Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Question: What woman unexpectedly became the first settler in the Great Smoky Mountains region?

Answer: Martha Jane Huskey Ogle is recognized as the first settler in the Great Smoky Mountains region after her husband, William Ogle, started building their family a home in the area that is now Gatlinburg. William died before the family could move in, so Martha became the first permanent resident when she moved in 1807 to complete her husband’s dream.