A Smoky Mountain local shares his favorite spots for all-day breakfast and brunch Folks at the Pancake Pantry struck gold in the form of flapjacks when they came to the Smokies in the 1960s, and then pancake houses began popping up like weeds … if weeds were buttery and delicious, that is. But what’s that? You want to eat breakfast
Social media revives rumors of feral humans in the Smoky Mountains linked to old cold case Dennis Martin was 6 years old in June of 1969. It was Father’s Day weekend and they hiked near the Tennessee-North Carolina border, a Martin family tradition. William Martin (his father) and Clyde (his grandfather) and the two boys started at Cades Cove and
Tennessee is known for its variety of fauna. Some of the sightings on the list are surprisingly common, others are nothing more than escaped pets. I have lived in the Deep South and also spent a lot of time cruising around the Gulf in Florida for much of my life. Therefore, I’ve seen my share of strange or exotic creatures.
Witchy superstitions and stories are practically tradition in the South. Here are a few of the most famous witches and tall tales. I grew up at my grandmother’s knee hearing stories about witches and goblins from her Depression-era childhood. With this in mind, I try to come to the topic of the supernatural in the mountains with something of an
Tennessee has a few bizarre laws on the books which range from rollerblading at the state Capital to owning pet raccoons I’ve covered Tennessee politicians for more than 20 years. As a result, I know that they are much better at putting new laws on the books than they are at removing old ones. For instance, for years both atheists
The strange mistake that reshaped the state of Tennessee (literally) and why Georgia isn’t happy about it There’s a dispute along the Tennessee-Georgia border. It goes far beyond the singing of Rocky Top and red-clad adults who like to bark at football games. It’s a water war, y’all, with headwaters that go back more than 200 years. It’s a dispute
Local offers tips for spending spring break in the Smoky Mountains When visitors plan a vacation to Gatlinburg, most of them don’t realize that spring break can be just as busy as the summer months. I live here in Gatlinburg and I can tell you that it’s quite a shock seeing the flock of tourism during this time. This year
Yes, the New York Times did print a story about a Wildman in Tennessee. But that’s where the truth begins and ends. I’ve spent a good part of my life in and around the mountains. I grew up on the edge of the Smokies. Although I was aware that various cultures had stories about Wildmen, I was an adult before
Disney set to expand their empire to the mountains of North Carolina at former Ghost Town location The theme park competition in the Smoky Mountains is about to get very real and quite magical. On the heels of Universal officially announcing its Epic Universe park in Orlando and a kids-themed park in Texas, Disney officials are moving to announce their bold
A local compares two popular mountain towns, Gatlinburg, TN and Asheville, NC While we don’t want to speak in generalities, there are some pretty obvious differences between the cultures of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. As someone who has lived in East Tennessee and driven across the mountains to visit North Carolina, those differences seem stark to me. In