The Legacy of the Walker Sisters in the Smoky Mountains

The Smoky Mountains are full of history, from abandoned ghost towns to secret mountain hideaways. Few stories capture the region's stubborn, self-sufficient spirit quite like that of the Walker Sisters.

The Creation of a National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most beloved wilderness areas in the country, but its creation wasn't simple. When Congress authorized the park in 1926, hundreds of families were already living on the land. Most left their homes willingly; others were forced out. Nearly everyone was gone within a few years — except for one family of unmarried sisters who refused to budge.

A Stubborn Devotion to Home

John and Margaret Walker raised eleven children on their farm in Little Greenbrier Cove — seven daughters and four sons. All four sons eventually left home, and of the seven daughters, only Sarah Caroline married and moved away. The remaining six sisters — Margaret, Polly, Martha, Nancy, Louisa, and Hettie — stayed on the farm, working the land and keeping house together.

As neighboring families sold their land to the government throughout the late 1920s and 1930s, the Walker sisters held out. Nancy died in 1931, leaving five sisters still on the farm when President Roosevelt officially dedicated Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1940. The government ultimately purchased the sisters' land but granted them a lifetime lease, allowing Margaret, Polly, Martha, Louisa, and Hettie to keep living in their family home for the rest of their lives.

Thousands of Visitors to the Walker Sisters Cabin

Despite their isolation, the Walker sisters welcomed visitors. For years, a sign along the park trail led guests to their farm, where the sisters showed them around and sold handmade toys and other goods. A 1946 magazine feature on their self-sufficient life brought even more attention, and the cabin became something of a local landmark in its own right.

Louisa was the last of the sisters to live in the cabin, passing away in 1964. Their homestead and legacy remain today. You can drive to Metcalf Bottoms and hike less than a mile up the Little Brier Gap Trail to the Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse, a sturdy log building constructed by the sisters' father. A little further up the trail sits "Five Sisters Cove," where the preserved Walker family cabin, springhouse, and corn crib still stand.

Frequently asked questions

How many Walker sisters were there?

John and Margaret Walker had seven daughters. Six remained unmarried and lived together on the family farm: Margaret, Polly, Martha, Nancy, Louisa, and Hettie. The seventh, Sarah Caroline, married and moved away.

When did the last Walker sister pass away?

Louisa, the last sister to live in the cabin, passed away in 1964 — more than 20 years after the national park was officially dedicated.

How do I get to the Walker Sisters cabin?

Drive to the Metcalf Bottoms area and take the Little Brier Gap Trail. It's a short, easy hike past the Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse to the cabin site at Five Sisters Cove.