Foxfire Mountain Themed Adventure Park facts for kids

Foxfire Mountain is a special place in Sevierville, Tennessee, United States. It sits near the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This area, also called Pearl Valley, covers about 150 acres and has a very interesting past.

History of Foxfire Mountain

How Foxfire Mountain Got Its Name

One interesting story tells how Foxfire Mountain got its name. Long ago, before park rangers, local people needed to clear away dead plants to prevent big forest fires. They used a clever method called a 'controlled burn.' They would carefully set fire to small areas of unwanted plants. One tale says they would tie an oil-soaked rag to a fox's tail. The fox would run, spreading the fire to clear the land. Eventually, the string would burn, and the fox would run free. This unique way of clearing land is said to be how the mountain got its name.

Early Inhabitants and Mining

Foxfire Mountain was first home to the Cherokee people. Tools like arrowheads found here show that people lived on this land over 10,000 years ago. The Cherokee grew corn and hunted animals like bear, deer, turkey, and turtles.

In 1809, ironworks began in East Tennessee. This led to mining in Sevier County. Iron was found on Foxfire Mountain in 1820. With the help of the Cherokee, the iron was mined. The Cherokee workers were paid with silver, which was a byproduct of the mining. They often hid their silver in the mine to keep it safe.

In 1838, the Cherokee were forced to move to Oklahoma. This sad journey is known as "the Trail of Tears." Many Cherokee never got to recover the silver they had hidden in the mine. After the Cherokee left, Isaac Love and his sons worked with the Shields Iron Co. to keep mining at Foxfire Mountain.

The Civil War Era

In the 1860s, during the American Civil War, the Confederate States Army had a camp near Foxfire Mountain. The area was important because it had natural resources like iron, sulfur, and saltpetre. These were needed to make war supplies.

As the war came closer to Tennessee, Union soldiers were reported near Foxfire. One day, a local man named William Thomas was killed near his home by a Union soldier. The soldiers thought he was helping the Confederate forces. But he was actually a moonshiner, carrying ingredients for his hidden liquor still. His still was hidden in the old iron mine.

Later Owners and the Mine's End

In the late 1800s, Judge Benjamin Owens bought the property. The cemetery where he, his son, and 20 other unnamed people are buried is still cared for by the current owners. Judge Owens' picture hangs in the Sevier County Courthouse.

In 1902, Wilson and Eva Thomas, who were related to William Thomas, bought the land for farming. Small iron mines were no longer making much money. One day, Wilson was hiking with his daughter near the old mine when she accidentally fell in. She had only minor injuries. But Wilson decided to destroy the mine by blasting it with dynamite. This caused it to collapse, forever burying the silver the Cherokee had hidden there many years before. For seven generations, the Thomas family farmed and ran a blacksmith shop at Foxfire Mountain.

From Farm to Adventure Park

In 1998, Marc and Marion Postlewaite bought Foxfire Farm from Earl Thomas. They planned to raise Hereford cattle for breeding. In 2007, a bad drought hit the area. Food for the cattle became very expensive. So, the Postlewaites sold their cattle and decided to sell the land.

Then, something unexpected happened. The Postlewaites went on vacation to Alaska, where Marc tried zip lining for the first time. He loved it! After his zip line adventure, Marc returned to Foxfire Mountain. He took his farm off the market and decided to open an adventure park instead.

Adventure Park Facilities

Today, Foxfire Mountain is a 150 acres (61 ha) adventure park. It has many exciting features for visitors.

• Zip Lines: The park has two zip line courses. One of them, called "Goliath," is the highest zip line in the South. It hangs 475 feet above the ground!
• Climbing Wall: There is a 60-foot climbing wall, which is the highest in Tennessee.
• Rope Obstacle Course: Visitors can test their skills on a challenging rope obstacle course.
• Free Fall: For those who like a thrill, there's a free fall experience.
• Bear Crawler Tours: You can take a tour on a "bear crawler" to explore the mountain.
• Hiking Trails: There are also hiking trails for those who enjoy walking in nature.
• Suspension Bridge: Foxfire Mountain is home to the longest suspension bridge in the United States.