08/25/2026
Dolly Parton put Sevier County on the map, then turned around and rebuilt it when it needed rebuilding. After the 2016 wildfires tore through Gatlinburg, her My People Fund raised close to $9 million and got checks directly into the hands of nearly 900 families who lost their homes. That was the fastest, most direct disaster relief this county has ever seen.
She didn't leave home when she made it big. She built Dollywood instead, and decades of jobs and visitors followed. Every part of this area, including the guests who stay with us, owes something to that decision.
Rest easy, Dolly.