Our Story Uncovered
About Gatlinburg Roots
Gatlinburg Roots is dedicated to preserving the real history of Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains. Through rare photographs, documented family stories, archival records, and firsthand accounts, this project protects the names, places, and people who shaped White Oak Flats and the mountain community that followed. History does not preserve itself — and within three generations, a name can fade from memory. Gatlinburg Roots exists to make sure that doesn’t happen here. If you have old photographs or family stories connected to these mountains, share them. What is remembered survives.
Uncovering the true stories of White Oak Flats' early families
Our Services
Preserving Smoky Mountains history through stories and archives.
Digital Archive
Access rare photos and documents from early mountain life.
Oral Histories
Listen to voices sharing forgotten tales from the mountains.
Explore detailed accounts of founding families’ daily struggles.
Heritage Research
Roots
Echoes of the Smokies’ first families and their stories
