A Locally Owned and Operated Restoration Service Keeps Flood Damage in Gatlinburg in Check

11/17/2020 (Permalink)

Don't let flood damage ruin your enjoyment of the area's attractions. SERVPRO is always standing by.

SERVPRO Responds within Hours to Save Gatlinburg Properties Affected by Flooding Incidents 

Gatlinburg is an attractive mountain resort city tucked away at the edge of Tennessee. Before the current occupation, the area was part of the pathways used by Native Americans during their hunting excursions. Today, the town provides a thrilling experience for visitors or residents who love spending time outdoors. Rafters and Kayakers, especially, can enjoy a great time in the Little Pigeon River with its exciting whitewater rapids. Some of the exciting things you may not know about the river include: 

• It is one of the top rafted rivers in the entire country, although less known. In 2017 it was ranked third by the total number of visitors
• The Little Pigeon and the Pigeon River are separate bodies of water that never meet despite sharing a name
• Apart from tourism, the river powered the local economy in the early 1900s by driving the Old Mill gristmill, which provided the Pigeon Forge area's electricity.  

A Great Place to Learn About the Early Settlements in the Appalachians 

The Old Mill was of the many similar installations that littered the smoky mountains region in the 1800s. Apart from producing electricity, the technology was also crucial to the grinding of flour for pastries and other meals. Today, the Old Mill does not generate electricity but provides a perfect glimpse of life in the days gone of old. It features in the National Register of Historic Places, and among similar mills, it is one of the most photographed. There is a general store at the mill where visitors enjoy a wide range of homemade jellies, jams, and salad dressings, among other things. A visit to the mill provides a chance to learn how candy and pottery were once made by hand.  

Learning the crafts from yesteryears can also happen in a formal setting such as the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. The school serves anyone interested in arts such as woodturning, weaving, ceramics, paper-making, and painting, whether as a hobby or for other purposes. It is famous for its two-week, one-week, and weekend workshops. It is the oldest craft school in Tennessee, founded by the Pi Beta Phi women's fraternity of the early settlers in 1912. The move was prompted by reports of a lack of education and widespread poverty in the Southern Appalachian and the need to provide free education. Even in those early days, the school served as a place to learn informal aspects of life since the children in the area did not know most childhood games or even traditional Christmas celebrations, so the teachers had to fill in.

At the time of establishment, it was the only public school in the area. The situation improved in the early 1940s when Sevier County took control of public schools. Apart from teaching arts, records from teachers at school provide the only written account of everyday life in the area before the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established, which radically changed the region's economy and culture.  

Present Day Attractions in Gatlinburg 

Apart from past era monuments, Gatlinburg has many modern attractions that spice up what the Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers. The park has continued to draw tons of visitors since it was established in 1934. Its establishment had to overcome many economic, political, and cultural obstacles because its land was obtained from individuals then amalgamated to form the park. Some people also had to be relocated from the area since one of the main driving forces for its creation was to save the Southern Appalachian from the threat posed by the logging boom.

Some of the alternate attractions include: 

• The Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, which hosts at least 10,000 sea creatures. It is said that there are more fishes in the aquarium than the people living within the confines of Gatlinburg town. It is a great place to see various species, including sharks, turtles, and penguins, among many others.
• Unique tours around the city, such as the Best Moonshine Distillery Tour and Tastings. The guided walking tour takes visitors to different local distilleries, tasting different flavors of the drink forbidden in the past when it was sold in secret. People also get to enjoy exciting stories about the history of the beverage during the tours.
• The Gatlinburg SkyLift Park which provides a perfect view of the smoky mountains and the entire town. The SkyBridge is famous for being the longest pedestrian suspension bridge. With the area's hilly nature, this might be the best way to see the locale with minimal effort. 

How Long Does It Take SERVPRO to Respond To Flooding Incidents In Gatlinburg? 

The mountainous terrain in the area tends to force rainwater into narrow channels posing risks to nearby properties. The flood factor scorecard places over 17% of properties at extreme risk of flooding. SERVPRO helps reduce the effects of flooding in Gatlinburg by offering faster response and access to sophisticated mitigation resources. 

The best response to a flooding situation should start soon enough after the property is inundated to prevent secondary deterioration after the initial exposure to water. SERVPRO customer care staff are reachable 24 hours a day, so you can request assistance promptly after noticing flooding in your property. When called to a property, we take several steps, including: 

• Sending a team to the site within four hours after receiving the call. Our techs are equipped with state of the art water extractors and moisture management equipment to counter the loss.
• Securing the property on arrival by boarding up openings or setting up roof tarps
• Moving items from flooding sections to unaffected areas within the property or an alternative location.
• Spraying EPA registered disinfectants directly into the floodwater to minimize the risk posed by pathogens. 

SERVPRO of Sevier, Jefferson & Cocke Counties recognizes the hard work involved in making a home. Therefore, we work hard to mitigate the effects of flood damage helping Gatlinburg homeowners avoid severe losses. Call us any time at (865) 429-8885.