3 Places You Didn’t Know Existed in the Great Smoky Mountains

If you love all things about the Smoky Mountains, you may be surprised that there’s a couple of areas you’ve never visited, or maybe never even heard about. Now, don’t get us wrong, if you’re a dedicated Smoky Mountain traveler, there’s a chance you’ve made a trip to each of these historical spots. If you’ve never taken time to visit them, then we hope you’ll take our advice and stop to see these highlighted areas while you’re on your next vacation.

(Related News: Funding Approved for New Facility in the Great Smoky Mountains)

Little Greenbrier School

Built in 1882, the Little Greenbrier School served as the community schoolhouse for students in the Smokies. Students would travel nearly 10 miles to attend the school which doubled as a church throughout the week. Upon creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Little Greenbrier School was forced to close. To read more about historic places in the Great Smoky Mountains, take a look at our blog ‘Historic Areas and Old Smoky Mountain Buildings.’

Rocky Springs Prebyterian Church

Having been recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, Rocky Springs Presbyterian Church has been a part of the Sevier County community for about 140 years. The unique structure of this Smoky Mountain church qualified it for the national register. Unlike many other churches of the time period, Rocky Springs Presbyterian was built with the traditional Gothic Revival style in mind, while it also added a touch of the Queen Anne style into the design. The church has one of the longest running congregations in the area, with approximately 20 dedicated members.

Lost CCC Camp

Can you believe that the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park was once logged by lumber companies? Franklin Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to create jobs during the years of the depression, and to help restore the park. These camps were forced to shut down during World War II, so funding could be used for the war. Today, at the camp, visitors can find a chimney, fire hydrant, drinking fountain and many more historical pieces. The Lost CCC Camp can be found near Smokemont.

If you’re looking for the best place to stay, so you can see all of these great historic places, take a look at Visit My Smokies ‘Where to Stay’ page. There, you can find all of the best deals and accommodations for a relaxing Smoky Mountain vacation.