History of Gatlinburg

During the 19th Century Gatlinburg was called "White Oaks Flats". The area had never been settled before and was thick with thriving forests and wildlife. The local Native American tribes were the only human inhabitants around until the first settlers arrived from South Carolina - The Oglesby, which was later changed to Ogle. Martha Jan Huskey Ogle brought her seven children to the area and built her cabin, which can still be seen today at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts' campus right in downtown Gatlinburg.

Eventually pioneer Settlers and veterans of the Revolutionary war made the area their home as well. Before long the quaint mountain village began to grow as community structures were built. Around 1855 Richard Reagan, postmaster of the local post office, renamed his office "Gatlinburg" in appreciation of the office space offered by Radford Gatlin. Without the office space, geographical boundaries made communication with the world outside of the Appalachian Mountains difficult.

In the early 1900's Gatlinburg built its first hotel. After a hard week of work in nearby logging camps, workers would join their spouses and children for a weekend at the Mountain View Hotel. The hotel later began catering to tourists traveling to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Gatlinburg has now become a resort like town nestled in the mountains of East Tennessee and known for its beautiful scenery. As a way to experience the beauty of Gatlinburg in a similar way to the first settlers, rental cabins can be found throughout the mountainous area. Gatlinburg cabins provide a romantic settling any time of the year. With the flowers in full bloom, change of foliage or snow topped mountains, Gatlinburg is the second most popular place to get married in America and is the perfect place for a honeymoon or a weekend filled with romance.