Townsend Tennessee is such a beautiful part of the Smoky Mountain area. Townsend is also a gateway community to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Often called the Peaceful Side of the Smokies, Townsend is visited by many visitors each year, but has a more low key vacation atmosphere with a lot of natural appeal. Cades Cove is the most popular natural attraction in Townsend, Tennessee, however you will also find the Townsend Wye and Tremont and more in Townsend, Tennessee.
In Townsend, Tennessee, it’s not just Cades Cove that serves as a great testament to the history and culture of Tennessee Appalachia, the Heritage Museum of Townsend is also a must-see for anyone with even a passing interest in the Smoky Mountains. Residents and visitors alike will enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, Tennessee.
Larger and more in depth in the subject of the area than even Sugarlands Visitor Center, the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving everything that makes up the Tennessee man – from Native American to European Pioneer and on. A large, wide, store with books of all kinds and a friendly person behind the desk both welcome you to Townsend and the museum. From there, a small admission can be paid to see a larger room with hundreds of pieces of Tennessee antiquity. Interactive items engage both the children and adults and it is well worth bringing a family to.
In the back are many buildings and dwellings that take the experience further, showing exactly what a church, cabin, wheelwright shop, and cantilever barn really looked and acted like back in the old days (and there are still more buildings to see). Many of the buildings are authentic and have been carefully moved to the property. At the heart of the establishment is a well-designed amphitheater that hold concerts and other engagements throughout the year. The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Museum could be a day trip by itself if you go on the right day! Visit them at www.gsmheritagecenter.org for more information.