The Wonderland - Great Smoky Mountains - DanTraveling

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This is a short video we put together with what may be the last footage shot of the Wonderland Hotel before the Park Service salvaged parts of it and then demolished the rest, the artifacts were shipped to Oak Ridge Tennessee last fall 2006. The Wonderland was located in the (Ghost Town) community of Elkmont Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Also we include some vintage 1936 National Archives footage on the Park.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-276263724055074977

Check out briangrishamstudios.com for some awesome Artistic prints of the Wonderland and more.

T Edwards. Dan McCoig, Janet Lockerby, Nick Ulmer

dmccoig

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• wonderland
• Hotel
• Elkmont
• travel
• visit
• vacation
• Tennessee
• Great
• go
• Smoky
• Mountains
• Destroyed
• Edwards
• Dan
• McCoig

[thecrimsonarcher2010]

When I was a little girl, my parents took me on a hiking trip to Husky Branch Falls. I can recall us going through Elkmont on a rainy day and seeing all those old buildings. Off in the distance, I can remember seeing the Wonderland Hotel, sad and falling in on itself. To realize this 15 years later is sobering--to know that I saw this once majestic hotel in its last years is a great honor. I'm going back there tomorrow--the first time in nearly 16 years.

[dmccoig]

@thecrimsonarcher2010 How was your trip back to the Smokies?

[annettehope]

My grandma and grandpa, Helen & John Wolfe actually managed this hotel for several years. Many of my aunts and uncles, as well as my Mom and Dad worked for the hotel as well leaving my cousins and I free to explore this WONDERFUL place for many summers. So many fond memories I can't even begin to count, but one in particular was a black bear in the horseshoe pit not to mention the square dances on Saturday night. This video brought tears to my eyes. I had hoped to one day bring my family.Thanks

[crazysaruki]

beautiful video :)

it is so sad though that ''wonderland is no more''

[thecrimsonarcher2010]

@dmccoig I really wished I talked to that woman. Apparently, she used to live there when she was younger because she told her husband stories of each and every building that was still standing. I had taken pictures and video of nearly every building in Elkmont. I have a video taken of the area where the Wonderland Hotel ruins are, along with the Wonderland Club. All that remains of the hotel is a fireplace, part of the floor, and stairs.

[thecrimsonarcher2010]

@dmccoig When I went back to Elkmont, I was very surprised at how different it looked. I can remember being 5 or 6 years old and seeing a lot of those old buildings everywhere. There was an older couple we seen that was exploring many of the old houses. I overheard the older lady's husband ask if she had stayed there as a child. She walked up to one of the houses and answered that this particular house was the one she stayed in as a little girl. She looked like she was about to cry.

[GoldenEyeJack]

I was lucky enough to stay there as a kid with my family. My sister and I played ping pong many times while we waited on our dinner. The Elkmont area cabin are actually being restored now and the main club house has been completely restored and can now be reserved for various functions.

[melann999]

I spent all my summers at Elkmont growing up, and am proud that I got to see The Wonderland Hotel in all its glory. We'd walk over to the hotel a couple of nights a week and sit on the porch, play ping pong in the game room and eat the best cobbler in the dining room. It's sad to see that the hotel is no more.

[ispi05]

i lived in place east coast and wish it could be restored. course tenants are not ever mentioned and its turning to something like this wonder hotel

[SaraSuper95]

@hananhbelle73

I wonder if you could tell me how to get there. We went yesterday and found the cemetery and one old house but that was it. We couldn't find the rest of the houses and cottages or the site of the Wonderland Club. THANKS!