“Where Mountains Reign and Rivers Roar”
Cosby is a small town located 40 minutes outside of Gatlinburg an right on the edge of the National Park. Cosby has a few attractions and places to stop that need to be on the bucket list for any frequent visitor to the Smokies. Quiet and peaceful, Cosby will surprise but everything it has to offer.
Like most of the Smokies, the Cherokee had made this area their home early in the life of their massive civilization. European settlers soon were making incursions into the area that would be Cosby and established settlements and forts. But why is it called Cosby. There are two trains of thought as to the naming of this area. One is that it was named after a trapper and distiller named Jonathan Cosby or that it was named after a Revolutionary War veteran, Dr James Cozby. Either way, it took its name from someone in the area that laid claim to the area at one point or another.
Cosby is famous for the moonshining that took place in the early 20th century. To East Tennesseans, Cosby has been known as “The Moonshine Captial of the World.” The farmers of the area grew corn and to supplement their income they began to turn some of that corn into moonshine. The moonshine industry grew due to the fact that the coves and valleys of the mountains helped to hide the moonshiners and their stills.
Stats
- 5,201 population
- 1,055’ (average altitude)
- 35°49′2″N 83°14′49″W
- Cocke County
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- Cosby, TN - “Where Mountains Reign and Rivers Roar” Cosby is a small town located 40 minutes outside of Gatlinburg an right on the edge of the National Park. Cosby has a few attractions and places to stop that need to be on the bucket list for any frequent visitor to the Smokies. Quiet and peaceful, Cosby will … Continue reading "Cosby, TN"
- On Cosby - Cosby, TN celebrates all that it is and has become every year each spring and fall called: On Cosby. And if you like local Smoky Mountain crafts, this is as good of a festival as the area offers. Crafters of all kinds selling their wares – from homespun crafts to local authors, you can easily … Continue reading "On Cosby"
- Carver’s Orchard - If you ever find yourself in Cosby, Tn, make sure you ask the locals about a little place called Carver’s Orchard. There, you’ll not only find the orchard, you’ll also find a farmer’s market and a restaurant at Carver’s that boasts one of the best fried apple pies in East Tennessee. Carver’s Orchard is a … Continue reading "Carver’s Orchard"