Dolly Parton’s Childhood Home in Tennessee

by HOOKEDONHOUSES on MARCH 28, 2008

“I still close my eyes and go home–I can always draw from that.”

-Dolly Parton

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I just got home from my trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and thought you’d like to see the souvenir I brought back for you. You didn’t think I’d come back empty handed, did you?

We went to Dollywood yesterday, and one of my favorite things in the park was the replica ofDolly Parton’s childhood home constructed by her mother and brother. I was amazed to see how Dolly and her 10 brothers and sisters lived in this tiny, one-room cabin in the Smoky Mountains. She has always described her family as “dirt poor,” and that’s no exaggeration. It’s all the more remarkable when you think about how far she’s come since then.-

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The humble hearth (the interiors were protected by a glass wall, but my camera did its best to capture them clearly):

I was fascinated by the small details, like the tin of tobacco and Johnson’s Baby Powder on the shelves:

This was the only bed in the place. I was stumped as to where the 11 children slept. There wasn’t even enough floor space for them all! I mean, it was even smaller than the Spite House.

The walls were wallpapered with pages from old newspapers and magazines. Here is the “kitchen corner” with the stove:

This was part of the “kitchen corner” and appeared to be a sort of pantry:

The kitchen table with seating for 6. Where did the other 7 family members sit? Did they have to eat in shifts?

The front porch (maybe this is where some of them slept?):

One of my favorite Dolly quotes: “I’m not going to limit myself just because people won’t accept the fact that I can do something else.”

Five Fun Facts About Dolly Parton:

1. She’s Miley Cyrus’s godmother and plays “Aunt Dolly” on the popular Disney show “Hannah Montana.” (My 13-year old told me this!)
2. Parton’s investment in Pigeon Forge, with enterprises like Dollywood and Dixie Stampede has revitalized the area and employs thousands.
3. She’s known as the Iron Butterfly. She uses butterflies as her logos, which represent beauty and freedom to her.
4. Twenty-six of Parton’s songs have hit #1 on the Billboard country charts, a record for a female artist.
5. Imagination Library is her literacy program that mails a book a month to children from the time they’re born until they turn 5. Although it began in her hometown of Sevier County, it now reaches children across the U.S. We talked to one Dollywood employee who told us that every time her daughter gets a book in the mail, she says, “Aunt Dolly loves me!”

Dolly Parton’s first mainstream country album in 18 years is now in stores (Backwoods Barbie). You can learn more about what she’s up to at the popular fan site DollyOnline.

9/10 UPDATE: These photos were featured on “The Nate Berkus Show” when Dolly made an appearance on it. You can read all about it here.

Photo of Dolly Parton via AOL Music. The rest are mine.

Visit my Celebrity Houses page to see more, from Kenny Chesney’s to Reese Witherspoon’s.

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Tagged as: American Idol, amusement park, Appalachia, books, cabin, country music, Dixie Stampede,Dolly Parton, Dollywood, entertainment, Hannah Montana, home, literacy, Miley Cyrus, mountains,Pigeon Forge, quotes, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee