Historic Buildings

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is rich in history, and people love exploring that history more in depth when they visit the park. The National Park Service has been hard at work keeping Smoky Mountain history alive in the park. More than 90 historic structures have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park, including houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools and grist mills. When you visit, be sure to take a step back in time and explore the rich Smoky Mountain history.

Where to Find Historic Buildings in the Smoky Mountains

The best places to see the buildings that have been preserved and rehabilitated are Cades Cove, Cataloochee, Oconaluftee and Roaring Fork. Some of the most popular historic buildings in the Smoky Mountains are the John Oliver Cabin in Cades Cove, the Palmer Chapel in Cataloochee, the Mountain Farm Museum in Oconaluftee and the Alfred Reagan Cabin and Tubmill in Roaring Fork. Buildings are also being rehabilitated in Elkmont Ghost Town.

Here are the most popular places in the park to find historic buildings:

• Cades Cove
• Cataloochee
• Onconaluftee
• Roaring Fork
• Elkmont

Each of these areas is rich in history and allows visitors to step back in time to the days before the national park was established. You can even go inside some of the historic structures to get a closer look. Visitors love exploring the historic Cades Cove churches to get a feel for worship back in the day, stepping inside cabins to see what living quarters were like, and even sitting at a desk in an old schoolhouse! Exploring the historic buildings in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the best way to learn about the rich history of the Smoky Mountains.