As our nation celebrates 250 years of it's independence, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at the history and heritage of Sevier County and the surrounding areas of East Tennessee.
These lands were originally Cherokee hunting lands before the Revolutionary Times where the frontier became settled and grew to be the Gateway to the Smokies and the home to global icon to Dolly Parton. The first settlements recorded are of Isaac Thomas, a trader, who established a trading post at the Forks of the Rivers, which is still a well known area of Sevierville. As Sevierville grew Sevier County formed it's own county, breaking from Jefferson County and was named after John Sevier and was founded as the County Seat in 1795. As time passed, Isaac Thomas began an Iron Forge along the Pigeon River which gave birth to what is now known as Pigeon Forge. During the Civil War period, Sevier county rejected the Confederacy. Sevier County was an agriculture area until 1934 when President Roosevelt named tje 500,000 acres of the park, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. At this time, the nature and industry of the county began to change to the tourist area it is now.
If you love to seek out the places on the National Registry of Historic Places you will find quite a few in the Sevier County Area. From plantations to observation towers and beautiful mansions in between you can use this as a reference on your history tour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Register_of_Historic_Places_listings_in_Sevier_County,_Tennessee
Learn more about Sevierville and Sevier County when you visit the Sevier County Heritage Museum: