00

There are 54 national parks in the United States that are accessible by roads, and they each charge from $10 to $20 per car for entry. The only one that allows free access is the Great Smoky Mountain National Park that serves as a border to both East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Over 9 million people visit the Park every year.

Just prior to establishing the National Park, the state of Tennessee transferred ownership of Newfound Gap Road to the federal government, the only major road crossing the mountains from Tennessee to North Carolina. Tennessee stipulated in 1936, that “no toll or license fee shall ever be imposed…” for visitors or travelers of the road. The Park managers said there are no current plans to take any such action to the Tennessee legislature.

In 2000, a survey about public attitudes towards entrance fees found that eighty-six percent of the respondents indicated that the amount they paid for entrance to various parks was “just about right” or ‘too little”, so it is fairly obvious that an entrance fee for admittance to the Smokies would be taken in stride by the vacationing public. We think an entrance fee would help provide electric transport in the Smokies that would help with the pollution

Another survey of the members of the Great Smoky Mountain Association was done in 2004 and it pointed up some interesting concerns. Among other topics that received “very interested in” marks from the members were:

Transportation issues in Cades Cove
Hiking in the Smokies
Park plants and animals
Park history
Threats to the Park
Things to see and do in the park
New publications about the park

A high percentage of the members of the GSMA, over 85%, rated their association as “Outstanding”, and they value the 15% discount that comes with the membership. They also value the publications that are put out by the Association, including the Bearpaw, the Smokies Guide and Sightline.

Good News in Townsend!

2005-07-11T12:33:00.000-05:00

Under its new ownership, Maple Leaf Lodge will partner with the famed Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN to expand its level of services to a four star resort, and increase the size of its rustic facility from the current 15,000 square foot lodge with 12 rooms, plus 17 cabins and a 2,000 square-foot meeting facility to 15 to 25 more cabins, a full service restaurant and 45 more rooms at the lodge within the next 3 years.

Matt Alexander, former General Manager of Blackberry Farms is now at the helm of Maple Leaf Lodge, and wants to bring the same expertise he worked with at Blackberry to bear on the guests experience at Maple Leaf Lodge.

Maple Leaf will operate at a lower price point than Blackberry Farms, but the service, the food and the accommodations will mirror the experience guests receive at the famed Blackberry Farms.

During his tenure at Blackberry, Matt was part of the team that opened an Aveda-concept Farmhouse spa, doubled the size of the estate and received numerous awards including Zagat’s 2003 and 2004 “#1 Small Hotel”, “#1 Hotel for Service”, and “#1 Hotel for Dining.” Blackberry has also been awarded the best business in Blount County for two consecutive years by the Chamber of Commerce.

Lily Barn and Company in the News Again!

2005-07-08T11:01:00.000-05:00

It is exciting to watch a special place evolve, and under the careful tutelage of one of Knoxville's doctors, we are fortunate to be sharing in the growth and expansion of the Lily Barn, one of Townsend, Tennessee's treasures.

What began as a 67 acre field of a few lilies with an antique 1880s cantilevered barn has been transformed into a 95 acre fairyland of waterways, covered bridges, a gift shop, rustic cabins, a pavillion, a gazebo, a tree maze and a greenhouse. There is no charge to tour the exquisite landscape and the owners, Dr. Janice Fillmore and her husband Steve, co-owner of Maryville's Foothills Contracting, were able to parlay a $10,000 gift from Janice's mother into the extensive plantings of lilies and wildflowers that cover the multi-faceted complex today.

"We lived and breathed this land when we first began with the gardens and construction," relates Janice Fillmore. She remembers carrying buckets of water with her friend and helper, Brenda Stewart, before an irrigation system was established.

"We were just hoping and praying that something would bloom," said Brenda. And the blooms didn't fail them. Open year-round, the Lily Barn is an "English-style lily garden that looks as if it has always been there, tucked away into nature's landscape," said Debbie Willbourne, the general manager of the place. "This is just nature at it's best. You just have to see if for yourself," Debbie added.

Dr. Fillmore is passionate about gardening, beauty and the mountains and she does her best to hide any efforts at commercialization, saying the raison d'etre of the Lily Barn"doesn't involve mounds of concrete and commercialization. That's not (commercialization) what I remember about going to the mountains as a child. I remember nature and the beauty of it all."

In the last year and a half, Dr. Fillmore has also added the Heartland Little River Wedding Chapel to her porfolio of properties, and then at the beginning of July, she opened Miss Lily's Cafe Floral and Gifts, just a few miles from the Lily Barn. Catering for weddings and other current events is available and the bakery is open daily to the public.

Multi-tasked, multi-talented and multi-familied, the alliance of the Fillmores's and daughter, arah Fillmore Greeway, with the well-known family of Willbournes, famed local artist John and wife, Debbie, GM of the property, along with Willbourne daughter, Rachel, bring assets galore to the planning tables of this remarkable group of people. Maybe this is just the beginning of a creative exploration into all the possibilities that are inherent in this beautiful mountain community? We certainly look forward to reporting on anything new they choose to introduce.

The vibrance of the Fillmore/Willbourne families and their stories echoes a similar emergence in Townsend of other new developments that have sparked the imagination and ingenuity of residents and developers there. We are just as excited about the new Smoky Mountain Heritage Center and the Trillium Cove Appalachian Center that are going up on Townsend's main street.

We applaud them all and look forward to our next trip to Townsend, Tennessee.

Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum Update

2005-07-07T12:29:00.000-05:00

We’re happy to see that new life has been injected into the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum in Townsend. New construction of a wooden water tank and tower are planned for 2005 and continued improvements will be made to other outdoor displays and a new foundation has been laid for the new shop building.

“The main thing this year is putting up the shop building, which is really a big deal,” said museum President, Jim Thurston. The track is almost finished and Sandy Headrick, museum secretary said, “We’ve seen a marked increase in visitation last season. When people see men pounding spikes and laying new rail the old fashioned way, they just have to stop and take a look.”

The museum features equipment used in the logging industry in what is now the Park land. Recently, a vintage log loader was received as a gift from the Texas Forestry Museum in Lufkin, Texas. “This is the most significant piece of equipment we have obtained for the museum since the Shay locomotive was brought here in 1962,” Thurston said. The log loader is a “huge, steam powered machine that rode atop flatcars in the logging industry,” Thurston continued. “This is one of only five such machines still in existence and may have been used in building the Panama Canal.”

A Frick steam engine, a caboose, two vintage flatcars and a set-off house are included in the outdoor exhibits. “Set off” houses were pre-constructed off site and delivered via flatbed to Townsend for use by the loggers and their families. Barely large enough to hold a pot-bellied stove, bed and kitchen table, the houses were Spartan at best. Large families had to take two of the storage-sized buildings in order to gain any space and the choice of location never varied. These homes were dropped off the flat cars barely four feet from the tracks.

The set off house on exhibit at the museum was relocated from another part of Townsend and was probably built in the 1920s. “We plan to interpret this as it was used in a lumber camp,” said Headrick. “Your front yard might have been three feet deep and your kids played right there on the railroad tracks,” She said renovations on the house would be consistent with how the house would have looked in a lumber camp.

Company History

The Little River Railroad and Lumber Company began in the Blount and Sevier countries’ sections that are now part of the National Park. The Walton and England Tannery in Walland needed tree bark for its operation, and invited Col . W.B. Townsend of Pennsylvania to form the lumber operation.

Townsend bought 100,000 acres of timberland along the Little River and its tributaries, in Cades Cove and along the Pigeon River, and construction began on the railroad in 1902 in Walland. The first 11 miles up to Townsend were completed in 1903, and a 15 mile extension to Elkmont was completed in 1908. Short spurs were run to patches of virgin timber…one being to Clingman’s Dome.

In 1926, Townsend sold 80,000 acres to the state of Tennessee to become part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and in 1934, the Park was officially opened. The lumber operation formally closed down its sawmill in 1939.

“Lost” Manuscript on Cherokee Indians Found

2005-07-06T08:24:00.000-05:00

In 1951, Willliam Banks was studying for his Masters of Science at the University of Tennessee, when he decided to do his thesis on the use of plants by the Cherokee Indians. An article published in the Autumn 2004 edition of the Bearpaw, a publication put out by the Great Smoky Mountain Association tells us about the interesting true story.

The next spring William and his wife moved onto the Cherokee Reservation in western North Carolina and rented a room there to begin his research and writing. One of his first contacts was with the Librarian of the Cherokee Government School and eventually he developed good working network with over 14 other knowledgeable elders and herb doctors. They walked many acres through the rich forests and hours were spent with the Cherokees going over various plant specimens.

The Cherokees were very cooperative and generous with their time and their information. The very few that weren’t feared that sharing their remedies and cures might diminish their powers. To gain their trust, Banks promised that he would never profit from the information he obtained from them.

Banks took copious notes over the course of three months spent on the reservation and he repeatedly interviewed the elders about the centuries of wisdom that was distilled in this generation of Indians. Unbelievably, the Cherokees didn’t pass much of this same information on to their next generation, so William’s thesis was really the only comprehensive, detailed listing of herbarium specimens identified by both the common names and scientific names ever recorded. “And, in an unfortunate twist of fate, the copies of the thesis that Banks gave to the University of Tennessee libraries, disappeared.”

The article continues, “Some 50 years after Banks made his sojourn to the reservation, his manuscript resurfaced. Naturalist and medicinal plant specialist Ila Hatter was giving an herb lore seminar at the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont,” when she was approached by a student in the audience who said she had something in her attic that might interest Hatter. It was the Banks manuscript.

Hatter brought the manuscript to the Association’s office at the Park headquarters and the staff immediately “recognized the value of the manuscript and contacted William Banks in Louisville, Kentucky in order to get permission to publish the manuscript. “Banks agreed, but remembering his pledge a half century earlier, insisted that his royalties be donated to a fund that would benefit the Cherokees.”

The Association updated the scientific plant names that had changed since the 1950s, added plant illustrations and kept everything else just about the same.

The book, Plants of the Cherokee, covers over “300 species of plants, from ferns to tree to wildflowers, and lists the many ways they were used by the Cherokee. Most of the uses are medicinal. There are treatments for coughs, colds, sore throat, measles, bee sting, snakebite, poor circulations, swollen feet, fever, indigestions, rheumatism, toothache, headache, complications during pregnancy, thrush, diabetes, cramps, bad memory, backache, fainting, even cancer and impotency. Although some of the ailments are unfamiliar to most modern American (“bad disease,” “disordered saliva,” “dreaming of snakes”), their inclusion reveals details about the culture of the Cherokee.”

You can order your copy of the book by contacting 1-888-898-9102 or www.SmokiesStore.com. The cost of the book is $11.95. Members of the Great Smoky Mountain Association receive a 15% discount.

GSMA Budgets over $1 Million for Park

2005-07-05T07:31:00.000-05:00

The National Park Service will benefit from a total of $1.7 million derived from the Great Smoky Mountain Association’s sales at park bookstores, its website and member’s dues. The amount is $500,000 greater than what the association provided last year.

There are no entrance fees charged to the public to drive into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it is interesting to us that this one association can spread their funds wide enough to cover the following highlights of the park budget:

$169,400 to pay salaries for seasonal rangers who staff visitor centers and present interpretive walks and talks in the park. This sum will include a new ranger stationed on Mt. Le Conte who will contact day hikers, backpackers, and lodge guests and stress different ways these users can help preserve the fragile eco-system atop the mountain.

$100,000 for supplies, equipment and personnel for the save the hemlock trees project.

$25,750 to sponsor the ongoing bear population monitoring project conducted by the University of Tennessee, including the work of a bear warden.

$127,000 for the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob, located above Maggie Valley. Funds will cover facility renovations and mini grants for scientific research.

$20,000 for the ongoing experimental elk reintroduction project.

$72,000 for the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory – a project to identify all species of plants and animals in the Smokies.

$72,500 for the continuing environmental education provided for adults and children at Tremont in the Park.

$31,000 for two seasonal wildlife technicians to control bears and non native wild hogs.

$27,000 to mow Cades Cove fields. This preserves the beauty and the historical integrity of the cove and enhances the wildlife viewing for visitors.

$26,000 to store the park’s artifact collection in Oak Ridge, TN.

$13,000 for air quality monitoring equipment.

Biodiesel Used in GSMA Truck

2005-07-01T10:12:00.000-05:00

The purchase in 2004 of a diesel delivery van by the Great Smoky Mountain Association has proved itself to be a good one. The van is used to transport merchandise from the warehouse to visitor centers, and the new generation engine gets very good mileage and produces much less pollution than a regular diesel or gas vehicle.

“Standing right beside it,” says Terry Maddox, GSMA Executive Director, “You can’t hear it or smell it.”

A Maryville supplier provides biodiesel and delivers the fuel to a tank at the Sugarlands center in the park. The fuel is 20% vegetable product and some of it comes from recycled fat from restaurant deep fat fryers.

Next year, regular diesel will be refined in a new process that will remove sulfur and other pollutants and the park vehicles will be able to use either fuel. Biodiesel fuel gets about the same mileage as gasoline, but it burns cleaner with less pollution.

Pigeon Forge Attracts Another Class Act!

2005-06-30T10:14:00.000-05:00

Though wooed by a serious list of investors throughout the world, the owners of Wonder Works have decided that the second installation of their successful Orlando-based educational and entertainment facility will go into the former home of the Music Mansion in Pigeon Forge.

The exterior of the building is so unique that it is designed to stop traffic: the three story building appears to have landed upside down and angled upon another existing structure as if some power of nature uprooted the building and sent it swirling through the air out of control, until the tornadic force dropped it on another building..

“We knew we had to have an outside wow,” said Robin Turner, who came up with the idea of the upside down building, with his partner John Morgan. “It had to be a traffic stopper,”

Plans are to keep the Music Mansion primarily intact with the new structure built atop it. Customers will enter through a space where the new building intersects with the old. Turner said, “It will be spectacular. It will become one of the icons of Pigeon Forge.”

Turner expects to close on the sale of the Music Mansion within the next six to eight weeks for $7.25 million. The total investment in the property is expected to be between $15 and $18 million.

Construction will be handled by Denark Construction and Bullock Smith & Partners are handling the conceptual design. Construction on the 50,000 square foot project is expected to begin in August with a completion date set for spring or summer of 2006.

Some of the activities in the Orlando based business include laser tag, a bed of nails, a bubble lab where visitors can make giant bubbles large enough to encapsulate a person, simulations of flying F-14 and F-18 fighter jets, and a Wonder Coaster where visitors can ride a simulation of a roller coaster that has the ability to turn 360 degrees in every direction. The exhibits are designed to be fun and educational and although there has been much interest in franchising the idea, the two partners say they want to “maintain the quality and uniqueness of the attraction by keeping the number of locations down to four across the country.”

John Jagger, community development director for Pigeon Forge visited the Orlando facility earlier this month and said, “It’s very different and certain eye-catching.” He added that the quality of the building is obvious and there is nothing similar to the attraction in the Smoky Mountains.

The Orlando facility of Wonder Works hosts 500,000 visitors each year, and they new owners expect the Pigeon Forge location to see at least 800,000 annually because of its larger size, the higher concentration of people in the area and a lack of competition such as Sea World and Disney World.

The attraction will have a retail component and a dinner/magic show that can accommodate 300-400 people, and expects to hire 90 to 100 full and part time employees.

Coyotes are Here to Stay

2005-06-29T06:38:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite publications is the Smoky Mountain’s own “Smokies Guide” put out by the National Park Service. We always learn something interesting every time we pick up one of the magazines.

The Winter 2004-05 edition told me that Coyotes made their way here from the west during the 1980s, and while their natural predator the Gray Wolf, was larger (80lbs compared to the coyote average of 30 lbs), it was largely eliminated by hunting and trapping here. This gave the coyotes the opportunity to thrive and let their populations increase.

Coyotes are most active at night and they exist on a diet of rabbits, mice, squirrels, deer, grasshoppers, groundhogs and berries. They also have a positive effect on the park by eating wild hog piglets whose parents do considerable damage to the flora and fauna with their rooting habits. During the fall through late winter, the howls and yips that are characteristic to these animals can be heard throughout Cades Cove in the Park.

Ocoee River Use and Rafting Outfitters Reach Accord with TVA

2005-06-28T08:34:00.000-05:00

An agreement between TVA and the Rafting Outfitters for water releases on the Upper Ocoee River has been signed.

The season for rafters began April 23 and the 2005 contract calls for 43 days of water, the last of which will come on September 24 of this year.

“We took October dates out and some Sundays in September where there were no bookings, “ said Larry Mashburn, President of the Ocoee Outfitters Association.

It has taken a lot of work on the parts of outfitters to come up with creative ways to pay TVA for the costs of water in the contract, which this year amounts to $234,000. Mashburn says each rafting ticket includes a $3.50 fee for water costs and that revenue only covers half the actual water costs. Mashburn wouldn’t elaborate on other ways they will raise the funds for the water, but is “glad we finally got it settled” for this year. “Now we will be meeting to try and figure out the nest 13 years,” he said.

A TVA statement was released saying that they had donated 12 days of water releases, from April 23 to June 5, while the contract was being negotiated. They blamed the contract delay on late payments from the outfitters, whereas the outfitters maintain their payments were made in December and a departmental payment problem existed within TVA.

Nonetheless, both TVA and the outfitters wants to “develop a responsible solutions” for sustaining rafting on the river, and each recognizes the “importance of recreational use of the Upper Ocoee to the regions economic development, while balancing electricity and environmental needs.”

A Life Lesson From Fireflies at Elkmont!

2005-06-27T08:44:00.000-05:00

One of the columnists I most enjoy with the local Knoxville News Sentinel is Sam Venable, whose articles appear 4 days a week. Today, June 24, 2005 he wrote about the fabulous show that the Fireflies are putting on in parts of the Smokies in East Tennessee and over the mountains in western North Carolina.

We’ve already posted a couple articles about the newly famed Synchronous Fireflies, but Venable goes on to say that “these bugs – which blink in unison, stop in unison, start again in unison – have become media darlings the last few years. So many people have been flocking to the Great Smokies to see ‘em, it’s been necessary to arrange shuttle buses to and from Gatlinburg.”

One viewer to the shows, Mike Clark, said he was downright awestruck by the presence of the bugs themselves.

“We were standing on a trail in the middle of Elkmont, not sure of what to expect,” he says. “As soon as (the bugs) started blinking, all conversation. What conversation there was after the show started was in hushed, almost reverent, tones.

“It made me think that human beings, who are always looking for something to fight about, could learn something about working together from humble bugs.”

Wampus Cats and Haints!

2005-06-25T11:04:00.000-05:00

The longer you read this blog, the more you will hear and see quotes from the Knoxville News Sentinel’s funny columnist, Sam Venable. He cracks me up and he always has something funny to say about our superstitions and the good ol’ timey rumors in this neck of the woods.

In a recent edition of the paper, Venable wrote about the move of the UT dairy farm from its present location on the UT campus, and the column “elicited a funny remembrance from Bill Simpson, who worked at UT’s agricultural complex 1950-65.” The story took place in an old barn down close to the river and it is a lol (laugh out loud) story.

It was Simpson’s job every morning to climb to the top of the barn and clean out a “light trap” to recover one species of moth. He said, “the zoology department also had a complete cow skeleton stored in the hay loft, the critter standing on a big pedestal.”

One of the co-workers Simpson worked with was a believer in “wampus cats” and other East Tennessee “haints”, and it was just too natural that Simpson and a buddy should conspire to bring the scary critter to life.

“A buddy and I ran twine from the foreleg of the skeleton, down the bones and between the loft boards, unplugged the light trap, then covered our twine tracks with loose hay.

“We took the wampus cat believer with us the next morning, and when we noticed the ‘light was out’, we left him in the loft while we went to ‘check the fuses’.

“Of course, we started pulling on our hidden twine, and the skeleton began pawing the pedestal.

“We heard three or four giant steps on the loft floor, then a crash outside. The guy had jumped out of the loft down to the ground! Fortunately he was unhurt, but he did have to change his underwear.

“Every time I go by the farm, I remember how nice the fields always looked and how nice it was down there among the corn and the cows. But I also start hee-hawing when I remember the ‘Wampus Cow’.”

$600 Million Pigeon Forge Project Stalled

2005-06-24T14:20:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has halted the forward momentum of two of the cities most expansive and costly new developments. Because the two developers of the old Jake Thomas farm failed to obtain wetlands permits before excavating began, the project came to a fast stop. One of the developers, Mike McCall with Maryland based Strategic Leisure Inc., said they are in the process of obtaining a permit and “doing everything the Corps is asking us to do.”

Strategic Leisure and Riverwalk Park, LLC, a Florida-based group of investors had introduced the $600M project last month at a catered, groundbreaking ceremony attended by business people from all the surrounding counties.

Land prep work had been started on Main Street Marketplace, a “lifestyle center” south of Teaster Lane and north of the river, but no buildings had been started when the Corps of Engineers ordered a halt.

“There are two acres of wetlands on the site and the contractor inadvertently damaged a portion of those 2 acres,” McCall said. “We’ve got some respected environmental people working with us and they are getting us back on the straight and narrow. It shouldn’t take too long,” he continued.

But wetland issues aren’t the first deterrent to stop development here in the land of the Smoky Mountains and the Native American Indians. “Several prehistoric Indian sites on the property” show evidence of Indian graves, said Tennessee state archaeologist, Nick Fielder. And if developers don’t already know how seriously the state and the Native American Indians take these burial grounds, they will find out shortly.

But I am not worried and I hope that instead of being depressed over the stoppage on the work site, the developers are excited about adding another tier of experience to their already impressive plans. As a constant visitor to the area I sure look on this news with wonder and excitement. History is one of the greatest attractions in the world and I want this area’s history to be treated with the respect that the sleepy little burg of Townsend handled their surprise history a couple of years ago.

In the midst of widening the road through Townsend, Indian burial grounds and significant relics were found and a stop was called to the five-lane highway that state road-crews were building. Luckily for all of us, the town embraced the history that was being uncovered, and today the Heritage Center is going up in town as a direct result of the wonderful findings that were uncovered.

Even better is the fact that the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee is helping to identify the Indian pieces and to loan intact pieces from the museum’s collections to the new center to sit alongside shards that were found in the digs. The new Heritage Center will encompass both the Native American culture and the pioneer life in an important, historically significant way with exhibits and classes offered to area school children and adults.

The more we embrace our history, the richer experiences we can offer visitors to all the towns in and outside the Smokies, and I can’t wait to see how the Pigeon Forge developers respond to the wetlands issue and the Indian digs.

The Pigeon Forge Village, Riverwalk and the Belle Island projects are all class acts and I can’t think of a better way to improve them than by overlaying history and diverse cultures with the inherent attractions of entertainment, good dining and a real respect for our environment. We feel sure that this project will also finish well ahead of its vision.....bringing even more depth to an already well-thought-out plan.

Riverstone Condos in Pigeon Forge to Border Golf Club

2005-06-24T12:06:00.000-05:00

Developers Glen Glafenhein, Michael Shular and his daughter, Candra, announced plans to build a spectacular, 300 unit, condo on 12 wooded acres alongside the Gatlinburg Golf and Country Club on Dollywood Lane.

Riverstone is a very upscale set of condos that will have the best of all worlds in amenities as well as views of mountains, the No. 7 fairway of the golf course or the Little Pigeon River. The amenities will include all granite countertops, hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, flat-screen TVs, fireplaces and Jacuzzis, and the project will offer five-star services including an indoor and outdoor pool complex, day spa and fitness center.

“It’s going to be a wow experience from the moment you walk in the door. We’re spending more than 41 million on landscaping and more than $1 million on the welcome center alone. It’s an oasis experience in the middle of town,” said Shular, who also owns the Shular Inn in Pigeon Forge and other properties in Sevier County.

Two-bedroom units will sell for about $299,900 and four-bedroom condos will sell for $439,900.

These condos join Pigeon Forge Village in announcing top of the line five-star services in the Smokies. The Pigeon Forge Village, being developed by a Florida-based investors group, is expected to receive over $300 million in 1200 condos in a planned $600 million multi-use property to be developed into residential, retail and entertainment forums. The Village will be located on a former 140 acre farm behind the main street of Pigeon Forge and just east of the Belz Outlet Mall.

Shular said, “Pigeon Forge is fixing to take off like a rocket. I think the market is going to grow tremendously in the next few years.”

Glafenhein said that buyers have put deposits on nearly 70 condos and he and Shular have had good success with another local endeavor on nearby Douglas Lake. Here they developed Harbor Crest, an upscale waterfront project in Dandridge. Both Riverstone and the Harbor Crest development will be sold largely to buyers who will put them on a rental program.

A Hearty “Welcome Back” to the Honda Riders!

2005-06-24T12:02:00.000-05:00

Over 18,000 riders are expected to cruise into East Tennessee this week for the nation’s second-largest, multibrand motorcycle rally in Knoxville. Known as the Honda Hoot, and hosted by the Honda Rider’s Club of America, this is the 5th year that Knoxville has been privileged to host the group that will fill 15-20 hotels in the area.

“We think they are great,” said Mayor Bill Haslam. “Not only do they have a large economic impact, they are a great group to have in town, and we hope to have them come back for years to come.”

The Hoot drew about 1200 people in its first year in Asheville, NC, said Charles Keller, HRCA manager, but the facilities in Knoxville and the town’s ability to handle larger crowds made the switch an easy choice.

Over the years the Hoot has generated over $47 million for the city and East Tennessee, and this year the event is expected to leave $16 million behind in our economy.

The daily events vary and start today at Chilhowee Park with demo rides on Hondas, Aprillias, BMWs, Buells, Moto Guzzies, Piaggios, Urals, Vespas and Victory bikes and continue with Riverboat Cruises, and a Poker Run to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Pre-planned daily rides will take place to the Cherohala Skyway, Cumberland Gap plus a “sportbike” ride designed for more daring riders. Then, of course, our infamous “Dragon” ride will attract the real dare-devils to the twisting, tortuous U.S. Highway 129 through the mountains.

For families attending the event an ice cream social and a Knoxville Police Department riding exhibition will take place and the Knoxville Fire Department will host a firefighters’ chili cook-off and dinner to benefit the Department’s prevention fund. And if all the activities haven’t worn everyone out, join your friends at the Old City Street Party which will crank up at 6 p.m. with bands and dancers tonight.

Thursday, is “Tennessee Day” and anyone presenting a valid TN driver’s license, will be admitted to Chilhowee Park at one half off the regular price.

The “Honda Hula Hoot Party” at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum will feature local bands, Polynesian food and drinks and a grand fireworks display starting at 6 p.m Thursday.

On Saturday night, Gay Street will be the scene of the final Saturday Night on the Town, with three stages, a children’s activity area on the Market Square with food and drink for all

Grand Marshall of the Honda Hoot is well known motocross enthusiast, Johnny Campbell, winner of the last 8 Baja 1000s on his Honda XR650R off road motorcycle. Her will spend time at the Hoot with his wife Faye and his two small children, who love the travel and the fun activities, and will sign autographs and hand out stickers throughout the event.

The Baja 1000 is “pretty much the granddaddy of off-road desert races,” said Campbell. The roads are rough and changeable with unanticipated obstacles and temperatures that can ranges from 30 to 100 degrees during the course of the race across 1000 miles of desert. Campbell runs the course a month ahead of time to get himself ready for the ordeal. “It’s pretty exhilarating reaching the Honda’s top speed of 114 miles per hour,” said Campbell with an easy smile. “Dangerous at the same time,” he admits.

The family lives in San Clemente, California and Jerry competes in one major event every month and in a series of local races to stay in shape. His next ride is the Nevada 1000, which differs from the Baja 1000 in that there will be stops in Nevada and the Baja is just one long, continuous race.

Racing became a “passion for me in my teenage years,” continued Campbell, but he started riding when he was 9. He entered his first race at 13. Of all his years of racing, he said that “I can’t accomplish my goals without the support of 100 volunteers”, mostly made up of family members and friends along the way.

2nd Annual Troutfest in Townsend

2005-06-21T11:01:00.000-05:00

The Little River Chapter of Trout Unlimited is not comprised of just anglers. Its 220 members are as devoted to clean water as they are the original Brook trout, and many work with the Great Smoky Mountain National Park with ongoing acid precipitation tests that require several long hikes each year. Members also assist with aquatic life sampling projects and with the brook trout restoration efforts………all because they love clean water and they love the Smoky Mountains.

Active member and past President, Tom Eustis, estimates that 15% of the members don’t fish but do support the mission to preserver cold water fisheries. Two of the areas best-known species of trout, the rainbow and brown, are not native to the region, and in some instances, they have crowded out the original brook or “speck” populations. “Brook trout right now are the canaries in the cage,” Eustis said, to monitor the migrations of high acidity levels from the higher to the lower elevation streams in the Park.

The Trout Unlimited members of the Little River Chapter have logged impressive man-hours with help to the Park. Park Fisheries biologist, Matt Kulp, says “the chapter contributes between 266 and 850 hours a year. Over 10 years, that in-kind donation of labor from the Little River Chapter has approached a value of some $300,000.” The chapter also assists the Park with direct financial support and grant-writing assistance.

It’s not all work and no play for the membership however. The Little River Chapter just held its second annual TroutFest in Townsend at the Visitor’s Center. Hailed as a “Fund Raising Festival for trout streams and cold water conservation in and around the Great Smoky Mountain National Park”, the June 3rd, 4th and 5th Troutfest, will include demonstrations and presentations about trout and their environment, a Casting Contest, Fly Tyers and Rod Makers booths, with Photographers, Guides, Artists, Food and Live Music. Eustis says, “it is an educational thing for Blount County and a fund-raiser for the Little River chapter,” which operates as a non-profit. Last year the chapter raised $7,000, which went directly to the fisheries program in the Park. This year’s goal is to raise $10,000.

Standing Room Only for the Firefly Shows

2005-06-21T10:56:00.000-05:00

We missed it, but record numbers of others saw fabulous synchronized “blinking” shows performed by cooperative fireflies throughout Elkmont in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and in western North Carolina.

All week long the crowds came to see the shows, and Jim Calderback, owner of Moonshine Creek Campground in Balsam, NC, said, “Our guests come to hear the rushing waterfalls, maybe a bear or two. I never would have thought fireflies would take top billing, but this summer, we have people walking all over the campground looking for them.” Oddly, the fireflies come back to the same spot in the campground each year, much as they do at Elkmont.

On Thursday night 2,000 people showed up at Elkmont to see the shows and Park Rangers said the crowd exceeded the parking facilities and the new transportation shuttles taking people from the parking lots to the “shows” and back. “Overall, we feel the nights when we had the trolleys and a greater management presence went better than the Monday through Wednesday nights when we did not,” said park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.

Biologists in the Smokies are looking for new groupings of synchronous fireflies –Photinus carolinus - inside the 800 square mile park. For the past two weeks, researchers have conducted a “Beetle Blitz” in the Smokies as part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. They found what may be a new “species of firefly to the park – a small species called the blue ghost that doesn’t flash, but hovers low to the ground and give off a pale white or bluish glow,’ according to entomologist Becky Nichols. She said that there are more than 14 different species of fireflies in the park in addition to the synchronous species.

The Townsend Ladies Guild vs. Mother Nature

2005-06-18T09:56:00.000-05:00

The Second Annual Fund Raiser/Auction for the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center was almost washed out by June storms. Party planners, volunteers and the Ladies Guild were called out in the early morning, 2:30 a.m. in fact, to get to the scene as quickly as possible in order to rescue the two tents, which were in danger of imminent collapse from the rains and winds. Husbands came out en force to help.

Once the tents were anchored and the valuable items for the auction were safe-guarded, some of the hardier helped vacuum water from the ground, while others helped drape round tables with white linens. Each table was centered with small, handmade green wagons filled with flowers.

By 6 p.m. the rains ended and the skies cleared and partygoers arrived to see that order prevailed at the Heartland Wedding Chapel in Townsend where the event was held. Dinner was catered by chapel owner, Janice Fillmore, and music was furnished by The Fiddler Four, a group of young fiddlers who ranged in age from 11 to 15. Mike and Connie Clemmer followed up on dulcimers, with Mike playing one he had handcrafted from rare, wormy chestnut decorated with a carving of the Tree of Life. The dulcimer was auctioned off later in the evening.

What began badly, ended well, with lively bidding and happy attendees. The Heritage Center, scheduled to open in November, received almost $85,000 for the educational facility that will preserve and promote the culture and history of the mountain people and American Indians.

A Baby Boom for Elk in the Cataloochee Valley

2005-06-17T14:35:00.000-05:00

This is the fifth year of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s experimental elk reintroduction, and it looks like a bumper crop of baby elk will be born in June and July this year. Of the 53 elk now in the park, 19 cow elk have reached maturity and are ready to be potential mothers, so the possible boost to the elk population could be significant.

Nine Global Positioning System (GPS) collars, have been recording movements of elk over the last 18 months. Once the data is downloaded and analyzed, researchers will be able to determine where elk like to feed, breed and give birth to calves in the park.

Biologists will also be visiting over 50 elk enclosures in the Smokies to determine what effect elk are having on the flora and fauna. The enclosures are approximately 40’ by 40’ plots with high fences to keep elk out. They give biologists the opportunity to compare habitats browsed by elk to those that aren’t.

Ghost House

2005-06-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

One day three years ago, Inez Adams, a life-long Cades Cove resident experienced a “ghostly” sighting of a home’s roof peak, and one side of the house with windows and an upper attic window. The area of the Cove was very familiar to Inez and she had never known a house to be located there, and the “house only appears when the season is right, when there aren’t many leaves on the trees”, she say. “Really it is a mysterious thing. It just shocked me when I saw it. I know Cades Cove like the back of my hand.”

Afraid no one would believe her, Inez began researching to see if a log cabin had ever stood on the spot. She talked to the 90 year old daughters of Tyre Shields, who owned the property before the Federal Government took possession of it and made it part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The daughters couldn’t remember a cabin ever standing there.

Several years before she saw the ghostly outline of the house, Inez and her husband had learned “dousing”, a technique using two metal rods that help in the search for graves, water wells and house foundations. She thought the Baptist minister who taught them the procedures was “nuts”, but to her surprise the technique did uncover the cabin’s well, even though the area has since become a wetland.

In the intervening years, many people have seen the cabin and the first time Inez ever took her son to the site, he saw “it before we ever stopped to show it to him. It was really plain then.” It is getting harder to see the house. It sits between a couple of rows of trees just off the loop road that runs through the Cove. The light has to be just right to bring out the shape of the house in the afternoons, and it is best seen before the leaves come out in the spring.

2005-06-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Construction of the Trillium Cove Appalachian Village in Townsend is underway.

The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is Taking Shape!

2005-06-15T15:24:00.000-05:00

Construction has begun and already the finished structure can be seen in the bones of the timber frame building in Townsend, TN, that will house the new Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center. The two story, 17,000 square-foot building sits on the main road through town, and the building will feature a center glass section enclosing a chandelier, that center director, Bob Patterson calls “dynamic”.

A Veterans Memorial Garden will provide green space outside the center and will include a flag and a circle of gray Tennessee marble from the Staley Marble Company in Rockford, TN. “People can purchase space on the marble and honor a loved one,” Patterson said.

The exterior will be faced with 12 inches of dry-stacked stone, topped with wood from old barns from the area. A porch will run the width of the building and green shingles will top the roof of the building.

Inside, the ground floor will be devoted to the public with a store containing local art and historical items. An auditorium will seat 100 people. The second floor will house a library, two classrooms, climate controlled storage space for artifacts and office space.

A Native American Gallery of 5000 square feet will feature items from the archeological dig that occurred during the 5-lane Parkway widening project down the center of Townsend. The items range from 5000 years old to artifacts made in the 1800s.

In another section of the Center, a 1500 square foot space will be devoted to horse drawn vehicles from the Richard Way collection that include buggies, a mail wagon, road equipment and a freight wagon.

Elsewhere on the 3 acres parcel of land, two pioneer cabins, a cantilevered barn and the original Montvale Station Stage Stop building will draw curious eyes. Yet another area on the site will hold a wheelwright shop, saw mill, grist mill and a Little River Lumber Company “set off” house (small, pre-constructed buildings that were delivered via flatbed trains and literally “set off” the trains about 4 feet from the rails), used by Lumber workers and their families.

The outbuildings will be used as part of the educational programs that are being designed by local educators from Maryville and Alcoa for kindergarteners to 8th graders. Classes will include churning butter, jack talks (storytelling0, rug braiding, birch bark canoes, corn husk dolls, pinch pots of clay, basket making, quilting, rag rugs, Appalachian music and dance.

We look forward to visiting the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center when it opens this fall in the Smoky Mountains.

Tennessee Tandom Rally

2005-06-14T06:42:00.000-05:00

East Tennessee played host to the third annual Tennessee Tandem Rally June 3rd through June 5th, 2005. Fifty three teams, mostly made up of married couples, rode their two and sometimes 3 seater bicycles throughout differing areas of the eastern part of the state.

The contestants came from all over the United States and Canada, and Sharon Patterson, from Louisville, Tennessee, co-organizer of the ride, remarked on the speeds and the trust that must be attained by partners on the Rallys. “We’ve gotten up to 62 miles an hour” and “if I didn’t trust him (husband Tim), I couldn’t do that.” They have spent the last 18 years biking all over the United States and started the Rally here so other bikers could also enjoy the unique landscape of East Tennessee and the sense of community and friendship that is shared by other bicyclists.

Many of the couples know each other and keep in touch through an online forum, Double forte, which was responsible for bringing the Dave Seto’s of South Carolina to the Tennessee Tandem Rally. After some mountain bike riding in their home state, the Setos drove 12 hours to participate in the Tennessee Rally.

Friday, the event kicked off with a 37 mile ride from Old Walland Highway in Maryville that wound through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Four more rides, ranging from 25 miles to a top of 90 miles were held Saturday and Sunday. Entertainment and good food round out the weekend and plans are already in the discussion stage for the 4th annual Rally next year.

Trillium Cove Appalachian Village

2005-06-14T06:36:00.000-05:00

Townsend residents, Tim and Jan Byrd and Dick Olson, president of Earthbound Ltd Partnership, are developing a 6 ½ acre parcel of land near Townsend’s only traffic light into a combination residential and commercial “village.” Each unit in the village will be sold, not leased and the purchasers will also own the land underneath the structures.

To date, a jewelry store, antique store, real estate offices, two restaurants, a coffee shop and an ice cream store have been sold. There will be 25 business units and 10 residences available. “The basic premise is an Appalachian Village. It’s modernized Appalachian architecture,” explained Olson.

“Architecturally they’re all very similar,” said Jan Byrd. “(But) it won’t be a hodgepodge. An architect has already drawn guidelines.” All buildings in the commercial area will face inward and some of the structures should be open this August.

The residences will be located off Old Highway 73 which runs behind the property. Shoppers in the commercial spaces won’t have access to the residential area and won’t be able to just ‘wander in to the residences,” said Byrd.

100 Year Old Cabin Donated to Heritage Center

2005-06-10T10:08:00.000-05:00

The Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend, TN has been gifted with a 100 year old log cabin, which has stood for over a century on property owned by Wilma Maples, also owner of the Gatlinburg Inn. It will be used for educational purposes on the new Center’s site.

Originally built by James Andrew Cardwell for his wife and 10 children, the 19th century cabin was dismantled log by log and stone by stone by Freddie Haun and Neil Atkins, general contractors, who tagged and numbered each piece as it came down before its transfer to the Townsend site for rebuilding. Both men are enjoying the “rebirth” of the cabin, and Haun noted that, “It goes up exactly like it went down.” A few of the bottom logs of the cabin had rotted, but in keeping with the age of the cabin, they were replaced with logs that had come from other historic structures.

Bob Patterson, director of the center and a career administrator at museums and historical centers is excited about Heritage Center’s opening which is scheduled for the fall of this year. To date, over 200 artifacts and exhibits have been acquired and Bob is ready to get the public’s reaction to the total property. In addition to the Cardwell cabin, the center will house nine other structures including two cantilever barns, a smokehouse, a non-working outhouse, a wheelwright shop, a sawmill, a gristmill and finally, the original Montvale Station: a stage stop, post office and Civil War troop terminal that witnessed much history in its former location on Montvale Road.

The Heritage Center will play host to many children with summer camps, Holiday camps and special events focused on indigenous arts, music, dance and storytelling. Classes will also be held on site for teaching some of the mountain arts of weaving, making corn husk dolls, and carving, and an amphitheater will provide a venue for the performance arts of music, dance and storytelling.

Three New Offerings in Pigeon Forge

2005-06-08T16:07:00.000-05:00

Nearing completion on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, right next door to the new Fiddler's Feast dinner theatre, are an Italian Restaurant as well as a new seafood house. They look to be open in June of this year. Parallel to the Parkway and opposite the Belz Mall on Teaster Lane is the Murder Mystery/Dinner Theater presented by Little River Productions. The show's owner and Chef, Gerri Blackwell says, "It's an interactive show.....the audience dictates how it goes...and the cast gives out clues along the way".....I have "laughed so hard I cried because of the audience members who were involved in the show.....Sometimes even the cast will break down laughing." Dinner is a multi-course event preceding the show and from all we've heard, it is good!!

Park Employee of the Year Named

2005-06-08T16:06:00.000-05:00

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s 2004 Employee of the Year was named, and the honor goes to Scott Pardue, who is responsible for supervising staff that provide the visitors programs and ranger guided walks and talks at the North District area of the Park. “He also manages special events such as the Cosby Days in the Park and the Festival of Christmas Past….both long time favorites among our visitors and residents alike,” according to Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson. Congratulations Scott! You are one of the good reasons that our glorious Smoky Mountains are one of the most visited areas in the United States.

It’s Full Steam Ahead in Townsend!

2005-06-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

Fireflies at Elkmont

2005-06-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

It’s Time for the Firefly Shows! One of the most popular “shows” of the year will once again take place at the Elkmont Historic District in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Park is rolling out a special trolley service June 8-19 to begin a pilot project hoping to reduce the crowded conditions, while improving visitor safety and protecting park resources. The popularity of the synchronous light shows, a mating ritual of the fireflies, attracted more than 8,000 visitors last summer during the two week period of greatest activity, and this year more are expected..

“It’s a wonderful experience, but the congestion has taken away from the experience”, said Nancy Gray, park spokeswoman. Last year the parking area was jammed with 300 to 400 vehicles. Therefore, this year, visitors will have to ride a special trolley between Gatlinburg and Elkmont, riding with family and friends, and parking at off-site locations.

Elkmont is “home to a special species of firefly – or lightening bug – that flashes in unison. In 1992, Lynn Faust, a Knoxville resident who grew up working in and staying in the cabins at Elkmont, called attention to the fireflies after reading an article in Science News magazine describing synchronous fireflies in Southeast Asia.” The flashing synchrony of the bugs occurs when swarms of male fireflies surround a female. Beginning about 9:30 p.m., the flashes begin “randomly at first, then in synchronized flashes that last six seconds and then shut down for 10 seconds,” according to biology professor, Jonathan Copeland, of Georgia Southern University, in Statesboro, Ga. Copeland has studied the fireflies for more than a decade, and although he says Elkmont is not the only place where synchronous fireflies put on a show, this area draws the most visitors. Park personnel would like other areas to become as well known in the hopes that the pressure of the crowds and cars could be relieved in the Elkmont area.

Managers at the Park have stated that No parking will be allowed June 8-19, between 5 p.m. and midnight at the Little River Trailhead. This area is strictly reserved as a turn around for the trolleys and carpool drop-offs. Hikers can park here during the day.

The city of Gatlinburg will offer expanded trolley service June 9-12 and June16-19. Trolleys will run every 20—25 minutes between 6 and 11 p.m. and stops include the Sugarlands Visitor Center, Laurel Falls Trailhead and Elkmont. The rides vary from 25 cents to 50 cents and Park rangers will provide guided walks and will also hand out cellophane to cover flashlights so that the lights won’t interfere with the firefly synchrony.

CATCHING FIREFLIES FOR SCIENCE

Every summer, a lab in Maryland buys fireflies to use in tests for food safety and genetic research that could help in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and some forms of cancer. Decades ago, the lab realized Tennessee always led all other states in the number of collected fireflies, as the climate, the humidity, the vegetation and the “Volunteer Spirit” all combine to make collectors ready their nets for four weeks of catching fireflies in the last three weeks of June until July 4.

Dwight Sullivan is the local liaison for the research lab and he recounts growing up in Oak Ridge, TN. and catching fireflies as a boy. Now a California minister, he returns to Tennessee each year for four weeks to purchase fireflies from the collectors in Middle and East Tennessee. “It’s a great sport – not like catching a rabbit or a housefly, but a challenge, nevertheless,” he says.

This year the bounty on fireflies is at an all time high of 36 cents a gram, or about $10.25 per ounce for a fresh supply, which are delivered to local fire stations in frozen batches. Last year the top catcher in Knox County was William Sherrod of Mascot, who caught 774 grams of fireflies for a total of $273. Sullivan will set up his scales at Knoxville Fire Hall No. 16 on Asheville Highway, and wait for the bags of fireflies to start coming in. He said children actually have an advantage over adults “because their line of vision is on level with the insects hovering just above the bushes.”

“I look forward to this,” Sullivan said. “We have East Tennessee collectors that have been collecting for years. They’re likable, motivated and they come in all ages.” He fondly recalls a La Follette woman, “Vergie Sharpe, who collected fireflies with her three-legged dog until she passed away at the age of 82.”

The peak season is from now to about July 4. “Fireflies take about two years to mature, and actually live only about a week in the adult phase that flies around and blinks. Instead of going to an anonymous death, these fireflies are going to help people,” Sullivan said.

Smoky Mountain Blogger

2005-06-05T13:52:00.000-05:00

For the past 10 years I have sold advertising space on a website supported heavily by the Cabin and Chalet businesses in the Smoky Mountains. The expansion of that industry carried me and the cabin owners nicely over the years until cabin construction seemed to outpace renters this past two years.

I worried over the dropping numbers of visitors to websites that had been leaders of the Cabin industry here, and I watched in amazement when Campgrounds posted the biggest numbers they had ever felt in their life times. Just when I was certain that the towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and the Wears Valley area had reached a saturation point of over building, I discovered new developments that are springing up all over the area. I decided the best way to voice my ideas and concerns and hear those of others was to establish a "blog" (web log/journal) on a new website called www.allsmokymountainvacations.com. The blog can be found by typing in the address above, but elminate the .com right after the URL. Instead, type in the following:
www.allsmokymountainvacations.blogspot.com

I would welcome any input from developers, visitors, citizens, students.........give me your ideas and thoughts and comments about visits here........the good and the bad that happened.....what you would like to see here, do here. This is followed by a short travelogue of sights I noticed on my last trip from Pigeon Forge into Townsend. I was pretty surprised at what I discovered and hope you will be enticed into a visit!

My first post was about the fantastic Pigeon Forge Village, Belle Island and the 12-cinema Riverwalk development that will create top-quality experiences for local families as well as the out-of-state vacationer to Pigeon Forge. The locals have always patronized Dollywood, Splash Country and some of the go cart tracks, but little else has attracted families to the area besides the beloved Park and the Smokies. This is finally going to change!

Traveling out of Pigeon Forge through Wears Valley towards Townsend, I was delighted to see the Smoky Ridge development on the left looking well populated and "finished" eventhough construction is on-going. No pretense is made about having wooded sites for the cabins to reside in, but interestingly, the site was not leveled for development and the hills and homes instill architectural magic to the resort.

Entering the heart of Wears Valley, I was relieved to see the horrors of wide-scale construction on the mountain sides have been healed by the green of grass. Artist Steven Spangler has incorporated his art into a new store designed to furnish your cabin to the last detail, including beds, entertainment centers and all the furniture one would need.

A little further on finds a new family restaurant, more family oriented than the well-known gourmet, dinner-by-reservation, Grist Mill across the street. Cove Mountain, Timbercreek and Volunteer Cabin rentals have been joined by Little River Cabin Rentals, the Homestead development and something I did not have time to investigate, called Wilderness Mountain.

On the outskirts of Townsend, the Rafting and Tubing companies flank the river, and as I get on the main drag through town, I find a new development going up with a high wooden fence behind it. It turns out to be the new Trillium Cove Appalachian Village, which will offer a unique look at quaint shops that front on a common area, with private residential construction behind, protected from the commercial area. Twenty five shops, galleries, and restaurants are expected here on the 6 i/2 acre plot.

Then the fabulous new Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center comes into view, and they score a hugh plus with their plans for an educational and historical center devoted to the Native Indians, the first settlers, and the logging industry that thrived here in the early 1900s. What started out as a disaster, the 5-lane Parkway through Townsend, has ended in a judicial use of items found in the archeological digs that resulted when the Native Indians demanded responsibility for the burial remains in the area. Now exhibits of found, broken artifacts will be matched up with similar, intact items on loan from the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Classes at the Heritage Center wil be held for students of Kindergarten age up to 8th graders......and they will learn how to carve wood, churn butter, weave, make corn husk dolls, use herbs in dyeing cloth and other mountain skills. An auditorium seating 100 people is also on site with two large exhibit rooms for Native Indian artifacts and an antique vehicle exhibit with buggies, stage wagons, mail wagons and more.

New life has been breathed into the Little Railroad and Logging Company museum in Townsend, with new antique equipment and original buildings that were moved here to replicate the post office, and ticket office and train station of years past. The area is reminiscent of a sleepy little depot in the mountains, and the new additions have added much charm to its site.

I was met with a delightful surprise when I entered the Village Market to find good, local hand crafted art work, craft displays and unique kitchenware inside. They also have a wonderful selection of produce, meats and fresh seafood. I mentioned its resemblance to a west Knoxville business and wasn't surprised to learn that is where the owners had been.

While eating lunch, I happened on ads in the local Townsend Traveler for another Gourmet market, called "In the Woods" which proclaims to have a custom butcher, with imported fine foods and fresh food to go. This ad appeared just above one for the Trailhead Steak House, featuring Prime Angus Feef and Alaskan Halibut at an address that must be next door. I will check these out on my next trip.

In short, I came home feeling encouraged and optimistic about the future of our area. Millions of dollars are being poured into new roads to relieve the traffic problems, and millions more are being pumped into developments of high-class visitor interest throughout the area's towns.
Maybe we'll finally see the end of the Hill Billy memorabilia culture and the fake Indian moccasins that misrepresented the area over the last 30 years.

Anyway, all of the new destinations, restaurants, shops and museums are worthy of visits and will be embraced by vacationers and citizens alike. But my hat's really off to Townsend for their work in securing and treasuring the local history. Preserving and promoting history is a weighty obligation and it just seems fitting that those who choose to follow this path, should also be successful in the achievement of it. I can't wait to visit the Heritage Center and the Appalachina Village this fall and walk through the Railroad and Lumber Company exhibit on my next visit.