Looks like we might all be singing about a new town soon

#2
#2
Changing the name to get a theme park. There is nothing rocky about Lake City unless they mean the meth labs.
 
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#3
#3
Would be great for Lake City. I don't get why so many are against it. Plus I would love to take a 15 min ride to a water park.
 
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#8
#8
Technically, I may be wrong so don't blast, but isn't the actual place "rocky top" in cocke county? If so, shouldn't they be entitled to change their town name to rocky top? Just saying, I know a lot of vols fans that travel there just to drive up to the top of Rocky top. Not that far from Knoxville, has i40 running through, would be sweet if they put some statues and a plaque with the song lyrics up there or something. Would be a good tourist attraction for there county. Makes sense to me, what say you? Anybody know for sure if that's the actual place the song came from or was wrote about?
 
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#14
#14
skoalbeans said:
Technically, I may be wrong so don't blast, but isn't the actual place "rocky top" in cocke county? If so, shouldn't they be entitled to change their town name to rocky top? Just saying, I know a lot of vols fans that travel there just to drive up to the top of Rocky top. Not that far from Knoxville, has i40 running through, would be sweet if they put some statues and a plaque with the song lyrics up there or something. Would be a good tourist attraction for there county. Makes sense to me, what say you? Anybody know for sure if that's the actual place the song came from or was wrote about?
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"Rocky Top" is actually one of 3 peaks of the Thunderhead Mountains in the Smoky Mountains in Eastern TN which IS near Gatlinburg
 
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#15
#15
skoalbeans said:
Technically, I may be wrong so don't blast, but isn't the actual place "rocky top" in cocke county? If so, shouldn't they be entitled to change their town name to rocky top? Just saying, I know a lot of vols fans that travel there just to drive up to the top of Rocky top. Not that far from Knoxville, has i40 running through, would be sweet if they put some statues and a plaque with the song lyrics up there or something. Would be a good tourist attraction for there county. Makes sense to me, what say you? Anybody know for sure if that's the actual place the song came from or was wrote about?
Click to expand...

Rocky Top is a peak along the TN/NC line on the Appalachian Trail. I hiked up there this weekend, and I can assure you, you cannot drive to it.
 
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#18
#18
skoalbeans said:
Technically, I may be wrong so don't blast, but isn't the actual place "rocky top" in cocke county? If so, shouldn't they be entitled to change their town name to rocky top? Just saying, I know a lot of vols fans that travel there just to drive up to the top of Rocky top. Not that far from Knoxville, has i40 running through, would be sweet if they put some statues and a plaque with the song lyrics up there or something. Would be a good tourist attraction for there county. Makes sense to me, what say you? Anybody know for sure if that's the actual place the song came from or was wrote about?
Click to expand...

Their are 3 or 4 places historically called Rocky Top in Tennessee.

THE Rocky Top is 'On Top of Ol' Smokey', east of Spence Field near the peak of Thunderhead Mountain above Cades Cove. If you hike up the Bote Mountain Trail to the top of the mountain where it intersects the Appalachian Trail that runs along the crest, then take the AT east, you are there.

Since the song was written in Gatlinburg, I have always believed it to be about the farmers (and moonshiners) in Cades Cove and up the mountain who cleared fields along the crest for grazing during the summer. They were displaced when the National Park came into being. Hence, the 'high lonesome' tone of the words, "wish I were".

Rocky Top may have been one of those cleared. I know Spence Field is. As I have seen the name 'Rocky Top' sort of moved around on trail maps you could say its actually an area including all those summer grazing fields and 'balds' along the AT trail starting somewhere south of Clingman's Dome and running along the mountain crest until the Smokies drop off into the 'Dragon's 'Tail' at Chilhowee Dam.

Hike up to Clingman's Dome Tower and look south. Or, as you look toward the Smokies on I-40 while going through Farragut ... you're looking at 'the real' Rocky Top, the high mountain trails of the crest of the Smokey Mountains. Where real mountain men grazed their cattle and hid their stills ... and looked down on all us 'flat landers'.
 
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#19
#19
So ... is Lake City 'Rocky Top'?

Ah'll say NO! to thet. Jus some flatlander a tryin' to make money.

But I will say that their first choice of Townsend as the location for the 'Rocky Top' amusement park is as close as you can get to the real thing outside of the national park on the Tennessee side. I will give them credit for that.
 
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#20
#20
driscokid said:
"Rocky Top" is actually one of 3 peaks of the Thunderhead Mountains in the Smoky Mountains in Eastern TN which IS near Gatlinburg
Click to expand...

Is it actually one of the peaks? I've always thought it was the 'saddle' or 'shoulder' between the peaks along the crest of Thunderhead which was suitable for clearing and grazing ... and cooking a batch of mash.

Well, well! Amazing what ya can find in the world wide web! It is one of the peaks. Follow this link and links in it for all you ever wanted to know about the real Rocky Top!

http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/thunderhead.htm
 
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#23
#23
First changing the Knoxville are code to 865 (VOL).....now this? If it brings more profit to the town then I'm all for it.
 
#24
#24
No ruling as of yet on Rocky Top name and no time table on when the judge will officially rule.

Judge doesn't issue ruling in Rocky Top name change suit

Personally I'm opposed to Lake City stealing the name. It should remain as a name owned by the House of Bryant company centered in Gatlinburg and shared with the University of TN. The Bryant family has a merchandise partnership with UT back in 2011. I'm surprised UT hasn't stepped into the battle honestly.
UT to launch Rocky Top brand merchandise
 
#25
#25
Rocky Top has always conjured up in my mind a mountain, not a town.

Why does the water/amusement park need to be in a place called Rocky Top? Would they then appropriate the name for the park itself? The town has 2 exits on I-75 and plenty of flat land. That should be enough for the developers. Let them get creative and come up with a new name for the park.

Listen to the crowds in Neyland. Rocky Top may be a mythical place somewhere in Tennessee but on Autumn Saturday afternoons it's right there in THE stadium.
 
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