I explored an abandoned resort town in the Great Smoky Mountains, where the wealthy vacationed a century ago

Business Insider's reporter explored a 1900s resort town in the Great Smoky Mountains, full of historic cabins abandoned by the end of the century. Joey Hadden/Business Insider Tucked away beneath the towering oaks and pines in the lush woods of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 100-year-old cabins dot a once-abandoned resort town known as Elkmont.I visited in the spring of 2023 and was amazed to find that the cabins preserved and restored by the National Park Service were open for public viewing. When I made plans to visit the historic district, I pictured myself wandering outside cabins and looking in the windows. I had no idea I'd be able to step inside them for a more intimate look at what life was like 100 years ago. Elkmont Historic District is in a valley on the northern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Elkmont Historic District is just south of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Google Maps I took a taxi to the resort town. Drivers can take the US-411 from Gatlinburg and turn at the "Elkmont Campground" sign, according to Visit My Smokies, a tourism site run by Sevier County. From there, take a left at the sign that says "Elkmont Nature Trail." I began my trip to Elkmont by reading about its history. On-site information about the Elkmont Historic District. Joey Hadden/Business Insider According to the site's historical markers provided by the NPS, the land was used for farming in the 1800s. Then, in the 20th century, a railroad was built, bringing loggers and tourists to the area. This led to the establishment of a resort town known as Daisy Town. About 100 years ago, it was a place where wealthy Tennesseans escaped hot summers in cities and found "harmony with nature," according to the NPS. The front porch of a cabin in the Elkmont Historic District. Joey Hadden/Business Insider Families took the train to Daisy Town and spent their summers relaxing on the porches of their vacation homes and playing outdoors, one NPS marker said. When the National Park Service bought the land in 1934, the resort town diminished. Cabins stand in the woods among several trees. Joey Hadden/Business Insider Residents had the option of selling their cabins for full price or at half price with a lifetime lease, according to Visit My Smokies. In 2009, the NPS announced plans to preserve Elkmont's historic buildings. An image of the on-site information showing cabins before and after renovations. Joey Hadden/Business Insider Volunteers removed trees, repaired roofs and ceilings, and added insulation to the cabins, Knox News reported. During my visit, I went inside every cabin. A paved road lined with cabins in the Elkmont Historic District. Joey Hadden/Business Insider I stepped inside all 16 cabins lining the pedestrian street. The oldest of the bunch was built in 1830 and then moved in 1932 to serve as a guest house in the resort community, according to the NPS. The oldest cabin in Elkmont is nearly 200 years old. Joey Hadden/Business Insider The one-story building stood out to me because it looked older than the rest, with a distressed, unpainted wooden facade. Inside was a single, large room with nothing but a stone fireplace. A wide view of the single-room cabin. Joey Hadden/Business Insider I thought the weathered, empty home felt eerie. In fact, none of the cabins were furnished. A kitchen in one of the cabins. Joey Hadden/Business Insider Still, I thought details like built-in kitchen counters and cabinets gave them a sense of a past life. Looking out the windows of these historic cabins, I thought about what it would have been like to vacation here a century ago. A view out the window of one of the cabins. Joey Hadden/Business Insider I pictured a shaded summer, waking up to natural views, and stepping outside to enjoy a cup of coffee with no agenda. It seemed like an ideal getaway for city dwellers like me. On my way out of Elkmont, I spotted families wandering the street. This made me think that the site is no longer the ghost town it once was. A person pushes a stroller through the Elkmont Historic District. Joey Hadden/Business Insider I left Elkmont with a sense of what the once-abandoned resort community was like and felt grateful to the preservation crew for making it possible for me to visit. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Joey Hadden is a travel reporter and photojournalist at Business Insider based in NYC. She covers transportation modes, alternative lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are visual features that give readers a front-row seat to her personal experiences at home and around the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University in May 2019 with a BA in Photocommunications. Since joining Business Insider in 2019, Joey has traveled by train in seven different countries, including overnight rides lasting up to 53 hours. She's ridden on many different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, Nightjet, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept in countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique tiny homes, and private train cabins, to name a few.When traveling in North America, Joey takes readers inside the continent's wealthiest enclaves where billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. When she's not taking trains, notes, or pictures, Joey spends her time singing and playing drums for the indie-rock band Blanket Approval. Photos Lifestyle Travel More