In late November 2016, a wildfire swept through the city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a tourist destination popular for its proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The results were devastating.
Fourteen people killed. A total of 2,460 structures damaged or destroyed and about $500 million in damages in Sevier County, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
While many rallied around the citizens of Gatlinburg — including Dolly Parton, who donated $1,000 monthly over six months to all those who lost their homes in the fire — some tourists were hesitant to spend their vacations in a town that had undergone so much damage.
But less than a month after the fire, Plant City resident Brenda Gonzalez Owens and her husband, Vic, ventured to the small Tennessee town.
“We hadn’t planned to go because of the fire,” Owens said. “We were going to go to Kentucky to see Noah’s Ark (replica), but we missed the bridge to get there.”
Miles off course, the couple decided to try the fire-damaged town.
“We’ve probably been up there 25 to 30 times,” Owens said. “It’s usually during September and October to see bear season.”
When the couple first got to town, all seemed well. The main tourist strip hadn’t been damaged by the fires, but Owens wanted to travel along the side roads.
Houses were shuttered with red markers. Black streaks of ash dotted the mountainside. One lamp post on a street corner had melted.
“It was enlightening,” Owens said. “I told my husband, ‘This had to be massive.’ You can’t really stop and ask questions because it’s a winding road.”
An avid traveler, Owens captured photos of the damage with her camera — from a destroyed hotel front to an oven that was found in the rubble.
But the residents, Owens said, were optimistic about the future and ready for visitors to return.
“That’s what they want to do,” Owens said. “That’s how they put bread and butter on the table for their family. That’s what I want to tell people, just keep going to Gatlinburg. It can happen to anybody.”
Hotels and restaurants were open — Owens and her family had no issues with restaurants or lodging while they were there.
“They want to let people know that Gatlinburg is still open for business,” Owens, who spoke to many residents and business owners along the strip, said. “This is their livelihood. It was devastating. But they have moved on, and they’re rebuilding. We’re planning another trip in March or April.”
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.