Near Gatlinburg in Sevier County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Appalachian Clubhouse

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2021

1. Appalachian Clubhouse Marker

Inscription. The Appalachian Clubhouse was once the heart of a resort community that grew up here, one of many southern Appalachian resorts that thrived in the early 20th century.

The Little River Lumber Company began promoting this area for development even as it was logging the surrounding hillsides. In 1910, 50 acres were deeded to a group of civic and business leaders who wanted to establish a sportsman’s club. Over time, the club became more social, and its members included many of Knoxville’s commercial and civic elite. The Appalachian Clubhouse doubled as a hotel for members and their guests, serving as the social hub that tied Daisy Town, Millionaire’s Row, and Society Hill together. In fact, many former residents referred to the entire area as “Clubtown.”

”Scenery in the Elkmont Country is without compare. It challenges description even at the hands of a poet.”
—Little River Railroad promotional brochure, The Beautiful Elkmont Country

Erected by National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas

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• Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.

Location. 35° 39.231′ N, 83° 34.911′ W. Marker is near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in Sevier County. It can be reached from the intersection of Jakes Creek Road B and Little River Road. Marker is located near the southwest corner of the subject Appalachian Clubhouse building on Jakes Creek Road B. Access is via Elkmont Road, about 4½ miles west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gatlinburg TN 37738, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee

and in the Great Smoky Mountains.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

the State of Franklin,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are

Marker detail: Original Clubhouse image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: Original Clubhouse

The original clubhouse, shown here in 1925, burned and was replaced by the current building in 1934.

within walking distance of this marker: The Appalachian Club (within shouting distance of this marker); Quite a Social Place (within shouting distance of this marker); Cabin #2: Murphy/Smith Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Cabin #50: Ownby/Avent Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Cabin #1: Fulton/Sneed Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Cabin #3: Boykin/Higdon Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Cabin #5: Ijams/Addicks Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Cabin #4: Brownlee/Swan Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gatlinburg.

Regarding Appalachian Clubhouse. Contributing property, Elkmont Historic District, National Register of Historic Places #94000166.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Elkmont Historic District

Also see . . .
1. Appalachian Clubhouse. The Appalachian Clubhouse is a historic structure located in the Elkmont Historic District. It was used as a gathering spot by lessees and guests of the Appalachian Club, which was established

Marker detail: Appalachian Clubhouse Porch Activity image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Appalachian Clubhouse Porch Activity

Board games or cards on the porch, poetry readings and children’s pageants, festive dinner gatherings — it’s not hard to imagine life here at the height of the vacation season.

in 1910. Club members, mostly from Knoxville, built rustic cabins nearby to serve as weekend or summer retreats in the years before the park was created. The original clubhouse was destroyed by fire and replaced by the exsiting building in 1934. The building has now been rehabilitated by the National Park Service to its appearance in the 1930s. (Submitted on May 26, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Elkmont, Tennessee: Resort town. In his company's early days, Townsend allowed hunters and fishermen to use the Little River Railroad to access the deep, game-rich forests of the Smokies. As the Elkmont valley was slowly stripped of its valuable timber, Townsend began to advertise the area as a mountain getaway. In 1909, Little River Railroad began offering the Sunday "Elkmont Special"— non-stop train service from Knoxville to Elkmont. In 1910, an affluent group of Knoxville hunting and fishing enthusiasts formed the Appalachian Club and built the Appalachian Clubhouse for use as a lodge. Within a few years, several club members built cottages, and the club evolved into a mountain getaway for Knoxville's

Marker detail: Train from Knoxville image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Train from Knoxville

The train from Knoxville made eight stops along the way, arriving in Elkmont three hours later. The last stop on the line was the Appalachian Club.

elite. (Submitted on May 26, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Appalachian Clubhouse. (professional video tour of the Appalachian Clubhouse) The National Park Service has restored the Appalachian Clubhouse, located in the Elkmont Historic District, to its historic 1934 appearance and it is now available for day-use rental from spring through fall. (Submitted on May 27, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Railroad Map image. Click for full size.

5. Marker detail: Railroad Map

Map of Knoxville & Augusta Railroad, Litter River Railroad, Tennessee & Carolina Southern Railway

Appalachian Clubhouse Porch image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2021

6. Appalachian Clubhouse Porch

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2021

7. Appalachian Clubhouse Marker

Appalachian Clubhouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 12, 2021

8. Appalachian Clubhouse

Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024

9. Appalachian Clubhouse

Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,240 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 26, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 6. submitted on May 27, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 7, 8. submitted on May 26, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 9. submitted on November 23, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.