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Elkmont National Historic District within Great Smoky Mountains National Park represents the varied land uses of the area before park establishment. Early in the 20th century the Elkmont area was settled by a few families with home places that were large and secluded. Subsistence farming and the selective cutting of timber were the primary land use practices.
In 1908, with the coming of the lumber industry to the area that secluded atmosphere was quickly changed. Little River Logging Company (LRLC) established a large logging operation eventually building a railroad system, rail yard, company housing, commissary and post office, in the small flat land along the Little River where the campground sits today.
This enterprise changed the area drastically, cutting large areas in Elkmont and Tremont west towards Cades Cove. The railroad, connecting these areas to the large mill at Townsend, also continued on to Maryville and Knoxville. The railroad opened up the remote mountains and by 1909, families from Knoxville and elsewhere began riding the train to Elkmont to view the scenery and enjoy the mountain air.
The railroad recognized the opportunity to use the railway for multiple purposes and promoted the development of logged over land. In 1910, the Company deeded 50 acres of cut-over land to form a hunting and fishing club. This quickly became a popular idea and many wealthy families, mostly from Knoxville, built cabins along the Little River and Jakes Creeks in communities such as Daisy Town and Society Hill that were part of the larger Appalachian Club. They also sold land to a group requesting to build what would eventually become the only hotel allowed to operate in the National Park after establishment. The Wonderland Resort originally designed to be an exclusive community eventually became a popular hotel and restaurant. This switch over from logging town to resort community marks yet another change in the landscape of Elkmont.
In 1926, Congress passed a law authorizing the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Elkmont area entered another transition in land use from resort community to public park. Property owners at Elkmont were offered long-term leases and the Appalachian and Wonderland club properties were acquired by the State of Tennessee and donated to the federal government for one-half the appraised value. The long-term leases were relinquished in 1952 for 20-year leases in order to bring commercial electric service into the resort community. The 20-year leases were renewed in 1972, and although many were given extended leases on their property, the last of these leases expired in 2001.
The buildings of the resort era were added to the National Register for Historic Places in 1994. The structures that remain, now closed to the public, are part of a lengthy planning process to determine what should become of the structures. The agency preferred alternative, announced in 2006 is to restore and preserve 19 structures including the Appalachian Clubhouse for educational purposes. The remaining buildings would be taken down and the environment restored to its natural state.
