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Ruins of the church in Dvorine from above.
Dvorine
The three castaways, depicted on the memorial at Fort Vancouver
Japanese Castaways Memorial
Bronze hen near the spring.
Hønekilden (The Hen Spring)
The Bard is represented on the sign.
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The Bard is represented on the sign.
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This restaurant celebrates a country that only existed for a few weeks.
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Introducing one of the only train station lobsters that won't leave you filled with regret
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A simple box of soba noodles with aburaage (fried tofu), the foxes’ favorite food.
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Developed by Farrell Monaco, our Black Banquet included dark loaves of bread, beans, dates, and fish—all inspired by an ancient tombstone.
Recreating an Ancient Roman Dinner of Death
These unassuming lichens growing on rocks in Antarctica may have a sexy secret.
The Secret Sex Lives of Lichens
This pygmy hippo at the 1939 World's Fair Firestone exhibit was probably Gumdrop I, Billy's first surviving calf.
Before Moo Deng, There Was ‘William Johnson Hippopotamus’
Bronzed and pleasantly spicy from a dry-brine of chiles and mint, this turkey is anything but bland or boring.
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All United States Tennessee Townsend

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Townsend

3 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Townsend, Tennessee

Updated July 30, 2021

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Unusual Attractions in Townsend

Tuckaleechee Caverns. (Creative Commons)

Townsend, Tennessee

Tuckaleechee Caverns

Mile-long cave system near Great Smoky Mountains.

Townsend, Tennessee

The Great Smoky Mountains' 'Missing Link'

In one of America’s oldest mountain ranges, a long-awaited section of a scenic highway is now open to the public.
Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church

Townsend, Tennessee

Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church

This 19th-century building inadvertently preserved the handprints of its builders within its walls.
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The Avent Studio from beneath the porch.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Mayna Treanor Avent Studio

The art studio of an early 20th-century painter, hidden amid the Great Smoky Mountains.
9 miles from Townsend
The old Appalachian Club.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Elkmont Historic District

An abandoned town is hidden in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
9 miles from Townsend
Front exterior

Alcoa, Tennessee

Millennium Manor Castle

One man’s religious convictions led him to build this stone castle meant to withstand an apocalypse.
13 miles from Townsend
The ruins of the Ritter Lumber Company's sawmill at Hazel Creek near Proctor.

Bryson City, North Carolina

The Lost Town of Proctor

The scant remains of this flooded historic village can be explored in one of the most remote areas of the Great Smokies.
14 miles from Townsend
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

7 Underground Thrills Only Found in Tennessee

Famous for country music and hot chicken, Tennessee is also filled with natural wonders. Across the state, caverns beckon. Venturing into some of Tennessee's strangest subterranean haunts is a great way to experience the depths of the state's spell-binding charm.

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Forbidden Caverns, ready for its closeup.

Explore Townsend, Tennessee

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    wants to go to Tuckaleechee Caverns

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