I visited the historic square of a Great Smoky Mountains town and it felt frozen in time

• I visited Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, during a recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountains.
• The town's Old Mill District had pioneer-style architecture and a 200-year-old working gristmill.

I visited the town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in April during a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains and stumbled upon a square that made me feel like I had traveled back in time.

It was the Old Mill District — Pigeon Forge's 200-year-old hidden gem filled with shops, pioneer-style architecture, and a 19th-century gristmill that still operates today.

See for yourself.

Welcome to Pigeon Forge, a Tennessee town near the Great Smoky Mountains.

A rainy day in Pigeon Forge.      Joey Hadden/Insider

The town is 25 minutes north of the national park by car.

Pigeon Forge is north of the Great Smoky Mountains.      Google Maps

Read more: I've been terrified of driving my whole life, but a recent trip to Tennessee without a car made me realize I need to get over it

During a recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, I spent one night in Pigeon Forge, a tourist destination that attracts 10 million visitors each year, according to the city's website.

A general store in Pigeon Forge.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: City of Pigeon Forge

Much of the town felt vibrant and seemingly built for tourists with rides and other attractions.

Shops and cars parked along The Parkway in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.      Photo by George Rose/Getty Images

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It's also home to Dolly Parton's Tennessee theme park, Dollywood.

Dollywood.      Talia Lakritz/Insider

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But to me, the most interesting part of the town was the Old Mill District, a shopping hub that felt frozen in time with pioneer-era architecture and 200 years of history.

A bridge to the Old Mill District.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Before it was a hot spot for visitors, Pigeon Forge was a farming town in the 1800s, according to the city's website.

An undated photo of Pigeon Forge's old mill built in 1830.      Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

Source: City of Pigeon Forge

During my visit, I spotted historical elements of the city's past. This water-powered gristmill was built in the 1830s and still runs today, according to the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

The same mill in 2023.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism

The mill is known as the square's landmark. It inspired the nearby shops and restaurants, according to the Old Mill website.

The mill's general store.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: The Old Mill

The mill is connected to a general store that sells food and souvenirs, including grits and cornmeal, according to the same source.

The district's general store.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: The Old Mill

Nearly all of the buildings I saw in this area seemed to be designed in the same 19th-century pioneer style as the mill.

The district's information center.      Joey Hadden/Insider

The Old Forge Distillery stood out to me with a red facade. According to Pigeon Forge Cabins, the store sells small batches of Southern moonshine.

The Old Forge Distillery in Pigeon Forge.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Pigeon Forge Cabins

Across the street from the mill, there's a candy store, an ice cream shop, and a pottery studio.

Signs along the sidewalks.      Joey Hadden/Insider

For my day trip to Pigeon Forge, I expected to find a typical resort town full of rides, but the historic district was certainly a surprise.

The bridge leads out of the Old Mill District.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Read more: What it's like to visit Gatlinburg, a Tennessee town known as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains