American Travel Journal: TBT: Elijah Oliver Place in Cades Cove

Elijah Oliver was born in Cades Cove in 1829. His parents, John and Lurena "Luraney" Oliver, were the first European settlers in the cove. Some accounts state that Elijah lived his whole life in the cove, while others claim he moved away before the Civil War and returned after it.

Elijah married Mary "Polly" Lawson (b 1830) and they had five children that lived to adulthood born between 1853 and 1863. Elijah bought land and built his cabin at the western end of the cove. Although the date is unknown, it was after the Civil War according to the guide available for purchase at the park visitor centers. An unusual feature of the cabin is the enclosed room on the porch. This addition was constructed to provide lodging for travelers who needed a place to stay for the night and is called a Stranger's Room. Polly died in 1898 and Elijah in 1905.

To reach the cabin, drive 4½ miles along the one-way Cades Cove Loop Road from the entrance gate. Paved parking for about two dozen vehicles is on the left. There is no RV or trailer parking at this location. The trail starts across the road from the parking area and is an easy ½ mile walk (one mile round-trip) to the cabin and outbuildings. Along the way, visitors pass a sawn lumber barn that was built just a few years before the land was sold to create the park.

We visited the Elijah Oliver Place in February 2012.