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Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County,
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...
, in the southeastern United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 6,343. Situated just 5 miles (8 km) north of
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, w ...
, Pigeon Forge is a tourist destination that caters primarily to
Southern culture The culture of the Southern United States, Southern culture, or Southern heritage, is a subculture of the United States. The combination of its unique history and the fact that many Southerners maintain—and even nurture—an identity separate f ...
and
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
fans. The city's attractions include
Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly ...
and
Dollywood's Splash Country Dollywood's Splash Country is a water park located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, adjacent to the Dollywood theme park. The park's central theme rests around entertainer Dolly Parton's childhood swimming in the rivers of the Great Smoky Mountains. ...
as well as numerous gift shops, outlet malls, amusement rides, and musical theaters.


History


Early history

The name "Pigeon Forge" comes from an iron
forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...
built by Isaac Love (1783–1854) some time around 1820. The name of this forge referred to its location along the Little Pigeon River, in the vicinity of what is now the Old Mill. The name of the river comes from the flocks of
passenger pigeon The passenger pigeon or wild pigeon (''Ectopistes migratorius'') is an extinct species of pigeon that was endemic to North America. Its common name is derived from the French word ''passager'', meaning "passing by", due to the migratory habits ...
s that frequented its banks at the time of the first Euro-American settlers' arrival.J.A. Sharp,
The Historic Beginnings of Pigeon Forge
The Sevier County Library History Center Website. Retrieved: September 15, 2007.
For centuries, the
Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...
used the valley where Pigeon Forge is now located as a hunting ground. A Cherokee footpath known as "Indian Gap Trail" crossed the Great Smokies from
North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...
and passed through the Pigeon Forge valley en route to its junction with Great Indian Warpath in modern Sevierville. (US-441 closely parallels this ancient trail, although it crests the mountains at Newfound Gap rather than Indian Gap). From Sevierville, Great Indian Warpath headed west toward the
Overhill Cherokee Overhill Cherokee was the term for the Cherokee people located in their historic settlements in what is now the U.S. state of Tennessee in the Southeastern United States, on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains. This name was used by 1 ...
towns along the
Little Tennessee River The Little Tennessee River is a tributary of the Tennessee River that flows through the Blue Ridge Mountains from Georgia, into North Carolina, and then into Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. It drains portions of three national ...
.


18th century

Indian Gap Trail brought the first Europeans to the Pigeon Forge area in the early 18th century. Along with hunters and trappers from North Carolina, traders from
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
passed through the valley before 1750. Some time after 1783, Colonel Samuel Wear became one of the first permanent white settlers in the Pigeon Forge area. A veteran of the
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
, Wear erected a stockade near the confluence of Walden Creek and Little Pigeon River (now Pigeon Forge City Park) in 1792. This "fort" provided a safe stopover for early pioneers in the Sevier County area. Wear later served as a member of the committee that drafted Tennessee's state constitution. In 1785, Cherokee signed the Treaty of Dumplin Creek, ceding much of what is now Sevier County to the United States. Among the first to take advantage of this was Robert Shields (1740–1802), who received a survey for a tract of land in the Pigeon Forge area from the
Watauga Watauga can refer to: ;Places * Watauga, Kentucky * Watauga County, North Carolina * Watauga, South Dakota * Watauga, Tennessee * Watauga, Texas ;Bodies of Water * Watauga Lake in Tennessee * The Watauga River in North Carolina and Tennessee ;S ...
Land Office in 1786. Shields, who was also a veteran of the Revolution, established a small fort along Middle Creek near what is now Dollywood.Beulah Linn, "The Horatio Butler House," ''Smoky Mountain Historical Society Newsletter'' 20, no. 1 (Spring 1994): 13. Shields' son later wrote that the fort was long and wide, with walls constructed with "heavy logs." The fort contained living quarters for six families, with a common kitchen at one end and a common living room at the other. As his family grew, Shields constructed separate houses for his children, one of which was purchased by Horatio Butler in 1797 and remained with his descendants until it was torn down in 1994. Although the Shields Fort was too far from the main Cherokee trails to ever experience a serious assault, the Wear Fort straddled Indian Gap Trail, making it a target for small bands of Cherokee warriors. After the Cherokee attacked his fort in 1793, a frustrated Wear led a band of 60 frontiersmen across the northwestern Smokies into the Overhill Cherokee region, where they attacked and destroyed the town of Tallassee (near modern-day
Calderwood Dam Calderwood Dam is a hydroelectric dam located along the Little Tennessee River in Blount and Monroe counties, in the U. S. state of Tennessee. Completed in 1930, the dam is owned and maintained by Tapoco, a subsidiary of the Aluminum Company of ...
), killing at least 15 Cherokees and capturing several others. In 1794, the Cherokee fired on Wear and his two sons just outside Calvin's Blockhouse (near Maryville), but they both escaped unharmed. Although treaties negotiated at Tellico Blockhouse in 1794 and 1798 brought calm to the region, sporadic fighting between Cherokees and the settlers continued. One notable incident occurred in 1802, when Tavenor Runyan (1787–1802), the son of Isaac Barefoot Runyan (1749–1845) and Margaret Rambo (who had settled near the heart of modern Pigeon Forge), was killed by a Cherokee warrior. The recently elected Governor
Archibald Roane Archibald Roane (1759/60 – January 18, 1819) was the second Governor of Tennessee, serving from 1801 to 1803. He won the office after the state's first governor, John Sevier, was prevented by constitutional restrictions from seeking a fourth ...
was forced to personally intervene to prevent retaliatory strikes.


19th century

Like many
Appalachia Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York State to northern Alabama and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Newfoundland and Labrador, C ...
n communities, religion played a major role in the early history of Pigeon Forge. In the early 19th century, circuit riders preached in the valley, creating a large
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
following that remains to the present day. On October 20, 1808, Bishop Francis Asbury delivered a sermon at what is now Shiloh Memorial Cemetery in the northern half of Pigeon Forge, where a crude log church was erected. The first "tourists" to visit Pigeon Forge came for the extended revivals that were held in the Middle Creek area on the grounds of what is now Middle Creek Methodist Church as early as 1822. These revivals could last for weeks at a time. In 1810, Revolutionary War veteran Mordecai Lewis obtained a land grant along the Little Pigeon River near the heart of what is now Pigeon Forge. In 1817, Lewis' son-in-law, Isaac Love (1783−1854), established the iron forge for which the city was eventually named. The complex included a
bloomery A bloomery is a type of metallurgical furnace once used widely for smelting iron from its oxides. The bloomery was the earliest form of smelter capable of smelting iron. Bloomeries produce a porous mass of iron and slag called a ''bloom' ...
furnace and water-powered
trip hammer A trip hammer, also known as a tilt hammer or helve hammer, is a massive powered hammer. Traditional uses of trip hammers include pounding, wikt:decorticate, decorticating and polishing of grain in agriculture. In mining, trip hammers were used f ...
to smelt and mold ore into iron bars. Love erected the
Pigeon Forge Mill The Pigeon Forge Mill, commonly called the Old Mill, is a historic gristmill in the U.S. city of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Located along the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River, the mill complex currently consists of a millhouse, breastshot whee ...
in 1830, and on May 29, 1841, Love's son, William, established a post office – which he named "Pigeon Forge" – for the mill and the small community that had developed in its vicinity. Local businessman John Sevier Trotter (1807−1884) purchased the mill and furnace in 1849 and subsequently made numerous modifications, including the addition of a sawmill. Although the iron furnace was sold and relocated in the 1880s, the Pigeon Forge Mill – usually called "Old Mill" – still stands and has been placed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. In the 1870s, a health resort was established in Pigeon Forge at Henderson Springs, adjacent to the Fort Wear site on the town's north side.C. Brenden Martin, "Pigeon Forge, Tennessee," ''Encyclopedia of Appalachia'' (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2006), 667. It was common during this period for the residents of large urban areas to visit mountain springs, the waters of which were believed to have health-restoring qualities.


20th century

In the early 20th century, Pigeon Forge was an isolated mountain hamlet with no major roads. The nearest railroad station was in Sevierville. Bridges were also rare, with the only major water crossings being a string of fords along the Little Pigeon. When Great Smoky Mountains National Park opened in 1934, the
Tennessee Valley Authority The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned electric utility corporation in the United States. TVA's service area covers all of Tennessee, portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small areas of Georgia, North Carolin ...
reported no tourism-oriented businesses in Pigeon Forge. By the 1950s, improvements to US-441 led to the establishment of a few campgrounds and lodges, but they did not generate major revenue. During this period, however, two factors in nearby
Gatlinburg Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. It is located southeast of Knoxville and had a population of 3,944 at the 2010 Census and a U.S. Census population of 3,577 in 2020. It is a popular vacation res ...
led to the eventual commercial boom Pigeon Forge experienced in the latter half of the 20th century. First, surrounded by high mountain ridges, Gatlinburg had limited land resources. Second, its land resources were largely controlled by a few local families who thwarted attempts by outside businesses to take advantage of the town's prime location. Thus, outside entrepreneurs were forced to look elsewhere. Pigeon Forge, located just north of Gatlinburg along US-441, became a target. In 1961, shortly after Pigeon Forge officially incorporated, North Carolina brothers Grover and Harry Robbins opened Rebel Railroad in the town's Middle Creek area. The railroad simulated a ride on a Confederate steam train that was under attack by Union soldiers during the Civil War, playing upon the centennial anniversary of the war. After the Union assault was beaten back, the railroad came to a stop at a mock frontier mountain town, complete with blacksmith shop, general store, and saloon. By 1964, interest in the Civil War Centennial was beginning to die down, so the Robbins brothers decided to rename the railroad Goldrush Junction. The attraction was reworked with a "Wild West" theme replacing the Civil War theme, in a similar fashion to the Robbins' other tourist train ride in North Carolina,
Tweetsie Railroad Tweetsie Railroad is a family-oriented heritage railroad and Wild West amusement park located between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, United States. The centerpiece of the park is a ride on a train pulled by one of Tweetsie Railroad's t ...
. Goldrush Junction was much more successful than Rebel Railroad, prompting the Robbinses to buy a log flume amusement ride and erect it on the property in 1967. According to a park tourist brochure from the time, the ride was "brought to Goldrush Junction from the New York World's Fair, where it was one of the most successful attractions." In 1969, after Pigeon Forge issued a zoning plan assigning the entire strip along US-441 for tourism use, Art Modell (owner of the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
) purchased Goldrush Junction. In 1976, Modell sold it to the Herschend Brothers of
Branson, Missouri Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postm ...
. The Herschends renamed the park Silver Dollar City after their successful theme park in Branson.C. Brenden Martin and Camille Wells, "Dollywood," ''Encyclopedia of Appalachia'' (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2006), 639. The
Ozark The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant porti ...
mountain theme of the Branson location was easily reapplied as an Appalachian theme in Pigeon Forge, and the park's attendance began to climb. In 1982, hoping to capitalize on the publicity generated by the Knoxville World's Fair, Pigeon Forge initiated an aggressive economic plan that centered around
theme park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
s, outlet malls, and live music venues. The first outlet mall, Factory Merchants, opened that same year. By 1987, there were four outlet malls in Pigeon Forge, and by the early 1990s, outlet malls provided 44% of the town's gross revenue. The increasing number of tourist attractions brought competition for Silver Dollar City and its chief competitor in Pigeon Forge, Magic World, which had constructed a theme park on the slopes of Pine Mountain in the city's south section. In 1985, the Herschends approached entertainer
Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...
(who was born in nearby Sevierville) with a proposal for a partnership in the promotion and operation of Silver Dollar City. After lengthy negotiations, Parton became a majority partner in the enterprise, and Silver Dollar City was renamed Dollywood to launch a major marketing campaign. Magic World folded in 1994.


21st century

Although the commercial boom in Pigeon Forge vastly increased the town's revenue, it had several undesirable effects. As land value increased, many farmers could no longer afford the accompanying high property taxes and were forced to sell their land. The high cost of living in Pigeon Forge is difficult to offset with the low wage jobs that often accompany the tourist industry. Dollywood continued expansion into the 21st century, adding a separate water park in 2001. In 2016, the area was affected by the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires.


Registered historic sites

*
Pigeon Forge Mill The Pigeon Forge Mill, commonly called the Old Mill, is a historic gristmill in the U.S. city of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Located along the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River, the mill complex currently consists of a millhouse, breastshot whee ...
: Listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1975, this working
gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...
, also known as Old Mill, is on the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River (along its east bank), and is accessible via Old Mill Drive (which intersects the Parkway at Light #7). The site includes a millhouse,
milldam A mill dam (International English) or milldam (US) is a dam constructed on a waterway to create a mill pond. Water passing through a dam's spillway is used to turn a water wheel and provide energy to the many varieties of watermill. By raising t ...
, and breastshot wheel. File:DollyWood Express 3.jpg, The "Dollywood Express" at Dollywood. File:Outletmalls2.jpg, An outlet mall in Pigeon Forge. File:Pigeonforgeandmountleconte.jpg, Pigeon Forge with Mount Le Conte in the background. File:P9290014-2.jpg, Pigeon Forge Mill Registered Historic Site.


Geography

Pigeon Forge is located at (35.793946, −83.564124) on the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of 11.6 square miles (30.0 km), all of which is land. The West Fork of the Little Pigeon River flows north from its source high on the slopes of Mount Collins through Sevier County before linking up with the Middle Fork in
Sevierville Sevierville ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee, located in eastern Tennessee. The population was 17,889 at the 2020 United States Census. History Native Americans of the Woodland period were among the first hum ...
. Pigeon Forge occupies a narrow valley along this river between Sevierville and
Gatlinburg Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. It is located southeast of Knoxville and had a population of 3,944 at the 2010 Census and a U.S. Census population of 3,577 in 2020. It is a popular vacation res ...
. High ridges surround Pigeon Forge on three sides, with Pine Mountain to the west, Shields Mountain to the east, and Cove Mountain to the south. A bend in the Little Pigeon provides the city's northern border with Sevierville, and a narrow
gorge A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency to cu ...
cut by the river between Cove Mountain and Shields Mountain acts as the city's boundary with Gatlinburg.
U.S. Route 441 U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...
, known as "The Parkway", runs through the middle of Pigeon Forge en route to Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it crests at Newfound Gap before descending to
Cherokee, North Carolina Cherokee ( chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, translit=Tsalagi) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Swain and Jackson counties in Western North Carolina, United States, within the Qualla Boundary land trust. Cherokee is located in the Oconaluftee River ...
. The six-lane strip along US-441 contains most of Pigeon Forge's tourist attractions.
U.S. Route 321 U.S. Route 321 (US 321) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for from Hardeeville, South Carolina to Lenoir City, Tennessee; with both serving as southern termini. It reaches its northernmost point at Elizabethton, Tennessee. Because o ...
(known as Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge) connects the town with Wears Valley and Townsend to the west. Teaster Lane runs along the eastern side of the city and serves as a local four-lane road bypassing some of the Parkway and is relatively undeveloped, except a few shopping centers. TN-449 serves as a bypass for both Sevierville and most of Pigeon Forge and directly connects with
Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly ...
.


Climate

Pigeon Forge has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
: Cfa) with cool winters and hot summers. Precipitation is heavy year round, peaking during the months of May–July, with October being the driest month, having only 2.67 inches (68 mm) of average annual precipitation.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...
, there were 6,343 people, 2,346 households, and 1,712 families residing in the city.


2010 census

As of the 2010
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
, Pigeon Forge had 5,875 people, 2,238 households, and 1,482 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 506.5 people per square mile (195.8/km). There were 5,187 housing units at an average density of 447.2 per square mile (172.9/km). The racial makeup of the city was 80.6%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 1.1%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.7% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 13.5% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race accounted for 18.2% of the population. Of the 2,238 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.8% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 9.4% of those living alone were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 2.99. The population consisted of 23.8% of individuals under the age of 20, 8.1% from 20 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101 males. According to 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, the
median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...
for a household in Pigeon Forge was $34,949, and the median income for a family was $41,829. Males had a median income of $31,933 versus $20,838 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $20,959. About 9.8% of families and 10.6% of the population were living below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or older.


Arts and culture

Besides the natural environment of the area, the attractions in Pigeon Forge draw approximately 11 million visitors each year. Attractions include the
Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly ...
theme park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
and the
Stampede A stampede () is a situation in which a group of large animals suddenly start running in the same direction, especially because they are excited or frightened. Non-human species associated with stampede behavior include zebras, cattle, elephants ...
theater, both owned by
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
superstar
Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...
, whose home town is
Sevierville Sevierville ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee, located in eastern Tennessee. The population was 17,889 at the 2020 United States Census. History Native Americans of the Woodland period were among the first hum ...
, just a few miles from Pigeon Forge.


Tourism

* Paula Deen's Lumberjack Feud Show & Adventure Park * Buttonwillow Civil War Theater * TopJump Trampoline & Extreme Arena * Crave Golf Club * Titanic Museum * Cooter's Place *
Alcatraz East Alcatraz East is a privately owned for-profit crime museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Opened in 2016, it was formerly operated as the National Museum of Crime and Punishment in Washington, D.C. The museum gives a behind-the-scenes look at crime ...
Crime Museum * Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame * Country Tonite Theatre * Paula Deen's Lumberjack Feud * Comedy Barn Theater *
WonderWorks ''WonderWorks'' is an anthology series which ran from 1984 to 1992. Produced by the Public Broadcasting Service, the Walt Disney Company purchased the home video rights to the series in 1987 and was responsible for making the series available t ...
Children's Museum * Smoky Mountain Opry * Elvis & Hollywood Legends Museum * Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud * The Tomb Escape Adventure * Biblical Times Dinner Theater
Red Skelton Tribute Theater
* Flyaway Indoor Skydiving *
NASCAR Speedpark PARC Management, LLC is an operations company based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. which operates a Go-Cart Family Entertainment Center, in Sevierville, Tennessee.
* Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster * Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride * Hollywood Wax Museum Pigeon Forge * The Island in Pigeon Forge (featuring the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel) * Tribute to
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...
& The Rat Pack * The Island Show Fountains * American Oldies Theater * Grand Majestic Dinner Theater * Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery * Ripken Experience * Seasonal events such as Winterfest


Car and truck shows

Pigeon Forge has various entertainment opportunities for car and truck enthusiasts. The calendar of car and truck show events varies each year and has included: * Spring Rod Run * Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals * Hooter's GMC/Chevy Truckin' Nationals * Annual Smoky Mountain Classic Chevy Roundup * Great Smoky Mountain Truck Show *Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion * Silver Dollar Open Rod Run * Pontiac Car Club Show * Camaro, Chevelle, Nova Nationals * Cobra Mustang Club * Shades of the Past Hot Rod Roundup * Fall Rod Run * Smoky Mountain Model-A Car Rally * Annual Pigeon Forge Starion/Conquest Meet * Ford F-100 Super Nationals * Annual Patriot Festival


Parks and recreation

The Pigeon Forge Parks and Recreation Department manages the Pigeon Forks Community Center along with of park land and approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) of greenways. *Pigeon Forge City Park has sports fields and courts, walking trails, and large picnic areas. *Patriot Park has and is the site of various special events, including Independence Day fireworks, Patriot Festival, and light displays during Winterfest. *Wear Farm City Park is the main park for Pigeon Forge and has sports fields and courts along with playgrounds, pavilions, and concession stands.


Government

Pigeon Forge has a City Manager-Commission form of government, in which a city manager, commission, and mayor work together to manage the city. As of 2018, the mayor is David Wear, and the City Manager is Earlene M. Teaster.


Infrastructure

The city government has of water main piping, hundreds of fire hydrants, 20 water tanks, 19 pump stations, of publicly maintained streets and roads, of sanitary sewers, and approximately 234 vehicles and 272 pieces of equipment.


Transportation

Pigeon Forge is served by a
mass transit Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...
system of
buses A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for char ...
that are referred to as "Fun Time Trolleys" due to their physical resemblance to early 20th-century trolleys. The system operates more than 40 vehicles and has more than 200 stops throughout Pigeon Forge as well as in neighboring Gatlinburg and Sevierville. All the trolleys are equipped with lifts for mobility aids and wheelchairs.


Utilities

The water plant in Pigeon Forge can treat of water per day. The city storage system holds of water. The city also supplies
Gatlinburg Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. It is located southeast of Knoxville and had a population of 3,944 at the 2010 Census and a U.S. Census population of 3,577 in 2020. It is a popular vacation res ...
with up to of water per day.


Notable people

* Samuel Wear (1753–1817): A Revolutionary War veteran, Wear co-founded the " Lost State of Franklin" and helped draft Tennessee's state constitution. He established a stockade called Wears Fort in the area that became Pigeon Forge. *
Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...
(1946–): A country music singer and songwriter who has written thousands of songs, Parton has a variety of business interests in the tourism industry in Pigeon Forge, including joint ownership of attractions like
Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly ...
and Dolly Parton's Stampede.


Alcoholic beverages

Unlike neighboring Gatlinburg and
Sevierville Sevierville ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee, located in eastern Tennessee. The population was 17,889 at the 2020 United States Census. History Native Americans of the Woodland period were among the first hum ...
, Pigeon Forge remained a dry jurisdiction in the state (Tennessee is dry by default) for many years, with only a few select premises allowed to sell low-alcohol beers and some wines. Certain sectors of the population, including religious leaders, opposed legalizing liquor, warning of the social consequences, while others argued that the city was losing tax dollars to neighboring cities by not selling alcohol. Referendums to permit liquor-by-the-drink sales inside the city limits failed in 2009 and 2011. Another liquor-by-the-drink referendum appeared to have won by a 100-vote margin in a contentious 2012 vote, in which the number of ballots cast exceeded the number of eligible voters by more than 300. In court depositions taken in connection with a lawsuit to overturn the election, one registrar testified that her instructions were to allow everyone listed on her roster to vote on the referendum, regardless of whether they lived inside the city limits. Poll worker Sarah Ownby said in her deposition she was "100 percent sure" ballots were cast by people not entitled to vote on the issue. Ownby also testified some voters who were eligible to vote in the referendum were not allowed to do so. On January 10, 2013, Sevier County
Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
Telford Forgety ruled that the 2012 liquor-by-the-drink referendum would be invalidated due to its questionable results. The chancellor ordered that a new vote be held within 45 to 60 days.Balloch, Jim. (January 10, 2013)
"Judge rules Pigeon Forge liquor vote must be scrapped, orders new election"
''The Knoxville News-Sentinel'': Retrieved November 1, 2013.
On March 13, 2013, liquor-by-the drink passed in Pigeon Forge by a vote of 952 to 798. As a result, authorized businesses can now obtain on-premise consumption licenses to sell and dispense beverages with an alcohol content greater than 8%. This includes liquors as well as high-alcohol content beers and wines.


References


External links


City of Pigeon Forge municipal website

Pigeon Forge Convention Center
* {{authority control Cities in Sevier County, Tennessee Cities in Tennessee Communities of the Great Smoky Mountains