Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
The Great Smoky Mountains Region Is Brimming With History
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on July 21, 2015
Your next trip to the Great Smoky Mountains will very likely be a busy one. After all, there's so much to do here, and for most vacationers, there just aren't enough days in the week to pack in all that the area has to offer. Between visiting the national park, seeing shows, shopping, dining out and (hopefully) spending a few fun-filled hours on our zip lines in Pigeon Forge, TN, you may be so focused on the Smoky Mountains of today that you overlook the Smokies of the past.
That's why we encourage you, if you can carve some time out of your schedule, to learn a little about the great history of this area and its communities. Unlike those boring history classes you took in high school and college, learning about the past in these parts can be a fun and interesting way to gain a new perspective on one of your favorite vacation spots. It may give you a newfound appreciation for the land, its people and the long roads traveled to make the Smokies what they are today.
This week, we'll be pointing out just a few of the attractions and notable spots worth visiting while you're in town.
A good place to start might be the Sevier County Heritage Museum in downtown Sevierville. Established in 1995, this museum, housed in what used to be the town's post office, is home to a wide array of artifacts and memorabilia that illustrate local history, from the early Native American residents to European settlers. The museum is open year 'round, and admission is free.
Also in Sevierville is the Tennessee Museum of Aviation, which focuses on the role that Tennesseans have played in the development of aviation nationwide. A hangar full of historic aircraft, a self-guided tour featuring numerous aviation artifacts, and live demonstrations all tell the story of manned flight and its impact on our state.
After you move on to Pigeon Forge to check out Smoky Mountain Ziplines, you should also make time to visit the Titanic Museum Attraction, which is housed in a half-scale replica of the ill-fated luxury liner. While this destination isn't directly related to Smoky Mountain history, it's worth checking out, mainly because it tells the story of one of the most notable maritime tragedies in human history.
Inside are faithful replicas of multiple sections of the ship as well as $4.5 million in Titanic artifacts. The self-guided tour includes a $1 million replica of the ship's Grand Staircase as well as several interactive exhibits that give visitors a glimpse of what it might have been like to be on board the ship. The museum also pays tribute to the ship's passengers and crew who lost their lives on the fateful night it sank.
A must-stop for anyone really interested in the history of the Smokies region is the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. The mission of the center is to preserve, protect and promote the area's unique history and culture, from the earliest native inhabitants all the way to the Europeans who began settling the region in the late 1700s.
The 17,000-square-foot indoor facility and the 13 historic out buildings that occupy the six-acre campus take guests on a self-guided tour that features Native American artifacts, scenes that re-create the many facets of the Appalachian settlers, and even a gallery devoted to early modes of transportation in the area.
Finally, don't forget to learn about the history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Auto tours like Cades Cove and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are packed with historic homesteads and other period structures, while visits to the Sugarlands Visitor Center and the Cades Cove Visitor Center can provide a wealth of information thanks to books, video presentations and the knowledgeable folks who work those locations.
