National Park - Great Smoky Mountains Elkmont Historic District Update

[TheMountainhiker]

Dan, my girlfriend and I traveled up to Elkmont and just returned home. After seeing your video's I just had to explore Elkmont. I hope that you don't mind while I was there I told others of your youtube video's and advised them to log on and do so as well. I hope that this would be to your liking. I hope to have a few videos myself and hope that many hours of editing that they will do justice to their respective subjects.

[dmccoig]

@TheMountainhiker Thanks Mountain Hiker! what a nice thing to say.. Yes of course we love it when people are interested in Elkmont. Please send a link when you get your videos done we would like to see them..

Thanks again for the kind words

[TheMountainhiker]

Dan, Once again thanks for the info. the video and actually caring. I think that if the park gets enough pressure from the citizens that they would actually save more sights. I think that the rangers in the park believe that they were put there to own the park but in fact they are there just to maintain the park for the real owners. The tax paying citizens of the United States.

[jereggio]

I'm so happy to see this!!! Elkmont is such a magical place! So, when can I move in???

[foxyrudemom]

Your videos on Elkmont are so amazing and informational. After seeing your first video we went and viewed the area. I'm glad they are saving some of the structures, but wish they were saving some of the millionare's row area too it is just amazing. But, from what I'm reading they won't be saving that area. Please keep posting!

[stfuitsjessica]

Regarding the message you sent me: I couldn't figure out when they took the picture of MJ in the ambulance because his bodyguard was blocking the back with his hands, but those guys on the side, that's when they must of 'taken' the picture. Chris Weiss is the photographer of the MJ ambulance picture you see everywhere. It's just so weird because it was dark windows. I don't know. I guess i just analyze too much. (you can delete this, i couldn't message you).

[horseboyken]

In the park not the houses

[horseboyken]

It is closed off from the public I would not go in there looks like you would fall through the floors I was allowed to be in there since I was delivering materials for the stabilization project

[LucidDream]

I like your videos. I happen to live near the Smoky Mountains and can trace most of my family lived around this area. So it's nice to be able to see this place and it's nice to hear someone else talk about it.

[dmccoig]

Thanks so much Brock, we do love it up there in Elkmont.

[k6yardotcom]

beautiful video blogging as well as showing natural surrounding area. how nice that video's been viewed qtr a million times and rated we well. can't wait to go watch now. best wishes to you,

friend,

ruben

[dmccoig]

Thanks Ruben, it is awesome so many people have gotten a chance to see the are before it changes. We are so happy about that.

[meridilynn]

Great job! I was up there taking pictures with my 10 year old daughter on 4-6-09. I didn't see the yellow tape though. I did see people working, especially back on the road that you can't go down near the main loop. We live in NC but frequently visit there. I am jealous of the bear footage-I NEVER get to see a bear! Thanks so much for sharing.

[dmccoig]

Ha, yes we always seem to run across bears, but the bears in this video are the closest and best shots we have ever gotten.

[rustysouth1]

is this open to the public? i would like to go see it .

[dmccoig]

It is! you should go see it soon, it is changing, but still very cool

[horseboyken]

I delivered some fencing materials out there I was amazed all those houses in the woods

[dmccoig]

I think it is so interesting, but some are very dangerous too.

[hotgoddesslynn01]

I loved watching this video .. it made me want to go on my own adventures into ghost towns.. this was a wonderfull idea Thankyou..

[dmccoig]

Your very welcome, please send us some videos of your explorations

[4creekers]

Thanks for the updated information. We were in Elkmont in June 2008 to see the fireflies. We noticed that many of the houses were falling down and did not see any indication that they would be repaired (it was undergoing a 'study' with the park service). Glad to see they are fixing them.

[FatherJudgement]

Great video thank you for what you are doing to help preserve our history. Only through restoring our past may we educate our future...Great cause and God Bless you.

[dmccoig]

Thank You so much FJ, we joined the Great Smoky Mountain Association just because of their work here on the houses.

[rokslide]

We are very excited that they are saving some of the houses. I stayed in one around 1970. I hope the house that we stayed in, is one of houses that will be saved.

[dmccoig]

That would be so awesome! If they do please send us a photo

[catsbeforme]

I am so glad they are fixing them up i personally can't wait to go see them.

[dmccoig]

That is awesome please keep us posted when you do!

[char4him99]

Love this. Glad they are finally preserving some of it..

[dmccoig]

We are to, Thanks so much

[FRIPFRIP2]

c'est une belle video

bonne journee

[dmccoig]

Thank You

[WolfGirl61]

I'm SO glad to hear they're preserving these houses. We've camped at Elkmont for many, many years and love wandering through this old community. We've often wondered why they didn't preserve the area. Woohoo!!!! Love the bears at the beginning of the video...really nice touch. ;)

[dmccoig]

Thanks so much wolfgirl, it was such a nice surprise to see the houses being worked on.

The bears were awesome! We see them every now and again when we are in the park, but these as you can see just walked out in front of us near the Elkmont Campground.

[gotts21]

Great story and video.

[dmccoig]

Thank You so much gotts

[chashutch]

Loved your video of the Elkmont cabins. I went to a boys camp called Camp LeConte for 8 weeks back in the early '40s and it was located across the street from the Wonderland Hotel. Ranger housing is there now. Many of the counselors at the camp were UT football players including Herman Hickman. The last time I was there, the road to Elkmont was closed. I'm glad to see that the park service is keeping and refurbishing some of the cabins. Thanks for the memories.

Chase Hutchinson, Linthicum, MD

[dmccoig]

That is very cool Chas,

I bet the ol orange and white was doing better on the field back then as well.

Go Vols anyway

[9sec2valve]

Wow , Elkmont is really looking great!

Can't wait too see it finished.

Love the bear shots.

Gordy aka 9secstang

[dmccoig]

Thanks so much 9sec

We thought the bears were awesome, I'll try to get some shots when they finish

[bd1950oct]

Thanks for this video. We spend abouot 3 weeks year in the Smokies area and I've often thought about visiting Elkmont. Now we will make it a priority when we are back the first week of October. Also enjoyed your piece on Wonderland Hotel. It must have been a grand place.

[dmccoig]

Thanks bd,

That is very cool, please take some pictures and share when you go back.

We are sad that we never got the chance to stay at the Wonderland

[syvhj]

I'm going to travel like this one day. Love the vids! Keep them up!

[dmccoig]

Thanks syvhj,

I hope you get to go all over the world someday

[ajdpadbury]

Exceptional video Dan, a real pleasure to watch!:)

[dmccoig]

I am sorry buraota1,

I must be out of the loop, but I don't know what that means?

[nicole565656]

I am SO glad that we were there to see your reaction when we all realized that they were restoring and not tearing down the AWESOME houses!!

And the bears were so cool.

Love ya

The McCoigs (second generation HAHA)

[dmccoig]

We were sooooo glad you guys could hang out on yalls day off. :)

love yall too

[MossyCove]

Thanks for the follow up doc, mr. dan. The place is looking cool and i hope to visit and see Elkmont finished someday real soon:)

[dmccoig]

Thanks MossyCove,

We were excited to see them, and I wish we could just hang out in the mountains along the Little River until my beard touched my toes.

[dmccoig]

Thank You so much SunriseSunsetGal

We agree, it is one of our favorite places in the park

[evilborg]

Love that fiddler -- has the guy ever made a cd ?

[dmccoig]

I have been telling him for two years to record some songs with the fiddle, I'll keep asking

[evilborg]

Seriously he should -- I have always love the fiddle and tried to learn myself but my fingers are to fat for the strings.

[evilborg]

This is GREAT NEWS !! Maybe your video brought attention to this.

[dmccoig]

Thanks Scott,

It couldn't have hurt, maybe a mini focus group ha ha

(It is so awesome that they are rebuilding some of the houses, we are thrilled at whatever may have led them to the decision)

[evilborg]

You should do a timeline video of it. Go back every 6 months and film the changes then merge all of them together after they are done.

[nannypaw]

My name is Sharon Stephens, my great great grandfather William Earl Parton homeplace was in Elkmont. I am so proud of these wonderful mountains and my family heritage! I really have enjoyed your videos and I am grateful for the update on the Elkmont houses. I will be there on September 7th for our Parton Family Reunion. I also am a member of the Great Smoky Mountains Association. Thank you again!

[dmccoig]

Hi Sharon, are you related to Dolly?

My family hails from Chestnut Hill and we had one that worked lumbering, (not sure where) his name was Tennessee Loveday.

Oh and we are recent members as well!

[nannypaw]

Dolly & I have the same grandfather. Her's is the great,great,great grandfather and mine is the great great great great grandfather: Benjamin Parton. She comes from son: Albert Parton, my line comes from:Elisha Wilburn Parton. I have a Elizabeth Loveday in my family that married Vance Newman. Any kin to you?

[dburr13]

Great follow up!...It's good to hear that something is being done to save the houses of Elkmont...Another fine DanTraveling video!

[dmccoig]

Thank so much Daniel!

I like a good follow up or a follow up that ends up good.

[Kyoshiko]

How did you video tape the Computer montor without getting thoes dark lines (bars)in the video?

Kyo

[dmccoig]

I am not sure, It may be because I taped it on an angle?

[JaimeLynn510]

How wonderful!!!

[dmccoig]

Thanks JaimeLynn,

we agree it was awesome

[Nissehultan]

Thanks for shareing your traveling :)

[dmccoig]

Thank You Nissehultan, for commenting

[NewWarriorMan]

kewl.

my wife is a mountain woman!

[dmccoig]

Thats some funny stuff, Mine is too.

[mktarrant]

this is great dan! yay!!!

[dmccoig]

Thank You MK

[rj63227]

I also wish that I had checked my spelling/typing before posting. :)

[dmccoig]

Thats ok, I can't read well anyway :)

[rj63227]

I am glad you are back on the road. I was just there last month with my little nephew and was checking out the progress that I read aobut. I thought of you and was going to send you a mesage, but forgot. Glad you made it and glad you know to stay in the car...especially when a mother bear is out with her cub. The saddest thing is that they let the Wonderland Hotel go. I wish they had restored it and let anybody that wanted be able to stay ther and enhoy the area. Great video!

[dmccoig]

I learned my mother baby bear warnings at an early age up at the chimneys picnic area. ha ha

thanks we are glad to be back out there, have been to Highlands, NC Franklin, NC Mount Airy, NC Copperhill, TN Ocoee White water, Lynchburg (Jack's place)

[donnabuckner]

hi and thank you for the video..i will be camping there the end of september, it will be my first time there...we will be at cades cove on that saturday for old timers day...is elkmont far from cades cove?are there alot of bears in elkmont? id like to video them. im so glad there saving these houses to often they destroy homes that arent log cabins like the home of the last family living in the cove, ive never been to elkmont before

[dmccoig]

Thanks Donna,

Elkmont is about 18-19 miles from cades cove, just go to the left at the Y

I havent seen many bears there in the past, but the ones in the video were right by the Elkmont Campground. I hope you get to see some.

[hogshead50]

Hello Dan, I was surprised to see construction going on when my wife and I visited Elkmont in the beginning of August.My favorite is the tiny log cabin set back from the road. I was wondering about the story behind it. Who built it and why. Who lived in it. Here is a story for you to bring to life.

Thanks for the update,as always,we enjoy your videos.

[dmccoig]

Thanks Hogshead,

Thats Janets favorite also.

It is called Adamless Eden! ha ha

[WestEndGirl1969]

This is so is wild. I have not had time for utbe and now I am working in Sevier county TN for the month. I love this place. The homes and the people are amazing. I hope that I will be able to make a video of my stay.

[dmccoig]

Thats awesome Westendgirl,

please do and let us know when you post it

[Inky261]

cool 5*. wanna travel.

[dmccoig]

Thanks Inky

[MerryGoRnd]

What a wonderful surprise you had! I hope they will open these houses us to use again when completed. Thanks for sending me the latest video. I'd like to visit there also!

[dmccoig]

Thanks MerryGoRnd,

We were speechless when we saw the work being done.

[teawead]

Awesome, I wanna go their.

[dmccoig]

Thanks Teawead,

we can't wait to go back ourselves

[larrythetvaddict]

another great video

[dmccoig]

Thanks Larry