I explored an abandoned resort town in the Great Smoky Mountains, where the wealthy vacationed a century ago

I took a taxi to the resort town. Drivers can take the US-411 from Gatlinburg and turn at the "Elkmont Campground" sign, according to Visit My Smokies, a tourism site run by Sevier County. From there, take a left at the sign that says "Elkmont Nature Trail." 

According to the site's historical markers provided by the NPS, the land was used for farming in the 1800s. Then, in the 20th century, a railroad was built, bringing loggers and tourists to the area. This led to the establishment of a resort town known as Daisy Town.

Families took the train to Daisy Town and spent their summers relaxing on the porches of their vacation homes and playing outdoors, one NPS marker said.

Residents had the option of selling their cabins for full price or at half price with a lifetime lease, according to Visit My Smokies.

In 1992, the NPS stopped renewing leases, and the abandoned cabins began to deteriorate.

Volunteers removed trees, repaired roofs and ceilings, and added insulation to the cabins, Knox News reported.

I stepped inside all 16 cabins lining the pedestrian street.

The one-story building stood out to me because it looked older than the rest, with a distressed, unpainted wooden facade.

I thought the weathered, empty home felt eerie. 

Still, I thought details like built-in kitchen counters and cabinets gave them a sense of a past life.

I pictured a shaded summer, waking up to natural views, and stepping outside to enjoy a cup of coffee with no agenda. It seemed like an ideal getaway for city dwellers like me.

I left Elkmont with a sense of what the once-abandoned resort community was like and felt grateful to the preservation crew for making it possible for me to visit.