A look back in Time of Places in and around THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS 

Perfect way to start my morning, listening to Donnie telling the history of the mountains. Honestly, you are a blessing my friend. There is nobody out there who brings the past back into the present in such an informative and peaceful way. Your voice is perfect for telling the stories that you tell. So many of the places, traditions, times that you speak about bring back so many good memories to me and others who are old enough to have experienced them. As someone who lived back in those times I can honestly say without any hesitation that today things as a whole for the nation and the American people are far worse in terms of the economy, overall happiness, health and moral values. So many kids today will never get to go to the mountains and visit the gift shops, amusement parks, walk the trails and have that experience. Like you, I still remember having my picture taken with the Cherokee Indian outside of one of those gift shops. Back then, they use to have black bears in cages outside the shops too and you could feed them. They stopped that and I guess that is a good thing that these bears aren't caged but still it is a memory for many a little kid in the past. So much has changed hasn't it Donnie. Anyway.....just sending out a thank you for all that you do. God bless you.

Vacationing isn't the same as it once was. Thank God the mountains are still there. Progress 🤔 I love watching these videos. Thank God for the great memories of what I call the Good Ole days! The world has changed so much because of the all mighty dollar, instead of All Mighty God! Praying and Blessed! 🤗🙏🌄

I remember back in the early 70s. What it looked like in the great smokies. It was great. ❤ Donnie, would you please pray for my dad, he having heart problems. 😮

Loved this so much, cousin Donnie! Thank you so much for sharing! My great uncle, George Benjamin Harris, tore down his sawmill in Dickson County, TN in 1917, hauled it by mule wagons to the Smokys and cut timber and sawed lumber for more than a year. My 16 year-old daddy, who worked for him there, was forever touched by the beauty of those mountains, and I guess it must have rubbed off on me, because I love them, too. Cades Cove is my wife's and my favorite place to visit, and we have hopes of getting up there again this year. I have so many family members buried in those graveyards in the cove, and Kermit Caughron (the Bee Man) , the last fellow to live in the Cove, was my 8th cousin, once removed. I wish you and ypurs Shabbat Shalom, dear cousin. May G-d bless each and all, and please pray for the peace of Yerushalayim. ❤

I Love The Mountains,,,I Miss The Ole Times,,Thank You,,,Love & Prayers For All✝️🛐💜

My how Pigeon fordge and Gatlinburg have sprawled Donnie....the scenic archival photos with the animals and some with our beautiful old cars are just great .... Thank you for the video Brother .

Donnie my friend, what a beautifully done well put together video. An Awesome historical tribute to those mountains and the areas surrounding the Smokies. A great start to my day. I can watch this time and time again and I will. God Bless you friend and have a blessed weekend.

Donnie, I was born and raised in Knoxville and I'm still here. We always visited the mountains every year when I was a kid. We would always go to the picnic grounds, us kids would play in the water all day those were the best times. From the 60's to the 80's. Then I got married and my children did the same thing we did as kids. I always look forward to going there every year. Great child hood memories with my mom,dad, aunts,uncles and cousins just spending the day eating, cooking out and having fun. Loved having my pictures made with the Indians.

What's amazing is when one gets away from their regional preferences. Like living in the larger Appalachia region, you can't wait to get back to it, when you're far away...

Thank you. The mountains are beautiful ❤

I like going back in time looking around pieces of your history of the great smoky mountains Appalachia great stuff Donnie back when times were better and simpler

Lord Donnie this was a mighty goodn I love the history of our great Appalachian home

Good morning Donnie….I pray you are well…Thanks for keeping our ancestors and history alive….Take care….God Bless & Lord willing I will see you next time 🙏🏻❤️💯🇮🇱☦️

I love history and your history videos are among my favorites. Cades Cove is indeed a beautiful place. Kind of sad they took it away from the hard working people who lived there, but knowing how the world we live in is, it probably would have been pretty well ruined by now with housing developments and modern construction. At least it is preserved as living history. I got a smile out of the picture of the drugstore in Gatlinburg, there was a '48 Hudson parked out front. I bought one for fifty dollars back in 1973, sweet car. God bless you and your family and as always, thank you for these wonderful videos. You are leaving a great legacy!

Thank you, Donnie, for sharing the past history of the Great Smokey Mountains. It's my favorite place to revisit. Many thanks. God 🙏 bless 🙏.

Brother Donnie this is an excellent overview of the beautiful mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee Thank you for taking time to share this wonderful history with us. God bless you sir ✝️

Donnie that was so very informative and hard to imagine how it used to be. I really enjoyed the video, God bless.

Morning Mr. Donnie. I remember when they tore Mr. Calhoun's house down. It just about broke my heart. I knew it was the end of a way of life for the Cove. The last of many generations of people who would never know what it was like to grow up simply. It was a hard life but a good life unencumbered by worldly things like phones and tvs and dishwashers. Until next time God Bless

I have been to many of the places you talked about. When I go there all I can think is It’s Gods Country! So beautiful. Thanks for sharing Mr Donnie. ❤️🙏❤️

Thank you brother Donnie for sharing this with us all. If people ain’t never been to Cades Cove I recommend going there they’ll see beauty like no other place there is. I can’t wait to see it again it’s been a few years since we’ve been there. Great video brother be safe and GOD BLESS. Hope we can get together in October and set and talk and share stories. It’d be a honor to meet you face to face. Be safe and GOD BLESS you and your family Amen 🙏

Beautiful mountain tranquil lovely view ♥️thank you for being the best storyteller around God bless you always 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼♥️

Good morning Donnie. You did a great job documenting the area through the years. I really like the older times of the towns, less crowded. The best part of the area is the Smoky Mountains. I love the beauty and the nature. I especially love Cades Cove. Thank you for this video, very enjoyable and informative. God Bless.

Wow Donnie, thank you for this opportunity to see history (I feel the way it still should be). It tears me us a bit imagining how hard and wonderful times must have been though. Please, keep them coming!

Great video Donnie. The first time me and Jenny saw the smoky mountains we understood how they got that name, and we also understood why we went that way. God bless you friend, Greg & Jenny, New Zealand.

Thank you Donnie for much needed sanity in this lost world

good morning haave a blessed day

Lots of memories of old East Tennessee I want to get back home someday beautiful country good people bless you all 🙏

Hey Mr. Donnie, I love the smoky mountains. Haven't been there in years. Hope this finds you doing well. Thank ya for sharing these stories.

Oh Donnie! Thank you so much for giving us a glimpse into the beautiful places! For alot of us, this is the first time we have seen and learned about the history. I couldn’t help but check out all of those old vehicles of long ago. I love the old cars etc. It was definitely a simpler time. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication and giving us not only the educational parts but also the history too. Blessings always! ❤️😊🙏

Boy. You're videos are pure gold Donnie. Thanks friend 🎉

I clogged at silver dollar city when I was a kid. Still have the old silver dollar city plastic mugs. Loved that place.

Donnie where are days gone so Beautiful....🙂

Thank you Donnie for sharing all this history! Greatly appreciated watching this and learning from it! Simply beautiful there!

We truly do live in a beautiful nation. Thanks Donnie!

Great video , I love history . My family , The Shields ,lived in Cades Cove , and some are buried at Primitive Baptist Church

So many family vacation memories from the late 50s to the 90s there. If I ever can I hope I can make one more visit.

Lot of good old memories here. Thanks Donnie

Morning Donnie. My family took me to SM as kid in 70s. Don't remember much except a little Native American boy kept pulling my hair while getting a photo took. Later mom told me that was his way of saying I think your cute. Lol, I beg to differ.

Thank you for these memories. I took my 4 children to camp out in Townsend during late 1970s after their Dad past. We needed to get away and this was the best place for us to begin our healing. They were between 7- 12 years. We have a special bond never to be broken. Thank you Donnie. ❣️

Wow, such a beautiful tribute to one of the most beautiful places of our countries history. Thank you. Loved it.

Absolutely beautiful, Gods country for sure. One of my favorite videos you’ve done so far, thank you❤

Have visited most of these places in the Great Smoky Mountains. I really enjoy the pictures that you show from long ago. Makes me wish I could go back in time and live somewhere like Cades Cove when it was so populated. Thank you for making these videos for us, Mr Donnie.

Good 🌄 friend, What a great episode this is! Thanks for all you do.🙏👋

I see the power of the handywork of Almighty God, every time I look at these mountains.

I especially love these videos that make me feel like I am sitting with you by the fire, just jawing about the past and looking at old family photos.

I so enjoy listening to you, as you go back through time and remember these moments from your life, and these good people you tell us about. Thank you Mr Donnie. Y'all have a wonderful weekend 😊❤❤

Beautiful video, Donnie🌺🌺🌺 God bless🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

I can hardly wait to get back to the Smokey Mountains after watching your video.

Love seeing these old photos! Keep the stories coming. Have a good weekend! Stay safe!

Love it so beautiful 😍!!

I absolutely love learning about history and I love it even more hearing you tell us the history of the The Great Smoky Mountains! I was able to travel last week to Oklahoma, now I live in a concrete jungle so when I was able to breath fresh air, ride horses and walk through the woods I cried, I literally cried. I was so happy to experience nature for myself in the flesh. So Mr. Donnie your videos mean a lot to me. When I am unable to travel I travel in my mind with your videos. You and this channel has really been a blessing to me. Thank you and as always GOD Bless!

I remember HillBilly Village, Bumperboats and a show called High Pockets on the strip.

Love these videos of the old days it reminds me of my upbringing, it takes back in time to the point it feels like I'm there again plus at the same time I learn about the smokes a place I love and visit as many times a year I can.

What a beautiful place and such a rich history. Thank you Donnie for keeping it alive through your videos.

Thanks again Donnie! There's nothing like it in the world to watch your videos that bring back such memories; your so very much appreciated! I believe I could sit and watch these videos for hours that take me back to the good ole days, I can smell mama's cornbread cooking now laying out under the trees next to the sound of a sovereign creek brook!!! My granny was a Sharp from Eastern Tennessee, I believe and aunt Rody, we'd go visit when we got the chance back in the sixties when I was young! Good day to ya! Thanks again!!!

Me and my husband visit 2 or 3 times a year sometimes more we do enjoy the Mountains and love Cherokee and Pigeon Forge not so much of Gatlinburg anymore way to Commercialize and people for me ......we do love to travel the back roads for views and the peacefulness......Thank you Mr Donnie for sharing this video was AWESOME and I love it and will save it to watch when I'm missing the Mountains 😊

Oh my goodness Donnie, that was such a beautiful journey through those beautiful mountains! It brought back so many memories, from my first visit in 1974 until the present. Thank you for doing that. It was a wonderful visit into my past. I have visited there many times, and I love it. I have been to Clingman's dome, and to Cherokee North Carolina to that Cherokee Mall where the swinging bridge is over the river, and we always go to Cades cove before we go home I love this place. I am part Cherokee, I'm not sure what % though. I'm from Alabama and live in Cherokee county. Thanks again Donnie, be safe out there and God bless. 🩷🫶🦋🙏

Beautiful way back when,picture of our yesteryears look how things use to be , Love your hard work and what videos you put together, it's awesome Donnie Laws Godbless you and your family and friends, keep on keeping it real my friend

Absolutely enjoyed this video. God bless and thank you Donnie

Very interesting and informative thanks for sharing Blessings to you and your family

My family went to the Mountain View Hotel in Gatlinburg at least twice a year and we will never forget how beautiful the scenery, and how friendly everyone was. We loved it. Cades Cove is a magical place. See and experience it if you can! Thank you Donnie!

Thank you Donnie, I just love this, when things were slower, and the beauty of it. and the Cabins, so beautiful.

We are really blessed to have such a beautiful area in our country. I know that there are towns with spots of decline. But then again there are new developments active as well. Thanks for the great video ❤

Your best video to date! Thanks.

Very interesting, excellent video.

Another great show my friend!

Greetings Don, This was such a wonderful insight into the last 70yrs of the history of what happened in & around the mountains. You're a true ambassador for relaying this history. No-one can portray a region's history quote like you can. Thank God the noble Cherokee people kept their heritage so proudly for all to appreciate. Loved this so much. Thank you for investing your time & creativity in all the research for our enjoyment & education. All good wishes Don 🇬🇧💚

Awesome history Donnie i sure enjoyed watching have a great day and god bless

Me and my wife love your channel keep them coming

Thanks again for sharing the history, Brother Donnie, Bless weekend, see you tonight on Jared TV

Morning Donnie, thanks for sharing this great story

Great video Donnie thank you so much

I love this. Thank you Donnie

Awesome video Mr. Donnie, we love the Smokies and the history. We hope to visit there again soon! We stayed at The Tally Ho Inn in Townsend, thoroughly enjoyed our stay there and the beautiful scenery, would love to hear some history of it! Thank you so much for sharing, God Bless you and your family!

One of the best features in these history lessons is seeing all the fine old cars; alas, they don't last as long as a building, but we sure had a so many wonderful designs. Brought back memories of driving through Big Walker tunnel. Thank you so much for sharing this!

Thank you Donnie for sharing this history with us. I especially love the old photographs. Have a great weekend!

I've always loved Cades cove, seeing everything in it. I could spend my whole vacation there. It's been a long time since I've been there. Lots of my family have gone that I went there with. So sad lots of memories. I love to go over to Cherokee loved seeing the shops. My favorite thing to get was a turquoise rings. Find an Indian doll or stuffed bear. Loved seeing the animals bears, best ground meal you could eat. Thank you for sharing. God bless you and your family.

Thank you Donnie may God bless you for all you do 🤠🙏

Good morning sir ☀️ have a great day.. 😊 tks 👍

we came from Nashville to the smokies just about every year in the 60's and 70's.....Trotters restaurant served family style meals.....we stayed at a motel on the little pigeon river....I always got a hillbilly hat, corn cob pipe and pretty little Indian doll.....and saw Indian dance, black bear....and so much more!.....such memories

Donnie just love listening to your stories of Appalachia. My ancestors came to Ohio from Appalachia. Your videos are just awesome! People worked hard but I believe had a better life. Thank you for all your hard work.

What a treat to enjoy this video with my lunch! Thank you so much Mr. Donnie for the story. God bless you sir.

Such beautiful mountains ! I like the history of the area. Thank you Donnie ! Have a great weekend !

i enjoy your videos. i am WNC born, bred and raised there. i've moved around quite a bit including michigan, kentucky. the mountains remain beautiful to me.

Thank you for taking me back in time My husband passed away a year ago this month so I'll probably never get to come back. We used to visit about 3 times a year and loved our time there. Thank you so much for the memories.

I love hearing the past history of our great state and you tell it so well, thank you Donnie for another great video.

Love the history tour of the Smokies. Thank you Donnie 😊

Thank you for the trip Mr. Donnie. God bless you.❤

Good morning Donnie, one thing is for sure, YOU really know the history of your extended surroundings. YOU apparently are avery curious and inquisitive person. That is the best kind of source to broaden your education. I really enjoyed seeing the comparison pictures of past times in the Great Smoky mountains. Thank so much for all the effort you put into this great presentation, your friend, Louise

This is a awesome video. I enjoy it so much. I remember pigeon forge in the 1980s and 90s it's all ways growing. God bless you Donnie and your family

Thank you Mr. Donnie for showing me these beautiful places that I've never been too. And I LOVE seeing how they looked before the commercialization, when it was just locals living their lives. I always so enjoy your videos and the history behind them!

Wonderful video---so sad about the recent big floods in Pidgeon Forge!

I'm literally blessed to live here in nc. I can be in Georgia or Tennessee in 15 mins. Am actually sitting out with my dogs watching the deer and the birds and this. Thank ya Donnie

So beautiful. Thank you for such an awesome story. I have a lot of family in and around Tennessee. My ancestors was both the Hatfields and The McCoys.. First time I got to come to Tennessee was in 1977. I remember watching the logging trucks coming out of Collinwood, Tennessee my first visit. I had never seen one. Thank you Donnie..

I'd love to see it at the right time in the Fall. I bet the colors are beautiful.

My wife grand parents were part of the 700 who lived in Cades Cove. Thanks for the memories Donnie.

I'm always looking forward to seeing your videos Donnie and I especially like the ones you teach the history of the Smokey mountains. 👍🏻

This is one of my favorites of all your videos, and I think that I have viewed all of them or nearly all.

Thank you Donnie for taking us down memory lane, I really enjoyed the trip. 🤗

Grateful to end ta day and spend a few minutes with my brother Donny 🙏. Thanks brother for the trip back to simply times and slower way of living!! 🙏✌️