The Land of the Smokies: Great Mountain Memories

by Tim Hollis

From Blowing Rock, North Carolina, where the Tweetsie Railroad boards to Lookout Mountain, on the Tennessee and Georgia border, "the Land of the Smokies" attracts thousands of tourists each year. Some come to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; many others delight in the sometimes quirky but always alluring attractions along the highways. In The Land of the Smokies , Tim Hollis wields his wit, his passion for detail, and almost 200 classic illustrations to produce an incomparable history of fun in the mountains. Hollis shows how the national park was created out of former farms and homesteads. He charts the development of Gatlinburg's crafts industry and examines the many types of restaurants and motels. Through photographs, postcards, brochures, and historiography, he explores popular destinations including Christus Gardens, Rock City, and Ruby Falls, as well as more obscure though no less bewitching stops such as the Tour Through Hell, Magic World, and Santa's Land. Hollis does not settle for mere nostalgia but also treats the many contemporary celebrities who set up their own theaters and theme parks, such as Dollywood. And what visit to the Smokies would be complete without a round at the many miniature golf courses that line highways to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg?

Genres: Travel, History

228 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2007

Reviews

[George Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Tim Hollis. He infuses his history with humor and good puns, without denying any of what really happened. This books is a wonderful look at the tourism of the Smoky Mountains. Anyone that's spent time at the attractions or wants to trace their history will enjoy the book. Plus, there are a lot of photos!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a look at retro tourism in the Great Smoky Mountains (NC/TN). As someone who grew up in the south and vacationed in the Smokies, I found lots of fun memories in the anecdotes, travel history, and especially the wealth of great photos throughout the book (old travel brochures, postcards, etc.). Lots of fun!

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great walk down memory lane to my days living in East Tennessee. The tourist attractions in the Smokies were so fun, even if they were a bit trashy and stereotypical. My only complaint is that most of the pics are in b & w.