It happens every June, supposedly. In an abandoned hamlet named Elkmont, now a part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, countless fireflies blink in unison after dark. Accounts of the inexplicably in-sync insects — pulses of six seconds of darkness followed by three seconds of rapid simultaneous winking — were pooh-poohed by scientists until the […]
The attraction vortices of Branson, Missouri, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, have their cultural critics. But without them — landlocked meccas of God, Elvis, the flag, and toilet seat guitars — America would be without what are now its two largest Titanic museums, housed in lookalike giant replicas of one-half of the doomed luxury ocean liner. […]
With the new year comes the promise of new wonders, yet unborn, that will dazzle our eyeballs into the distracted-driver danger zone. Here’s a brief look at some of the anticipated highlights for 2010 — and remember that every year also brings dozens of unexpected new attractions.
Early 2008 was bad for Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Long-time attraction Christus Gardens closed. The property was sold to a condo developer. Everything in the attraction — the murals, the wax dummies, the famous marble face of Jesus with-the-eyes-that-followed-you, even the name “Christus Gardens” — had been sold to an outside Christian group. Rumors had them moving […]
