Little River Railroad Museum
Since the weather is not cooperating with me today, and I had great plans for field tripping and blogging today, I shall take y’all back to October of 2019. I had recently seen a vlog on YouTube about a railroad museum in Townsend, Tennessee that looked incredible, so I decided to stop in and see it for myself.
The Little River Railroad & Lumber Company Museum is a must see if you are ever in Tennessee. It is definitely an excellent history lesson about trains from the early 1900’s. An old Shay engine greets you as soon as you step out of your car. Engine 2147 was built in 1909 for a company in Ohio. It eventually ended up at Little River where it was used between the years of 1932 and 1935. By 1965 it was in North Carolina being used by a scenic railroad before it returned to Townsend in 1982. The lady in the gift shop told us that people often ask her how long the train has been out front. She says since 1982, so I am guessing this is another hidden gem that is often overlooked.
We hit luck the day we visited because we were given a behind the scenes tour. The restoration shop that is not open to the public had an old caboose inside of it and a set off house. The lady from the gift shop was getting ready to let a small group in to see the caboose and the house, so she invited us to come along as well. The caboose is having to undergo an extensive restoration, and it is going to take a lot of money for it to return to its former glory. The set off house was just absolutely inviting from what I could see. Set off houses were the first mobile homes because they were built in town before they were set off on the flatbeds of the trains, and eventually were placed together in groups known as string houses. Apparently there is still one around that is between Dollywood and Gatlinburg, but I haven’t found it yet.
There is also a portable steam engine located on the property in addition to some railroad tracks. I really didn’t get too much information about this particular machine since I still had to make it to Cades Cove that day, but I was impressed with the craftsmanship of it. It was certainly a beauty. I definitely have this place on my return to list. An actual set off house is outside on the property as well, but I didn’t get a good picture of it. They were tiny, but they were a home.
A very informative indoor museum is also located on the property. Several displays on the wall tell the story of the museum. The Little River Lumber Company only ran from 1901-1939. It appears as if they were going strong until 1925 when a large section of land was sold to the state of Tennessee to help establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which just so happens to be one of my favorite places, then the sawmill still ran up until 1938, and by 1939 the railroad was gone as well. You really wouldn’t need a lumber company anymore if you were trying to take the land back to the forests and woodlands that it is today. Regardless of the fact that the railroad only ran for 38 years, an amazing little museum exists to honor it in the present day.
The Little River Railroad & Lumber Company Museum is only open seasonally. However, during the off season you are still free to roam the outdoor areas of the museum. They are open from April though November, but sometimes only on the weekends. Admission is completely free, but donations are accepted. The gift shop also has anything a train lover would love in it as well. You can visit the museum yourself if you are ever in the area. It can be found at 7747 East Lamar Alexander Parkway in Townsend, Tennessee. I know for sure that I plan to stop in again one day.
travelingthesoutheast.com 