If you go up into the old graveyard on the hillside just back of town,
you’ll find at least half the names on the gravestones divided among
five families. Those families are—Ogle, Whaley, Maples, Reagan and Huff.
The first four have been here for generations. The Huffs came 40 years
ago.
Four of these five families control Gatlinburg. They reap most of the
profit, and they likewise take the responsibility and do the good deeds.
There are four key business establishments in Gatlinburg. They are the
three big hotels and the huge general store. The Ogles own the store.
And the Huffs, Whaleys and Maples each own a hotel. And every one of the
four, in addition owns numerous tourist courts, filling stations, gift
shops, saddle-horse concessions, restaurants.
These four families, working together, competing but friendly, have been
almost super-wise in their development of Gatlinburg.
Their building has been tasteful. Largely inexperienced in running
hotels, they have created three delightful places.
And wisest of all, they haven’t taken unfair advantage of the flood of
tourist gold which has descended upon them. They aren’t killing their
golden geese. They have deliberately agreed among themselves to keep
prices down.
Hotel rates in Gatlinburg are amazingly low. At such prices you’d expect
shoddy service and poor rooms. But everything is modern, clean and
pleasant.