Secrets of the Smokies: Millionaires’ Row in Elkmont

An abandoned community deep in the Smoky Mountains, Elkmont–often called “Elkmont Ghost Town”-- is mostly in ruins, but this silent spot holds a secret: Rich elites flocked here to swim, play and flirt at exclusive social events. One enclave was dubbed “Millionaires’ Row” for its swanky residents. 

The forest has reclaimed the Row, but you can still glimpse how the upper crust vacationed a century ago. 

An Early 20th Century Resort

Founded in 1908 as a logging town, Elkmont caught the attention of Knoxville’s well-heeled citizens, who wanted a cooler alternative to the city in summer. Buyers snapped up the chance to build cottages here. By the 1910s, vacationers rode logging trains to reach their new holiday homes and enjoy parties at the Appalachian Club and the Wonderland Hotel.

By the Water, In the Woods

Elkmont had three communities: Daisy Town and Society Hill clustered along Jakes Creek. On a bank of the Little River lay Millionaires’ Row, developed near the end of the property boom. Earlier homes in Daisy Town were close together, but the larger cabins of Millionaires’ Row were more spaced out and closer to a desirable swimming hole. 

The Row’s 10 buildings, each built by a different family, reflected what city folks pictured as quaint mountain life. They built cottages with front porches for sitting in rocking chairs and windows overlooking the water. 

When the government created Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the 1930s, the park absorbed the town. Nature took over the buildings as residents gradually departed.

A Restored Millionaires’ Row Cabin

One home is fully restored to its original charm. Spence Cabin, built in 1928, is a cotton-candy-pink cottage with an imposing entry framed in rounded river stones. A screened porch and a large flagstone patio perch next to the river. You can almost hear the ghostly shouts of kids long ago, playing in the swimming hole below. 

The stone fireplace and hardwood floors give a sense of the simple but still elegant life these families expected. Want to pretend you’re a 1920s socialite? Rent Spence Cabin for an event.

Ghost Town No More?

In 2023, preservationists unveiled 16 restored Daisy Town houses. Now you can explore what resort cabins looked like during Elkmont’s peak. 

The Smokies still attract folks seeking natural beauty, 100 years after Elkmont’s heyday. Browse our Smoky Mountain cabin rental listings and see why the mountains make the perfect getaway.