Of Ferris Wheels and Failed Lunch Plans
The abandoned fireworks stand is near the giant cross. The cross that’s about 1/3 the height of the 1/3 scale replica Eiffel Tower. The replica Eiffel Tower we all used to work under at the amusement park where we met. Not all of us. Just three of us. Still, amusement parks have come up a lot on our annual trip to Gatlinburg, TN. We went to Dollywood once and there was that time I made the group detour on the way down so that I could photograph an abandoned “ghost town” amusement park. That may have been the same trip actually, but I’ve traveled on this stretch of Interstate 75 a lot. There was another abandoned “ghost town” amusement park once and that other time when I went looking for pudding peddling truck stops, but I was on my own for those. Usually if I’m in this part of the country, it’s with the same group of people. Like Nick, who’s driving now and who made us sandwiches before we left.
Packing lunch was a really smart idea because we knew the barbecue place probably wouldn’t be open on the way home. Hell, we tried to go there a few days ago. Google even said the hours were correct, yet the parking lot was blocked off and there was no scent of smoked meat wafting in the breeze.
Gatlinburg—for our group of friends—is a nostalgic, logistical, and economic decision. For the most part, it’s been centrally located depending on where everyone’s at in life, you can rent a giant, overly ostentatious house filled with bear-themed knick knacks cabin for a great price, and everyone grew up going here on occasion with their families. We used to do some of the more goofy touristy stuff, but now everyone just mainly spends time with each other and takes turns showing their love for friends by preparing shared meals and mixing cocktails. I don’t cook on these trips, so I try to provide some “Ronny bullshit” like the aforementioned amusement park adventure, unsuccessfully trying to convince everyone to go into town to experience “Earthquake: The Ride,” or doing the dishes. For this year’s journey, I suggested lunch at the BBQ stand which sits among the remains of an abandoned fireworks stand. If you ever approached the Smoky Mountains from the north on I-75, you probably remember the fireworks place. It’s the one by the cross that’s 1/3 the scale of the 1/3 scale Eiffel Tower my friends and I know. The one that was decked out with a bunch of Ferris wheels and, fittingly, also kind of looks like an abandoned amusement park.
You could also say it looks like an abandoned BBQ stand because we just passed it again and that place still wasn’t open. Thankfully, I had a delicious turkey and cheese with mustard to enjoy as I pondered whether or not I’ll ever get to eat pulled pork amongst the ruins of the Patriotic Palace.
A patriotic palace which, as I noted the first time I tried to stop here years ago, ironically burned to the ground on July 4, 2014.
Ironic theming given the cause of the place’s demise.
Since 2007, the content of this website (and its former life as Queen City Discovery) has been a huge labor of love.
If you’ve enjoyed stories like The Ghost Ship, abandoned amusement parks, the Cincinnati Subway, Fading Ads, or others over the years—might you consider showing some support for future projects?
