The Story of the First Settlers of Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is situated in the Great Smoky Mountains, which form the boundary between Tennessee and North Carolina. Originally settled in 1806 when it was called White Oak Flats, it was all about the trees. The Smoky Mountains had long been home to over two hundred species of trees, which hung over trails walked by Native Americans while they were hunting. The village's founder, William Ogle, called the area paradise; he received help from the Native Americans in cutting trees to make a cabin there. The cabin still exists and forms the cultural centerpiece of Gatlinburg. In The Beginning White Oak Flats, named for all the white oak trees prevalent in the area, sat between the west fork of the Little Pigeon and Baskins Creek. Upon seeing this beauty, William Ogle engaged the Native Americans in helping him cut the trees, make logs and notch them for formation of a house. He then returned to his native South Carolina to retrieve his family, but he never made it back to Ten...