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Why are these mostly vacation-style cottages still standing in the Elkmont
area of the Smokies when hundreds of cabins, houses and barns throughout the park were condemned and removed back in
the 1930's for formation of the Smokies as a national park? What is going to become of the cottages at Elkmont?
Answers to these questions and more may be found on this webpage article.
| Location Overview Map for Elkmont |
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Elkmont is one of the youngest European-American occupied communities in the Smokies. Significant populations did not settle there until Little River
Lumber Company (LRLC) began large scale logging operations in 1908. By 1910 the LRLC had deeded ownership of 50
acres of the cutover land along Jakes Creek to the Appalachian Club, chartered as a sportsman's
club. The club's membership was primarily sportsmen from Knoxville's business community. Eventually the focus
of the club expanded to include more social activities as prominent citizens from Knoxville, Maryville and Chattanooga became
members.
These members began to build cottages near the clubhouse
that had already been constructed by the original Appalachian Club members. Thus was formed "Daisy Town"
with about 15 or 20 cottages--all near the Appalachian Clubhouse. From 1910 until about 1925 another
25 or 30 cottages were constructed a bit further upstream along Jakes Creek in an area known now as "Society Hill."
....once the logging operations ceased, another
8 or 10 structures were constructed along the Little River in an area that became known as "Millionaire's Row"
Finally from around 1928 to 1940 another 8 or 10
structures along "Millionaire's Row" were constructed along the Little River and opposite what is now Little River
hiking trail. These last structures were generally pricier abodes than the sometimes shanty-looking affairs that made
up the original cottages.
| Elkmont Historical District (source: NPS DEIS) |
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| click for larger image.... |
Meanwhile, a mile or so further
down the Little River, land was purchased by the Wonderland Club, yet another group of businessmen. Starting
in 1911 they had their own projects under construction with the results being the Wonderland Hotel, an
annex and more cabins of which only 10 remain today.
In 1932 instead of being kicked out...owners of Elkmont
cottages were given lifetime leases...
Owing probably to their greater
political and financial influence, instead of being forced out by Eminent Domain, owners of the Elkmont area properties
were in 1932 given the option by Congress to take a partial payment for their property in exchange for lifetime leases--most
of which were to expire in 1972 but were extended until 1992 when all but four of the leases were finally terminated.
The last of the leases expired in 2001 and all of the cabins have been vacant since then.
The National Park Service had it in
their 1982 General Management Plan (GMP) to completely remove all of the structures after the leases expired and to restore
the land to its natural state. That didn't happen.
"Elkmont cabins were not homes occupied
by the mountain peoples of our region. They represent weekend retreat or vacation sites for the elite in an earlier
era. That's the reality.
"The cabins of the mountain folks were leveled."
...Concerned citizen's comment published on a
local internet blog.
A group for the preservation
of Elkmont's historic district managed in 1994 to get the Elkmont area with its cottages listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
"...the District was placed on
the National Register because it represents, at the state level of significance, the only remaining collection of early 20th century resort cabins retaining integrity in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee." Excerpt from GRSM, Draft EIS
This forced the park service
to coordinate their efforts with another government agency. The outcome of this "forced negotiation" was a grand stalemate.
Neither agency could agree on a compromise course of action and in the year 2000 a decision was made to begin a new planning
process.
Meanwhile, the Appalachian
Clubhouse and the cottages continued to deteriorate and the old Wonderland Hotel actually collapsed
due to structural failure. Note: The Wonderland Hotel has since been completely demolished and is
no longer being seriously considered for reconstruction. Wikipedia has more information about the Wonderland Hotel.
| Appalachian Clubhouse, rebuilt 1934 |
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| click image for larger view... |
New Info Here-->On May 1st, 2009 Notice of Availability of the
Elkmont Historic District Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and General Management Plan Amendment was published in
the Federal Register. Seven alternative plans were proposed and after 9 years of discussions, public
meetings and back & forth correspondence between the park service and interested parties (namely, The Tennessee Historic
Commission), the park service has selected Alternative C as their final preference for the disposition of the Elkmont Historic
District. This is no surprise because Alternative C was originally chosen as the favored approach by the park
service back in 2006 when the Draft EIS was released.
Alternative C is essentially a compromise solution for long-term preservation
of the Elkmont Historic District. You can read the full text of Alternative C for yourself on the park service website.
Click here to open this 4.5 MB pdf file in a new window.
Here is an excerpt showing the disposition of all buildings under Alternative
C:
Under Alternative C, 19 buildings, consisting of
16 cabins/buildings in Daisy Town, the Chapman cabin, the Spence cabin and the Appalachian Clubhouse,
would be restored on the exterior. The cabins in Daisy Town and the Chapman cabin would be preserved on
the interior. The Appalachian Clubhouse would be rehabilitated on the interior and exhibits would be installed.
The Clubhouse would serve as a self-guiding museum and would also be available for reserved day use through
special use permit. The interior of the Spence cabin would also be rehabilitated for public day use.
All of the remaining contributing structures would be removed.
Removal would be accomplished either by mechanical means or by hand removal. Foundations and buried features
would not be excavated.
Following removal, former building sites would be restored
with native plant species from the District.
Costs for Alternative C...The estimated total one-time capital cost for implementation of Alternative C is $6,236,791. The estimated
annual operating costs for implementation of Alternative C are $147,295. All estimates are in 2010 dollars. The park
service notes that adoption of Alternative C doesn't automatically guarantee that funds will be available to perform this
work. They go on to state that completion would depend upon the availability of funding and may take several more
years! Fortunately, some money has already been pledged for interim repairs to stabilize some of the structures at most
risk of collapse. My guess is that we'll be looking at another 5 years before Alternative C is fully implemented.
Click here to view a site plan map of Alternative C.
Quick link to Alternatiave C: The full description
of Alternative C is written on a total of only 7 pages buried in the middle of a 456 page PDF file (4.5 MB) which
you can open at this link: Elkmont General Management Plan Amendment, Volume 1. When the document opens, go to page 95 of 456 to start reading Alternative
C.
As of this writing most of the old cottages are
still standing but that will soon change.....
In recent years Jan & I have
walked thru the old areas taking photographs of some of these deteriorating cottages. Most of the cottage photos are
unlabeled since I didn't have a map showing their names vs. location at the time I shot the photos. As of this date
most of the cottages are all still standing and you can drive or walk thru the area to see them yourself.
I hope you enjoy the photos. Keep in mind
that access to the old cottages is generally restricted to areas outside of the cottages. Any photos you see that were
taken inside would have been taken before interior access was restricted (generally prior to 2001).
Last review and update: May 10, 2009.
For Quick Navigation among the 115 photos use this menu:
Cottages (Divided Into Five Groups)
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| Set-off Style of Cottage--"Original Modular Home" |
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| These were transported by rail car and dropped-off beside the track. |
Shown here is a construction style known as a set-off cabin.
Located in the Daisy Town area of Elkmont, set-off cabins were a type of pre-fabricated housing that could be transported
on a flatcar. They were off-loaded at Elkmont and assembled into houses. Three cottages with this style of construction
remain in Daisy Town.
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