There's a very helpful brochure at the entrance and if they're out of stock, I've added a picture…read more The brochure tells the story of this cemetery that dates back to 1785 when the oldest church in the county was organized by Scots-Irish in a log building that stood at the north side of the graveyard called Francis Dean's or Robert Henderson's Lower Meeting House. Dean owned the land and Henderson was the first pastor of the church. The brochure continues, "When the church was founded in 1785, Dandridge was just a small western outpost nestled along the French Broad River in Caswell County, State of Franklin, where most people were living in scattered log cabins. The ace of cession by North Carolina paved the way for the formation of the State of Franklin which almost became the nation's 14th state and survived for four years under its own government even though North Carolina would never officially recognize the Franklinites." It was peaceful and interesting and quite historic. If you're heading to Dandridge, stop in and visit the final resting place of these pioneers. [Review 20105 overall - 461 in Tennessee - 1081 of 2023.]

So old. Yeah, this is pretty neat. Dating back to around 1785, interred here are the graves of…read moreRevolutionary War veterans and early citizens of Dandridge. The are only a handful of headstones and they are all unmarked and weathered - in a really cool historic way. There are several stone benches and the grounds are well maintained. The local attendant at the visitor center told me much more oral history; apparently you may never guess it by the size of this little hill mound but approximately 200 unknown graves lie underneath. Oh my.

In 1783, the Christian Bible family settled in this area on a land grant from North Carolina,…read moreconstructing a log house nearby. In 1923, E. A. Bible, a direct descendant of this early settler, who had been crossing Little Chuckey Creek at a ford, had this bridge built so he would have better access to the Warrensburg Road. It was constructed by A. A. McLean, a noted Tennessee bridge-builder of that day who placed covers on bridges to preserve the timbers. In 1948, the bridge was deeded to Greene County and in 1975, it became an historical structure through the efforts of the Green County Heritage Trust. Restoration of the bridge was completed in 2004 by the Green County Highway Department with a grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The bridge is in excellent condition, recently repainted outside though the inside is sadly graffitied. There is parking nearby and a bench. Not much else and while the bridge is absolutely closed to vehicular traffic, you can walk across. I don't know if the water is safe for swimming. [Review 20138 overall - 464 in Tennessee - 1114 of 2023.]

Thanks to Google Maps (and my thorough trip itinerary planning), I had discovered the historic…read more(once a) "ghost town" of Elkmont. For America's most visited national park, it can be difficult to escape the crowds within the Great Smoky Mountains--yet Elkmont is one place to do just that! This Little River Valley was once home to a pioneer Appalachian community, a logging town, and later a resort community. To this day, old relics and abandoned buildings from the past remain--awaiting to be explored. The area was settled in the 1840s as the town of Little River when a logging company was formed. A railroad was later constructed to transport timber for the Little River Lumber Company. This eventually allowed the wealthy from Knoxville to visit what eventually became a resort town. When the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was was established in 1934, residents were given the option to sell their homes at full price and relocate, or sell to the National Park Service (NPS) for a discounted price allowing them to live there until they become deceased. By 1992, most of the homes remained vacant or with expired leases leading 70+ historic buildings into a state of deterioration. Thankfully the NPS decided to renovate and preserve 19 buildings in Elkmont for public visitation. You can now find the Elkmont Historic District with cabins along Jakes Creek Road that were completed around 1997. They attempted to keep the buildings in the closest original condition--even their exterior paint colors! Each cabin has information about the tenants and any unique features. Unfortunately, the cabins cannot be brought up to code for renting or staying inside. However, the largest lodge known as the Appalachian Club is available as an event venue. Continue to explore the Old Elkmont Cemetery up a rocky road near the beginning of Elkmont Road, or choose to hike the Jakes Creek or Little River Trails where you will venture past less discovered old chimneys, walls and tractors that still remain. Directions: Coming from Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge or Cherokee, turn to go west on Fighting Creek Gap Road toward Cade's Cove (turn off near the Sugarlands Visitor Center). After the Laurel Falls trailhead, watch for signs to Elkmont Campground. Follow Elkmont Road all the way til it becomes a loop drive at Jakes Creek Trail Trailhead.

Pretty neat location. Reminded us of a place back home that is still a resort for the wealthy…read more Warning to others who visit, make sure to stop at Sugarlands Visitor Center and get your park tag before going. We were hoping to hike more of the area but didn't know we needed a park tag for our vehicle

I love historical places, and I have been drawn to this place each time I've driven by. It was…read moreempty for a long while, then purchased, restored and made into a B&B. I googled it, and saw on Zillow about a year ago it was purchased once again, maybe now a beautiful home for someone. The house bones need a family! The Wheatland Plantation grew wheat thus the name. Wheatlands, was established as a family farm by Revolutionary War veteran Timothy Chandler in 1791. Wheatlands had become one of the largest plantations in the county. Measuring 4,600 acres the farm produced oats, sweet potatoes, hogs, cattle, wool, and distilled 18,000 gallons of whiskey a year from its immense wheat crop. Wheatlands is an antebellum plantation in Sevier County, Tennessee. And is the location of the revolutionary war site "The Battle of Boyd's Creek." The present day plantation house was occupied during the Civil War as a field house and winter camp. There is a graveyard in the back yard. Still at the site are the Federal-style, three-story brick home that was built in 1825 as well as the separate kitchen and dining building to the rear, a loom building and a smokehouse. When the overgrown seven-acre property was recently cleared of years of overgrowth, they found Cedar Spring and a pond it feeds, the slave cemetery near Boyds Creek and the mound where it is believed that Cherokees were buried who were killed by John Sevier on his way back from King's Mountain. An archaeological team also found the thick stone floor of a shed that was believed to have held the distillery product. Also it is noted of many hauntings. One of the most famous ghosts of Wheatlands Plantation is Granny Jane, a former slave who allegedly practiced voodoo. Her spirit is said to protect the house from intruders, often making her presence known to those who mean harm. Another well-known ghost is Lucy, a young girl who died tragically on the plantation grounds. Lucy is often seen playing near the house, her laughter echoing in the air. Other spirits include a Civil War soldier, whose ghost roams the grounds, and several children who appear in old-fashioned clothing, playing games from a bygone era. Furthermore, each of these spirits has a story that adds depth to the haunted plantation's eerie charm.

Worth the drive to see and walk through the tunnel…read more Read the history, it's really a sad story. They call it the stolen highway

If you didn't know the history of this spot, you might not think it's a big deal but if you do know…read morethe history, it becomes more relevant. Yes, it literally is a road that ends in a very long, dark and wet tunnel. There are also several walking trails nearby. We drove back on the road a little bit and did one of the shorter hikes that leads to a section of the lake. There are other trails that are more strenuous. This is more of an oddity than anything else, but still an interesting place to visit.

Today was amazing! We went to see a castle right here in Tennessee! Floyd "Junior" Banks built the…read morecastle out in Loudon County TN called the Greenback Castle or Fortress of Faith. He dedicated this castle to the Lord and encourages everyone to come out and see it for themselves. He never charges a fee to visit, but donations are very much appreciated. He was excited to meet us and take us for a tour. He is a fascinating gentleman with some really interesting stories. He built the castle himself with donated items over the past 30 years and still works on it. Junior told us he never used a level or measuring device, God guides him. He lives in a house nearby on the many acres of property. I highly recommend touring this incredible castle (AT YOUR OWN RISK) and spending some time listening to Junior. I immediately went on Amazon and bought 2 of his books because he was so intriguing. Fortress of Faith: Art, Science, and Divine Intervention at the Greenback Castle What In Another World Is Going On At The Greenback Castle?

(Not a restaurant) If you love the bizarre and unique visit…read morethe Greenback Castle. A retired old gentleman built this "art project " over 30+ years. And loves to greet people and explain the (mostly religious) meaning of all displays. Fun, weird, unique!

Beautiful location with plenty to see. There are a few benches to sit and a bathroom if you just…read morewant to stop for a minute. Highly recommend!

This large overlook was pretty busy today with six or seven groups of folks all looking out at the…read morevalley and enjoying the view. I was one of them and managed to tune out the shouting kids to take it in. The parking area is accessible from both sides of the highway but there is no traffic light. If you're crossing traffic, please use care as these big trucks don't stop well and stop even less well when they're going downhill. [Review 20142 overall - 467 in Tennessee - 1118 of 2023.]

While visiting in the area we stopped at the Fort Watauga replica at the Sycamore Shoals State Park…read morein Elizabethton, TN near Johnson City, TN. It is located along the Watauga River. Fort Watauga, more properly Fort Caswell, was an American Revolutionary War fort that once stood at the Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River in what is now Elizabethton, Tennessee. The fort was originally built in 1775-1776 by the area's frontier government, the Watauga Association, to help defend Watauga settlers from Native American (primarily Cherokee) attacks, which were in part instigated by the British. Fort Watauga was originally named Fort Caswell after North Carolina Governor Richard Caswell Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Watauga Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park 1651 W. Elk Avenue Elizabethton, Tennessee FREE Park. Free to view and tour the Fort Watauga, and FREE to tour the Visitors Center. The visitors center was not open when we stopped there but we did walk around the Fort.

Very nice historical landmark in a quaint, beautiful town. On our way from NC to Knoxville we…read moredecided to stop and are glad we did. Like others, I didn't know much about President Johnson. I knew he had some difficulties, but his life is interesting. He went from being a tailor to the President. Life was hard back then, and he made the most of it. Very tumultuous time in our country. Nice gift shop and a lot of interesing things to see. We were there on a Sunday so most of the town was closed up. Great place to walk and enjoy the natural beauty.

This was great tour! About 45 minutes long, but we got to walk through the entire house and get a…read moresense of what living there would have been like around the time of the civil war.