10 Can’t-Miss Things in Dolly Parton’s Hometown of Sevierville, TN
If you have never visited Dolly Parton’s hometown of Sevierville on your way to the attractions of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, you don't know what you're missing. Anchored by the impressive 1890’s courthouse with its statue of the country music superstar on the front lawn, a number of mom and pop businesses including casual and fine dining restaurants have opened inside historic century-old buildings. Colorful murals painted on the outside of buildings compliment a streetscape makeover designed to look like the early 1900s. On this special episode, I return to my native East Tennessee to explore the "new again" gem of the Smoky Mountains - Sevierville, Tennessee.
A Town Built on Fried Green Tomatoes
Well off the beaten path near Macon, Georgia is the small town of Juliette. To movie goers, this unincorporated community is perhaps best known as Whistle Stop, Alabama — the fictional town where the 1991 film Fried Green Tomatoes is set.
Evelyn Couch is having trouble in her marriage, and no one seems to take her seriously. While in a nursing home visiting relatives, she meets Ninny Threadgoode, an outgoing old woman, who tells her the story of Idgie Threadgoode, a young woman in 1920’s Alabama. Through Idgie’s inspiring life, Evelyn learns to be more assertive and builds a lasting friendship of her own with Ninny.
The film’s producers chose Juliette because, at the time, it was almost completely abandoned, giving them the look and feel they wanted for the Depression-era story. They transformed a building that had been used as a general merchandise store into the famous Whistle Stop Cafe. A horseshoe counter was built inside to allow for easy camera movement.
After the film’s success at the box office, Juliette suddenly found itself a hot spot on the map. Folks started to open up antique and gift shops with merchandise geared toward fans of the movie.
Locals kept the Whistle Stop Cafe a homestyle eatery that serves authentic southern cuisine like fried chicken, country fried steak, pork chops, sandwiches and salads, peach cobbler and pound cake. Of course the star of the menu will forever be fried green tomatoes.
