Don’t be a Stalagmite, Visit the Tuckaleechee Caverns

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Gatlinburg TN and The Tuckaleechee Caverns has so much history behind them. According to legend of the Caverns, the Cherokee Indians knew of the Caverns and hid in them before the white man discovered them around 1850. Written reports tell of the discovery of the caverns by white man about the middle of the 19th century when sawmill workers watched water from a heavy rain pour into a sink hole in the area. The hole was filled with debris but one of the men found an opening in the rock and made his way to what is now the entrance of the caverns. And it all started from there.

The caverns were opened to the public for a year in 1931 and then closed because of the Depression. As young boys, W.E. “Bill” Vananda and Harry Myers of Townsend played near the entrance to the caverns and frequently ventured into them. While students at Maryville College in 1949, they got to talking about the feasibility of opening the cave to the public. They opened the cavern soon after that. Now open to the public as part of the mile-long guided tour, the big room is more than 400 feet long, 300 feet across, and 150 feet deep.

Popularity of the Caverns has grown from 2,000 visitors the first year to an average of over 50,000. It is one of the 700 known caves in Tennessee.

After your trip through the wondrous caverns of Tuckaleechee, come on over to a Gatlinburg cabin from Cabins For You. We have plenty of cabin rentals in Gatlinburg to fit as many people as 44 and as little as just you. Our cabins are fully loaded with vast kitchens, big-screen televisions, Jacuzzis, hot tubs, and a beautiful view of the Great Smoky Mountains. While Tennessee has the most caverns in the entire United States, Cabins For You has the best cabins in Tennessee! So, reserve your cabin today and be sure to check out the caverns of Tuckaleechee!