Pigeon Forge in Sevier County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Pigeon River Railroad

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 2, 2022

1. Pigeon River Railroad Marker

Inscription.

Pigeon River Railroad. . Pictured is locomotive # 20. It ran along Smoky Mountain Railroad tracks and possibly traveled into Pigeon Forge on the Pigeon River Railroad line just before the line was abandoned about 1929. The Pigeon River Railroad was incorporated in August 1916 and began operating circa 1919. The PRRR extended the line of the Knoxville, Sevierville and Eastern Railway from west Sevierville to the small community of McCookville, about a mile south of Pigeon Forge. Area residents jokingly referred to the line as the “Knoxville, Slow and Easy.” Logging in the mountains and the harvesting of tan bark for tanning leather were becoming big business. Trains were used in the transport of these resources. A depot was located across the street, slightly northwest of this marker, with the tracks running parallel to the road. After railroad operations ceased, the depot was moved to the opposite side of the street. Photo: Sevier County Public Library, [Captions] , (Above) This artist’s sketch by Norman C. Miller, Jr. appeared in Elmer G. Sulzer’s book, Ghost Railroads of Tennessee , (Left) Pictured at the Middle Creek train stop, about 1920, are Ulla Chance, Bertha Marshall and Jenella Ogle. The Pigeon River Railroad connected with the KS&E in west Sevierville, then traveled through A.J. King’s lumber warehouse on its way to Pigeon Forge. There was a PRRR depot at the lumber company in Sevierville, there were three depots along Lower Middle Creek Road, and there was one across this highway. Photo Courtesy of Jerry Loveday , Locomotives from the Smoky Mountain Railroad were among those used for display at Rebel Railroad, one of the town’s first attractions. Engine #107 remains in Pigeon Forge. Photo Courtesy of David Eppen , Pictured is a Sevier County leather smith in 1937. Esquire Blackburn Jones and A.S. Trotter operated a tannery on Mill Creek in Pigeon Forge. Cleason Emert and Ransom Sims were also tanners there. They made shoes, harnesses, saddles and horse collars for local farmers. Photo: Tennessee State Library and Archives , (Left) A spike from the Pigeon River Railroad and a Montgomery’s Vindicator advertisement 1924 . This historical marker was erected in 2013 by City of Pigeon Forge. It is in Pigeon Forge in Sevier County Tennessee

Pictured is locomotive # 20. It ran along Smoky Mountain Railroad tracks and possibly traveled into Pigeon Forge on the Pigeon River Railroad line just before the line was abandoned about 1929. The Pigeon River Railroad was incorporated in August 1916 and began operating circa 1919. The PRRR extended the line of the Knoxville, Sevierville and Eastern Railway from west Sevierville to the small community of McCookville, about a mile south of Pigeon Forge. Area residents jokingly referred to the line as the “Knoxville, Slow and Easy.” Logging in the mountains and the harvesting of tan bark for tanning leather were becoming big business. Trains were used in the transport of these resources. A depot was located across the street, slightly northwest of this marker, with the tracks running parallel to the road. After railroad operations ceased, the depot was moved to the opposite side of the street. Photo: Sevier County Public Library

[Captions]
(Above) This artist’s sketch by Norman C. Miller, Jr. appeared in Elmer G. Sulzer’s book, Ghost Railroads of Tennessee
(Left) Pictured at the Middle Creek train stop, about

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 2, 2022

2. Pigeon River Railroad Marker

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1920, are Ulla Chance, Bertha Marshall and Jenella Ogle. The Pigeon River Railroad connected with the KS&E in west Sevierville, then traveled through A.J. King’s lumber warehouse on its way to Pigeon Forge. There was a PRRR depot at the lumber company in Sevierville, there were three depots along Lower Middle Creek Road, and there was one across this highway. Photo Courtesy of Jerry Loveday
Locomotives from the Smoky Mountain Railroad were among those used for display at Rebel Railroad, one of the town’s first attractions. Engine #107 remains in Pigeon Forge. Photo Courtesy of David Eppen
Pictured is a Sevier County leather smith in 1937. Esquire Blackburn Jones & A.S. Trotter operated a tannery on Mill Creek in Pigeon Forge. Cleason Emert and Ransom Sims were also tanners there. They made shoes, harnesses, saddles and horse collars for local farmers. Photo: Tennessee State Library & Archives
(Left) A spike from the Pigeon River Railroad and a Montgomery’s Vindicator advertisement 1924

Erected 2013 by City of Pigeon Forge.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.

Location. 35° 47.165′ N, 83° 32.871′ W. Marker is in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee,

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in Sevier County. Marker is on Veteran's Boulevard (Tennessee Route 449) 0.1 miles north of Dollywood Lane, on the right when traveling north. Located at entrance to parking area west of a Sevier County Electric System substation. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 Dollywood Ln, Pigeon Forge TN 37863, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Pigeon Forge Elementary School / Pigeon Forge Canning Factory (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Baptist Church Pigeon Forge (approx. 0.2 miles away); First United Methodist Church of Pigeon Forge and Pigeon Forge Academy (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sevier County Veterans Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Pigeon Forge Iron Works (approx. 0.3 miles away); Unionists Within the Confederacy (approx. 0.4 miles away); Early Pigeon Forge (approx. 0.4 miles away); Broady Dairy (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pigeon Forge.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 9, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 13, 2013, by Marcia Nelson of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 889 times since then and 88 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 9, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.