Dollywood is an amusement park owned by country music singer Dolly Parton and Herschend Enterprises . It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, along U.S. 441 between Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
The park first opened in 1961 as "Rebel Railroad," featuring a steam train, general store, blacksmith shop, and saloon. In 1970, the Cleveland Browns football team purchased the park and renamed it "Goldrush Junction." In 1976, Jack and Pet Herschend bought the park, and in 1977, renamed it "Silver Dollar City ." In 1986, Dolly Parton came on board as a part owner, and the park became "Dollywood".
In addition to standard amusement park thrill rides, Dollywood features traditional crafts and music of the Smoky Mountains area. Dollywood is affiliated with the adjacent water park, Dolly’s Splash Country, and the chain of Dixie Stampede dinner shows. Dollywood welcomes about two million visitors every year, many of them also visiting nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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