Very few people have had an influence near the size of Dolly Parton.
Not only one of Country music’s most popular artists of all time, she’s also a well noted philanthropist, having donating $1 Million to the Moderna COVID Vaccine, running a literacy program called Imagination Library since 1995, along with many other things, and is the name sake of one of America’s finest institutions.
Dollywood.
The park where Dollywood stands had been around since the 60’s, initially called Rebel Railroad, then Goldrush Junction (after it was purchased by Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell), then Silver Dollar City Tennessee from 1977 to 1985.
Dolly purchased a stake in the park during that offseason, and when it reopened in 1986, Dollywood was the name.
The park has continually gone through major renovations and expansions, doubling in size from 1986-2010 and most recently a $500 Million Dollar expansion project has been announced. It currently sees about 3 million visitors a year, the largest ticket attraction in Tennessee.
Dollywood celebrated 35 years with their The Flower and Food Festival earlier this year.
Dolly still says she has plans of multiple locations around the world, but for right now, you’ll have to go to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in the beautiful Smokey Mountains, to get a taste of the magic.
Take some of Dolly’s motivation to make it happen, save up and get yourself there soon.
