I can't think of a more idyllic way to get your exercise than to bike the Cades Cove Loop in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From May through September on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10:00 the Loop Road is closed to motorized vehicles, so the entire...
The story goes that the Methodist Church in Cades Cove was constructed in 115 days at a cost of $115 by a man who served for many years as the minister. The current frame building was built in 1902, replacing the log structure that had served from the 1820s. Please...
The Primitive Baptist Church in the Cades Cove section of the Great Smoky Mountains was established in 1827 in a log structure that served the congregation until the current church was built in 1887. The graveyard behind the church has some very old tombstones with...
It's Philosophical Friday again, and we're continuing on with yesterday's post into the creepy interior of the Palmer House. The image above might be crying out "What happened? Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday that Jarvis and his wife were rising at...
Beech Grove School was built in 1901 and was one of three schools in the Cataloochee area of the Smoky Mountains. The school term, oriented to the agrarian society, ran from November through January or sometimes through March. Beech Grove had two rooms and is the only...
If you are in Gatlinburg on a Smoky Mountain vacation, don't forget about one of the most fun and unique activities ... a leisurely shopping trip along the loop of arts and crafts shops that make up the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community. Head out of Gatlinburg on...
The Palmer House in Big Cataloochee Valley was originally built around 1860 by George Lafayette Palmer. It was a "dog-trot" house, with two log cabins joined by a common roof. By 1900 the Palmers were prospering, and the house was fancied up with siding on the outside...
Cataloochee Valley is one of the hidden wonders of the Smoky Mountains. The best way from Gatlinburg is to schedule an entire day for the journey to Cataloochee. Either take the back road from Cosby, or exit 20 off I40 in North Carolina, then meander into Catalochee...
Bluets (Houstonia serpyllifolia) are identified by the four blue petals surrounding a yellow spot. Common names for this wildflower include Thyme-leaved Bluet, Prostrate Bluet, Mountain Bluet, and Creeping Bluet. The plant is tiny, only 3 to 5 inches tall, but growing...