Elkmont is located in the Great Smoky Mountains, in
Tennessee. A logging town and resort community in the past, the grounds are now
property of the Smokies, with a campground now on the former location of the
town of Elkmont.
The Little River Lumber Company established the town in
1908, and the Wonderland Park Annex, pictured below, was constructed in 1912.
The annex is scheduled for demolition, but 18 cottages and outbuildings will be
restored.
All images below were taken in 2014. I did not enter any
structures, but I did include several photos taken through open doors or windows. All
buildings are closed to the public.
This is a nice place for a writer or artist of any medium to draw inspiration from. You'll fill in all the blanks with your own creative ideas, reliving what happened back nearly a hundred years ago when this area was enjoying its heyday. My mind starts daydreaming when I see an old forlorn place like this. The stories are surely more rich that anything we can imagine.
You'll find some nice hiking trails in the area, including the Little River Trail, which isn't too tough by Smokies standards. The elevation stays flat. I will save that for another blog entry.
 |
| Steps going up to the Wonderland complex |
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| Troll Bridge |
 |
| Steps going up to the former site of the Wonderland Hotel, which collapsed in 2005 |
 |
| The Wonderland Annex |
 |
| The door has shifted to a rather odd angle |
 |
| I love the rock steps. Hopefully they will survive the demo of cottages |
 |
| Overgrown cottage is barely visible on the left as you walk back toward the entrance of the annex |
 |
| Looking at the Wonderland Annex, from the site of the main hotel, which collapsed in 2005. A pile of bricks from the hotel is seen on the far left |
 |
| Inside the Wonderland Annex, taken through a window. Looks like someone outside the window at the far wall, in long pajamas and house shoes,hanging. This place would make a nice setting for a haunted house |
 |
| Pathway from the Wonderland Annex to the remaining steps of the main hotel |
 |
| Sign installed by the park at the Wonderland entrance. Note the old photo showing the steps and hotel |
 |
| This cemetery is accessible from a gravel road, or by walking the old road/path from the Wonderland Hotel |
 |
| Looks like a cool playhouse |
 |
| Restored Appalachian Clubhouse |
 |
| Old power pole |
 |
| Walking down the street that ends at the Appalachian Club |
 |
| Beautiful cascades as you approach a second cemetery |
