Beneath one of America's most visited national parks, lies a forgotten town. What happened 100 years ago in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Walking through the trees of Great Smoky Mountains National Park today, Elkmont can appear oddly calm. Trails go past old stone walls, chimneys, and historic cabins, while trees have reclaimed territory once occupied by homes and businesses. However, a little more than a century ago, this was not a peaceful mountain retreat. Elkmont was a thriving corporate town with over 1,500 residents, a railroad, school, church, hotel, and even a pub. Its evolution from an industrial village to a tourist destination and, eventually, protected parkland is etched into the landscape that visitors witness today.

A Logging Company Built Elkmont in 1908

Elkmont's rise was directly related to the forestry business. According to the National Park Service (NPS), the Little River Lumber Company and Railroad established the company town in 1908. The corporation possessed over 80,000 acres of land, which is now part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Elkmont's location made it very convenient. Timber cut from the nearby mountains could be placed onto trains and sent to the company's sawmill in Townsend before being exported to other markets. An 18-mile railroad line connected Townsend with Elkmont. The village included a corporate store, employee housing, a machine shop, a church, a school, a hotel, and a pub.

By 1918, More Than 1,500 People Lived Here

Elkmont had around 1,500 residents by 1918, making it the second-largest town in Sevier County, according to the National Park Service. Logging was not the only reason people were drawn to the highlands. In 1910, the Little River Lumber Company leased around 50 acres to the Appalachian Club, a Knoxville-based social organization. Businessmen and their families started erecting vacation cottages around Jakes Creek. In 1912, construction of the Wonderland Hotel began nearby, resulting in another resort boom. Tourists might eventually travel from Knoxville on the Elkmont Special, a passenger train. The trek took around two and a half hours and brought visitors directly to the mountain hideaway.

Then the Railway Disappeared

Elkmont's industrial boom did not last. By 1925, logging surrounding the village had been completed. The lumber company pulled up the railroad rails, closed the company town, and relocated its logging operations to Tremont. However, the holiday community managed to survive. Between 1910 and 1935, around 80 cabins were built around the Appalachian Club. After trains stopped transporting families to Elkmont, people began coming by car and continued to spend their summers in the mountains.

The National Park Changed Elkmont Again

In 1934, Great Smoky Mountains National Park was founded, ushering in a new era for Elkmont. The National Park Service eventually had to decide what would happen to the remaining historic structures. A preservation strategy kept 18 structures in the historic district while allowing other sites to return to their natural state. Today, the National Park Service announced that the 18 Appalachian Club cabins are being protected. Visitors can also wander along routes where stone walls and chimneys reveal the remnants of previous structures.

A Town the Forest Is Slowly Reclaiming

Elkmont's story is noteworthy because its origins are not readily apparent. What now looks to be woodland and campsite was once a town of over 1,500 people, linked to the outside world by railroad and formed by one of the region's largest forestry enterprises. The trains are gone, and the majority of the structures have vanished. However, scattered cabins, old foundations, and gaps in the forest remain as reminders that one of America's most visited national parks was once home to an industrial mountain town called Elkmont.