History of Gatlinburg TN

History of Gatlinburg TN

The history of Gatlinburg, Tennessee is as unique as the town itself. Gatlinburg has the perfect location, nestled in the mountains of East Tennessee. It’s not a surprise that people refer to it as the “Gateway to the Smoky Mountains.” It lies at the foot of beautiful Mt. LeConte. The small resort town is best known for its breath taking scenery, fantastic shopping, and unique history. For years families and groups of all kinds come to vacation here.

South Carolinians were the first settlers to voyage out to the present day Gatlinburg area. Gatlinburg was not the original name of this unforgettable resort town. Settlers originally began calling it White Oaks. The undiscovered area in which they settled in was thriving with heavily wooded trees, forests and wildlife. Only the Native American tribes stayed in the area.

The family history traces to the name of Oglesby (later changed to Ogle.) Martha Jane Huskey Ogle and her husband brought their seven children to the area and built their cabin. They were the first family to settle in White Oaks Flat. Eventually, the pioneer settlers made the area their home, and veterans of the Revolutionary War came to settle in White Oaks Flats from North Carolina.

As time passed White Oaks began to expand as a community prosperous with structure such as the White Oaks Baptist Church, and in 1867 a school was built. Around 1855 Radford Gatlin, a native from North Carolina opened a post office in the mercantile. A man by the name of Richard Reagan was named the postmaster, and in appreciation of the owner Radford Gatlin, Richard Reagan renamed his office Gatlinburg. The new name of Gatlinburg reached to all of the establishments in White Oaks, and in the late 19th Century, its original name was obsolete. In the late 1800’s the name was officially changed to Gatlinburg.

Although the city of Gatlinburg was named after Radford Gatlin, he was not respected by all. Gatlin was a strong supporter of the Confederate and was very outspoken and straightforward with many of his political views. His shameless feelings led to a severe beating by a group of masked men, which forced Gatlin to leave Gatlinburg immediately.

When the Civil War erupted, a number of locals joined the Union and a few went to the Confederacy, but most mountain people tried to remain neutral. Although only one Civil War battle was fought in the area, countless raids were made upon the area by both sides to gather vital resources needed to sustain the war efforts. Deprivation and hardship persisted in the area long after the war.

Timbering began replacing farming in the early 1900s as the primary economy base. Gatlinburg TN’s first hotel was built to accommodate traveling lumber buyers. In the 1930s, the national park and tourism helped the area’s economy to pick up. Many families moved to town after being displaced by the park and took jobs at new hotels and other service facilities. World War II slowed the growth of Gatlinburg, but at its end the tourists began coming back.

Present day Gatlinburg, Tennessee is very much appreciated for its history. Many reminders of the history exist today. Martha Ogle’s original cabin that her family settled in can be seen at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Historic buildings still exist; the theme throughout Gatlinburg still remains the quaint mountain village it was started as.

Come stay in a Gatlinburg cabin rental and experience Gatlinburg’s historic beauty, catch glimpses of historic sites, and see why year after year people vacation in this perfect resort-town.