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I remember when I was a small girl, in the 1960s, and my family would come up to the mountains. I saw cows grazing where multi million dollar businesses operate today. Even as a teenager, in the 1970s, there wasn't a whole lot there. Now it's hard to find an open piece of green land. It's amazing how it's changed. God help us if Townsend ever opens its doors an inch to the money hungry developers who quite literally paved paradise and put up a parking lot!
My husband and I have visited Pigeon Forge several times...we won't be back. The atmosphere is that of the ol' snake oil vendors and it's all about the money. I would much rather visit Burnsville, N.C., where the country folks are still country and the friendliness hasn't been exchanged for greed of money. Thanks for sharing the true history of Pigeon Forge and warning people how greed can steal the core and heart of a wonderful country town.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." St John 3:16! ❤️ MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄🎁🎀🎄 HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!🎊🎉🎺
I really enjoyed this sweet documentary. I live in Central Indiana, but have been going to Pigeon Forge since 1995 with my husband & our two sons. The people there have always been so nice & welcoming & it shines through in this documentary. Thank you for sharing it! 😊✌
*Let me just say, I had always heard about the Great Smoky Mountains, folks went there for vacation. My Parents did not Vacation, however, we traveled back and forth from Chicago, my city of birth, and my Dad's home area, NW Tennessee. When I was 4 years old, my parents decided to sell our Businesses, home, and move to Tennessee. My sisters were in High School and they "thought ???". Against all my 🤨🙄😨😪 and in spite of the fact 9 of 10 of those folks in NW Tennessee were (Red Bird Fans). (Why, when ya do have a baseball team AND ya could be a Cubs Fans, was beyond my 4 yr old mind), anyways, I digress ... In my late 20's, after graduating University of Memphis and having worked several years as Marketing Manager, St Joe, Memphis, I had to travel to Gatlinburg, through Pigeon Forge, for a State Conference. I flew into Nashville, with one of our Marketing Reps, Tim, (whom had been there several times and was/is more famous that the Pope, everyone, everywhere knows this man, Amazes me!) Anyways after we had landed in Knoxville, driven a highway, where Tim is pointing out sites, like a Tour Guide, President's house, another Presi6's house, and we take a Right 8n Serivile and proceed towards Gatlinburg ... about 15 minutes into this 0art 9f out drive, Tim 8s tapping away, when he realizes there's no response and he turns to look at me and said "Beth!" "What's the matter!?!" I was just setting there with my mouth open, agasp,, when * gathered my composure, * said:. "Tim, we have 0assed no less than 132 Pink Pottery Pigs setting on the side of this Highway, what the heck is Gatlinburg going to be like?" "He says, well, it just a little town 8n the mountains with a Main Street and a Hotel and Cabins." ... and I said, "Tim, I was expecting an Easy Coast *"Aspen",* at which point he had to pull over, lol. I've no clue why I thought that, but we'll (it's not) I respect the folks that live there, and I hope the realize the greater beauty potentials they have. I haven't had a reason to return, and I'm still a bit stunned that all that natural beauty is there, and there's really beauty to be showcased in East Tennessee. Travel Safe ...
I vacationed in Pigeon forge when my kids were young in the early 90s then skipped it for about a decade or so, the changes that happened over that decade were incredible. My wife and I live in SW Ohio and we visit this area twice yearly. My parents Honeymooned in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area they have an old picture of them in Jail at Silver Dollar City. Great area my family was near Max Patch Match North Carolina! 🤠
Lots of good leadership and hard work by hard working folks who farmed and ran small businesses became the Pigeon Forge we know know. And yes God fearing and kind.
I very-much enjoyed this upload … thanks so much = Love this immediate area within the state of Tennessee - it’s history, it’s amazing views - and, most of all it’s people; they’re always cordial, always polite and always welcoming ♥️♥️♥️
At 1:43, is that Magic World to the right? God, how i miss going there and seeing the Spider ride out front and the tall Ferris Wheel at the top of the hill. :( I remember almost riding through the Haunted Castle ride, but chickened out at the last second. These two boys said , You can ride with us, and that's when i chickened out...went & rode the Ferris Wheel instead. lol
@buttermilkflapjack the slide on the left was the Water Boggen, I can't remember the name of the one on the right I will ask my friend he worked then in the summer of 1980. There was one half way up the parkway on the right also.
I remember ogles water park.Too bad its not around anymore.I heard someone got hurt and sued them and thats why they shut down.Their dragonsslide used to knock the breath out of me.Now we have Dollywood Slash country which is not bad.It has almost what ogles had and even more than ogles did. Dollywood Splash country has added on to their park since it opened in 2001,and they have more attractions and rides for kids than Ogles ever did.
the water slide is the old ogles water park it is where the fire house golf is now. i love this video. my wife did not get to go there until 1994 i have been going since the 70s and i can remember less being there then what is in the video. there were 2 other water slides that you can see both on the right going toward gatlinburg. they were both on the side of the mountain.i hope who ever posted this can find more history of pf and post it also
hey, i have been google deep diving on old water parks in the area and the one that you see when you first start to enter gatlinburg, the one on the right is called "the worlds largest waterslide". there is really not much out there about it. it was next to mt skys motel and smokey mt pancake house, which is wild bear tavern currently in june 2021.