Elkmont

Take a journey from the mid-1800s to current day restoration efforts through this NPS story map. In your journey, you can experience Elkmont through photographs and film from the park’s museum collection and see how Elkmont has changed over the years through interactive maps. For the best viewing experience be sure to click on "View Full Screen" below the story map.

 

 

This story map is the work of a student intern at the park during the summer of 2017 and was made possible through the NPS Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program (CRDIP). CRDIP is just one of is one of several internship programs that make it possible for students to explore career opportunities throughout the park service.

 

Elkmont winter circa 1928

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Archeological evidence recovered from sites in Elkmont date human use of the area to at least the Middle Archaic Period – 8000 to 5000 years before the present time. Euro-Americans settlement of the Elkmont area began in the 19th century when the Ownby and Trentham families farmed land along Jakes Creek. Large scale logging in the early 20th century had a huge impact on the Elkmont area – bringing a railroad line, logging community and ultimately development of the resort communities of the Appalachian Club and Wonderland Hotel.

Today eighteen of the cabins associated with the Appalachian Club are being preserved by the National Park Service. The Appalachian Clubhouse and Spence Cabin were rehabilitated in 2010 for day use (Link to permits and reservations). Park crews also completed preservation work on four additional cabins in 2017. These four cabins are now open to the public to walk through and view.

 

While the remaining cabins are closed to the public until preservation work can be completed, visitors can explore the Elkmont area on foot. Hiking the Jakes Creek and Little River trails will lead the visitor past the stone walls and chimneys that mark the former locations of the other resort cabins that once stood in Elkmont.