What a wonderful little place to visit! Not only will you get a very important history lesson on…read morethe video (watch as long as you'd like), but you may be so tuned in that you'll spend a good hour and a half like we did, but the gift shop and museum area will keep you entertained as well. When you make your way out to the grounds you'll be met with a beautiful archway and well manicured landscaping. The schoolhouse itself will have you believing that you've actually stepped back in time as you sit on one of the benches with those children under the instruction of Sam Houston himself!

I really wanted to like this place with 5 stars with all the history enrichment they have of the…read morelittle known Sam Houston. My daughter went on a field trip and I was a chaperone with an elementary school and all is well except for the staff. I'm not sure if they were truly reenacting history but they were very Stern and rude with the children. To a point where I was uncomfortable and multiple times. All the activities and history and non Hands-On approach for all decent and recommended to most people that would have fun most of the time. Just try to go by yourself if you do decide to take any children as mass groups they are not very fond of even though multiple schools go year-round I'm pretty sure.

The fascade of the Sevier County Courthouse is truly unique. The small ornate dome can be seen from…read moreseveral blocks away. The galvanized dome towers 75' over the building. Seth Thomas Company designed the clock tower. The Courthouse as built in 1895, completed in 1896. This is the fifth courthouse to serve the county. The Beaux-Arts Classicism structure is constructed of brick and limestone. The building construction cost $21,000 in 1896. A historical marker on the Square indicates that the bricks for the courthouse were made by a local notable African-American mason, Isaac Dockery. The building was expanded and remodeled starting in 1971. During the remodel, the original Seth Thomas clock was removed and repainted. The clock works are on display in the lobby area of the Courthouse. In 1971, the Courthouse became listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I visited the lobby of the working Courthouse. The Sheriff deputies on duty were friendly and offered me information about the building. Several cases of local historical artifacts are displayed in the lobby. A bust of Governor John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee and county namesake, stands in the lobby. I found free parking around the Courthouse Square. A statue of Dolly Parton stands on the Square. The Courthouse is a great place to visit if you like history.

Beautiful buildings, Very clean and the people in the tag/registration office were very nice. There…read morewas quite a line but they moved it very efficiently and all windows were open.

Actually, I was up there to play Bagpipes for a funeral. It's a beautiful place and the bridge is…read morereally a work of art!

I love covered bridges and was excited to visit this one, though it is a "modern" bridge that was…read morecompleted in 2000. It only has 9'6" clearance so I did not try bringing the Sprinter van across. There is parking on the east side but not the west, so I left the van on the side of the road briefly. Note that the bridge IS open for vehicular traffic and there is a well-worn path down to the waterside if you want to try for a side photo. The historical marker gives context. It reads, "This bridge is named in honor of Frederick Emert who came here with his family in 1790 as the area's first settler. In 1997, under the leadership of Mayor Judy Perryman the Mayor and Board of Aldermen provided local funds to go with state and federal money. In the spring of 2000 the bridge was constructed by the team of Steve McCarter and Garry Shultz for the town of Pittman Center in its continuing effort to provide improvements within the town that further its vision, which is: "To create and perpetuate a quality living environment and to encourage quality development that supports that end. To encourage development that supports a tourist-oriented economic base that relates to and magnifies our unique relationship to and with the Great Smoky Mountains." "The bridge spans the waters of the Middle Prong of the Little Pigeon River which was designated an "outstanding national resource water" in March 1998 by the State of Tennessee. At that time, this was the only stream outside a national park to receive this designation. Environmental stewardship has played a prominent role in achieving this designation. Special thanks goes to the "Save the Middle Prong" organization whose members spent time and money and were ultimately willing to go to court to maintain the integrity of this outstanding natural treasure for future generations." While it looks like a Tennessee marker, it does not have the seal or other identifying information. [Review 1171 of 2024 - 488 in Tennessee - 22194 overall]

Visiting and driving through a covered bridge has been on my bucket list and the Knoxville area was…read morejust the place to check it off. Take a scenic afternoon drive through Sevierville and see one of the many covered bridges in Tennessee. Nothing fancy but oh so quaint. Be respectful of the neighbors and pull off on to a small spot for a quick picture. You wont regret the drive.

I love chasing covered bridges and this one in Tennessee didn't disappoint! This king post truss…read morebridge spans over Little Pigeon River and still is used for through traffic. It's nestled off a quiet road so your gps will lead you there. While visiting TN and the Great Smoky Mountains, we wanted to explore a few covered bridges as well! This rustic one has undergone several renovations and restorations and it's on the National Register of Historic Places, I'm glad this gem of a bridge was saved!! It's in a little neighborhood which is pretty cool! The lattice work is beautiful and the stone foundation is impressive! Built in 1875, this bridge is 83 feet long and it was a thrill to drive through it! Now only about 20 vehicles pass through it daily, but it stands as a proud reminder of days gone by and a historic testament of architectural design and a wonderful legacy to those who love to keep the past alive!

I love the history behind tiny cemeteries like this one inside Great Smokey Mountain National Park…read more Old Elkmont Cemetery is a bear to find because there is no internet connectivity within the area. But we found it on a side road by a stroke of luck. Elkmont was a small logging and tourist town established in the late 1800's. A train travelled between the town and Knoxville. The town slowly met its demise after the automobile replaced train travel and the region became part of the GSMNP. Today, the town is referred to as a ghost town. I did not see any evidence of buildings, but I have read that the land the town covered is now a Park campground. The cemetery is marked by a wooden sign hanging between two posts. A short walk leads to the gate of the cemetery, which is easy to open. The cemetery has over 100 markers dating from late 1800's to recent times. Many of the headstones mark infants and young children. Carved stone lambs top many of the children's headstones. The cemetery is beautiful and peaceful surrounded by dense forest. The cemetery is maintained with evidence of frequent visitors to these pioneers of the region. There is a nearby area to park in a large circle.

A bit off the beaten path but well worth the adventure, Absolutely stunning. The gate has a latch…read morebut it's open all the time. Absolutely beautiful and a great source of the local history. The masonary work is outstanding and so beautiful, the drive to the area is also very scenic in the great smoky mountains.

Took a drive to take a walk @ the gardens with my mom yesterday. Yeah ironic to drive to walk, but…read morece la víe. It was a beautiful day...we had to do a little searching for a parking lot, but hey, not surprising, the students have priority right? We finally found an acceptable spot and started to stroll around. It really was/is a beautiful area with many cool statues and sitting areas. The shade is so valuable when walking around. The flowers and foliage was quite beautiful and fragrant...

I had a great visit here. There are lots of paths and gorgeous flowers, as well as art…read moreinstallations. There is a kids area as well, and lots of benches and some picnic tables. We were able to enter the environmental building for the restroom. The major downside is the lack of shade. There were some shady areas but it is so hot in the sun on the majority of the paths. Definitely worth a visit if you've never been before!

I was immediately awestruck by this imposing statue in Knoxville. Rachmaninoff: The Last Concert is…read morea tribute to the famous Russian composer and pianist, Sergei Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff played his final concert February, 1943 in the gymnasium at nearby the University of Tennessee. The sculptor, Victor Bokarov, donated the bronze masterpiece of Rachmaninoff in 2003 to the City of Knoxville and local sponsors contributed to the casting. I was inspired to learn more about Rachmaninoff, so I read his story. He started study of piano as a young child. By his twenties he was an accomplished composer, influenced by Tchaikovsky. He left Russia during the Russian Revolution. His life had many ups and downs, which influenced his work. On the statue, I see pain in the face of Rachmaninoff. He was very ill during his final performance in Knoxville. Bokarov elegantly captured Rachmaninoff's 6' 6" height. I love this work. The statue is worth a visit for art and music lovers.

The welcome center was a great place to stop in for a map and a parking tag before heading into the…read morepark. There were clean restrooms and cold beverages for sale. This would be a good place to grab a souvenir - there was a big selection of hats and T-shirts. Everyone in here was really friendly and helpful when we stopped in.

The building seems like it's brand new! Very clean and the staff was friendly and helpful. We…read moreenjoyed the 3D map of the park as we just finished hiking one of the mountains near Cades Cove and wanted to see how it compared in size to other mountains in the park. The store had a great selection of souvenirs and hiking gear. This is definitely a great choice if you want to stop at a park store near Townsend!