Category: Uncategorized

Written by: Emily Huffstetler

In February, local leaders unveiled a master plan to revitalize Downtown Maryville, focusing on six key goals: economic investment, expanding housing options, creating interconnected public spaces, promoting placemaking, improving connectivity and accessibility, and broadening the customer base. As Downtown Maryville evolves, its historic charm endures. Take a stroll down Broadway and explore the past lives of the city’s most iconic buildings.

Then: New Providence Presbyterian Church

Now: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Location: 314 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville, TN

New Providence Presbyterian Church was one of Maryville’s first two churches. This fourth building, completed in 1893, initially served as a community space known as Columbian Hall from 1893 to 1911. A large Sabbath school annex was added in 1916. In 1953, the congregation moved to its current Gothic-style structure across from Maryville High School. Today, the building houses St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.

Many of Maryville’s early leaders are buried in the New Providence Church Cemetery, including William Bennet Scott Sr., the first African American to run a newspaper in Tennessee. His paper was Maryville’s only one for a decade. Scott also helped establish the town’s Freedman’s Normal Institute and was elected mayor of Maryville in 1869.

Then: White Star Bus Station

Now: White Star Station (Event Venue)

Location: 133 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville, TN

Built in 1800, this building was partially destroyed by arson in the early 1900s. In 1926, it became home to Maryville’s first bus service, the White Star Bus Line. During the 1930s, it housed a Sterchi Brothers store, a Knoxville-based company that once held the title of the world’s largest furniture chain. In 2015, the building was restored and transformed into a premier event space.

Then: Park Theatre

Now: Bluetick Tavern

Location: 128 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville, TN

This building was originally home to the Park Theatre, one of three theaters in Downtown Maryville. Later, it became the fourth and final location of Roy’s Record Shop, a beloved hub for music enthusiasts, operating from 1965 until its closing in 2007. It’s now Bluetick Tavern, a popular spot for pizza, burgers, and drinks.

Then: WA Dunlap Building

Now: The Capitol Theatre

Location: 127 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville, TN

This site was originally the WA Dunlap Building, built around 1910, and home to the Bogle McCammon Furniture Co. and Undertaking establishment. Later, the J.C. Penney Company leased the space until 1934, when the Crescent Amusement Company, which owned theaters throughout the South, constructed the Capitol Theatre. It became the largest movie house in downtown Maryville, with seating for nearly 1,000 people.

The Capitol Theatre closed in the 1970s, and various tenants followed, including a record shop, disco, wedding dress store, and sports collectibles shop. In 2008, the theater was revived and is now an award-winning event space, featuring an art deco coffee shop and ice cream parlor.

Then: Bank of Maryville

Now: Available for lease

Location: 131 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville, TN

This building was the third home of the Bank of Maryville, established in 1885 to support the growing banking needs of Maryville College, which was one of the town’s largest institutions at the time. The bank later merged with the Bank of Blount County, located nearby at 101-103 W Broadway Ave. In the 1980s, it became First Tennessee Bank, eventually rebranding as First Horizon Bank in 2019.

Then: Federal Building

Now: Office building

Location: 201 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville, TN

This was Blount County’s first federal building, serving as the Main Post Office from 1917 to 1962 and then as a branch from 1962 to 1990. In 1935, it became the first headquarters for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most recently, it was home to a family dentistry practice.

Then: Maryville’s Public Library

Now: Dandy Lions Gifts

Location: 300 E. Church St., Maryville, TN

Built in 1917, this served as Maryville’s first library building. In 1931, it was dedicated to the late mayor A.K. Harper. It continued to house Blount County’s Public Library until 1981, when a larger building was occupied. Then, the American Red Cross moved in and remained until 2006. Since 2007, the former library has belonged to Dandy Lions Gifts. Two concrete lions, installed by the current owner, serve as a reminder of the building’s past.

Do you have a favorite memory in Downtown Maryville? We’d love to hear about it. Be sure to tag us on social media (@peacefulsmokies).

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Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and passionate storyteller of the Greater Smokies region.

Written by: Emily Huffstetler 

Forget the famous names in history. At the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, one series turns its attention to the daily life of an ordinary settler family in 1830s Blount County. 

The center’s “A Year in the Life of an Early-American Family: The Davis Family of Seymour, Tennessee, c. 1835” uses the Davis family’s historic log house and farmstead to explore how families lived, worked and survived in 1830s Blount County. 

Rather than offering a single snapshot of the past, the series follows the farming year from fall harvest through spring. It began last September and continues through May, with programs covering everything from gardening and herbal medicine to spinning, weaving, cooking and music. 

“I thought it would be great for our guests to get a sense of the typical, everyday life in the early 19^th century for European settler families,” said Trevor Lanier, curator at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center. “Many of our guests see snapshots of various moments in lives from the past, but this program gives them a much more in-depth view of the farming year and other facets.” 

The Davis family is a natural fit for that kind of storytelling. Their cabin sits at the heart of the Heritage Center’s 1830s farmstead, alongside the heirloom garden and other historic features. Lanier said the site offered the strongest opportunity to build a full series around both the agricultural calendar and cultural year. 

The series was made possible through funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission, which helped the Heritage Center bring in knowledgeable artists such as instructors, musicians, living history interpreters, spinners, weavers and gardeners. 

While the focus is on the Davises, the series more broadly reflects what life looked like for a family living in this region at that time. That means the research goes well beyond the house itself. It also considers the political and cultural realities of the period, including the complex web of treaties with the Cherokee during the era. 

Guests can attend a single event or follow the full series across the seasons. Each event was designed to stand on its own, but together, they create a fuller picture of what a year in the life of a family like the Davises might have looked like.  

And according to Lanier, that life was anything but quaint. 

“More chores than we can possibly imagine,” he said with a laugh. 

He described days that started before dawn with caring for animals and continued with “tons of manual labor,” from cooking and cleaning to plowing, planting and animal husbandry. 

One of the clearest windows into that workload is the Davis family’s original loom, still in the house today. Lanier said women in the family would have spent much of the year spinning wool into yarn, then weaving that yarn into cloth, blankets and rugs during the warmer months before sewing the final products.  

“We’re so used to fast fashion and going to the store to get what we need. Realizing someone spent the majority of their time just spinning is a shock to modern people,” Lanier said. 

Just one pair of pants, for example, took about nine miles of yarn. 

“I think something I see most often is our guests tend to look at our log homes as cozy and quaint and romanticize what it would’ve been like living there,” he said. “It’s just so much more difficult when you really imagine actual life back then.” 

“Life was hard. They didn’t know what we do now about medicine, food access, convenience and leisure time. Most of us wouldn’t even make it a day back then!” 

The series doesn’t just celebrate old-time skills. It uses them to create context. 

“There’s an intangible magic that happens when guests get to immerse themselves in a story,” Lanier said. “It brings it to life in a way that reading can’t. In a small sense, they get to live it, even if for a moment, and by that they hopefully get to understand their world a little better.” 

That immersion takes many forms throughout the series, from open-hearth cooking and daily life interpretation with Donna Stinnett to herbal medicine with Debbie Dickey. Gardening programs come with help from the Tuckaleechee Garden Club, while local artists, musicians, spinners and weavers feature the sounds and skills of the era. 

For Lanier, the Davis family works so well because their story was not unusual.  

“The main reason we chose the Davis family is that their story is so reflective,” he said. “It is the story of early European settlers in the area.” 

“It’s so important to experience the stories of everyday people, not just the George Washingtons or Andrew Johnsons,” Lanier said. 

In the end, that is what this series does best. It connects the daily labor of one family to the bigger story of how communities were built, how land was settled and how the past still shapes life in the Smokies today. 

“My biggest goal is for people to understand that history is not just about facts and dates,” Lanier said. “It’s about understanding the threads that connect us across time that helps us understand our world a little better.” 

“A Year in the Life of an Early-American Family: The Davis Family of Seymour, Tennessee c. 1835” is free and open to the public, with upcoming events primarily promoted on the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center’s Facebook page. All ages are welcome.

Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and storyteller of the Greater Smokies region. 

Written by: Emily Huffstetler 

Just beyond Townsend, a quiet trail leads to one of the Smokies’ best-preserved homesites. Starting at Metcalf Bottoms, the 3.4-mile route passes Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse and follows an old roadbed to a preserved cabin, springhouse and corn crib. Six sisters, all unmarried, lived here together as the surrounding land became Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

John and Margaret Jane Walker raised 11 children in Little Greenbrier: seven daughters and four sons. The sons left home or married, and one daughter, Sarah Caroline, married and moved away. 

Margaret Jane, Mary Elizabeth ‘Polly,’ Martha Ann, Nancy Melinda, Louisa Susan and Hettie Rebecca remained on the family farm, which was fully in their hands after their father’s death in 1921. Martha and Polly were engaged to be married, but their fiancés both tragically died in work accidents.  

The sisters lived off the land and worked for what they had. They tended herb and vegetable gardens, raised sheep and hogs, spun and wove cloth, sewed clothing and preserved food by pickling, smoking and salting. 

When Congress authorized the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1926, land buyers began negotiating for private property across the region, including the Walkers’ 122-acre farm.  

The sisters resisted several offers. A NPS report says they worked with an attorney and asked for $7,000 after a 1939 appraisal of $5,466. Faced with condemnation, they ultimately accepted $4,750 and a lifetime lease. 

The lifetime lease came with limits. Park rules barred hunting, fishing and grazing livestock. Tourists also began visiting what became known as Five Sisters Cove.  

The National Register notes that the sisters were “at first suspicious and shy” around park visitors, but they gradually warmed to them. They even made souvenirs to sell, including tiny baskets, toys, crocheted doilies and fried apple pies. 

By the mid-1940s, the sisters had become part of the Smokies visitor experience. A 1946 Saturday Evening Post feature invited readers to “spend a leisurely autumn afternoon with the Walker sisters” in Little Greenbrier Cove. The article described visitors gathering around the kitchen fireplace while beans simmered over hickory logs and bread baked on the hearth.  

It framed the Walkers’ lifestyle as practical, not primitive. “Why, they reason, should anyone want to worry about changes and improvements when the ground is so fertile, one of their two cows is always fresh, their spring flows freely, and heavy forests around them provide all the fuel they need?” 

Polly died in 1945, Hettie in 1947 and Martha in 1951. By 1953, only Margaret and Louisa remained at the homestead. With more work than the two could manage alone, they wrote to the park superintendent and asked that the sign directing visitors to their homesite be removed. 

“We are not able to do our work and receive so many visitors, and can’t make [souvenirs] to sell like we once did and people will be expecting us to have them, last year we had so many people it kept us [busy] from sun up till sun down,” the sisters wrote. 

The Walker sisters’ three-room, two-story log home in Little Greenbrier still stands at the end of the old roadbed that once brought visitors to their door. Some of their belongings are preserved in Townsend at the park’s Collections Preservation Center. 

Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and storyteller of the Greater Smokies region. 

Nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, Townsend, Tennessee, has long been cherished as the “peaceful side of the Smokies.” But 2024 was its year to shine. This charming small town has garnered national—and even international—recognition, inspiring countless travelers to experience its natural beauty.

From awe-inspiring scenery to unparalleled outdoor activities, Townsend has received glowing praise from major publications. Let’s take a look at how the world has fallen in love with this hidden gem—and why it should be at the top of your travel list.

Southern Living’s Love Letter to the Peaceful Side

Southern Living celebrated Townsend in their East Tennessee Road Trip feature, calling it “a gateway to adventure and serenity.” The article highlighted its proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its reputation as a quiet haven for families and outdoor lovers.

Another Southern Living piece, Nostalgic Summer Camp Destinations, encouraged readers to embrace a slower pace in Townsend, where simple pleasures like stargazing, hiking, and campfire nights feel timeless.

This desirable locale also made Southern Living’s list of The 10 Best Tennessee Mountain Towns To Visit This Year

Townsend: A Darling Among Small Towns

In AFAR’s Charming Small Towns Near National Parks, Townsend was praised as “a quiet retreat for nature lovers.” Its easy access to iconic locations like Cades Cove and its slower pace were highlighted as perfect for those looking to escape crowds.

Yahoo Lifestyle featured Townsend in its 10 Best Tennessee Mountain Towns roundup, describing it as “a haven for tranquility” and a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation.

PBS showcased Townsend in a Hometowns episode.

World Atlas Names Townsend a Top Destination

World Atlas couldn’t resist Townsend’s charm, featuring it in multiple articles this year:

• In 7 Most Inviting Towns in Tennessee, Townsend was celebrated for its welcoming atmosphere and natural beauty.
• In Most Bike-Friendly Towns in Tennessee, the town’s scenic cycling trails earned high praise.
• 9 Towns in Tennessee that Were Ranked Among US Favorites
• 11 Darling Small Towns in Tennessee “Peaceful and picturesque are two words that precisely describe the scenery in this Blount County gem. Townsend invites tourists to experience the quieter side of the Smokies and take advantage of its relaxed natural scenery. “
• 6 Most Idyllic Small Towns in the Mid-South
• 7 Most Inviting Towns in Tennessee

Travel + Leisure’s Smoky Mountain Highlight

Travel + Leisure included Townsend in their Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, applauding its blend of small-town charm and gateway access to some of the park’s best hiking trails and scenic spots.

Townsend also made Travel + Leisure’s list of 10 Best Mountain Towns According to Locals. 

Only in Your State’s Springtime Favorite

For seasonal adventures, Only in Your State recommended Townsend as a top destination for springtime exploration in Spring Getaways in Tennessee. The blooming wildflowers, crisp mountain air, and serene vistas make it a must-visit.

Yahoo’s Spotlight on Budget-Friendly Adventures

In another feature, The Cheapest U.S. National Parks to Visit in 2024, Yahoo Lifestyle highlighted Townsend as an affordable gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, emphasizing its budget-friendly lodging and dining options.

PR Magic in Action

This year’s incredible media buzz was partly the result of a targeted public relations campaign that introduced Townsend to 435 million people and boosted county tourism tax revenue by 20%. Interested in the strategy behind this success? Read more about the power of collaboration in this blog post.

Plan Your Visit 

Whether you’re seeking a peaceful retreat, thrilling outdoor adventures, or a gateway to the Smokies, Townsend is the perfect destination. Come experience the charm that’s captivated national attention—you might just fall in love with the “peaceful side of the Smokies.”

Get started on your adventure today at Smoky Mountains Tourism.