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HOME  >  DAYTRIPS  >  ELIZABETHTON  >  Visitors Center and State Line Drive In
     See Also . . . DOWNTOWN ELIZABETHTON   |   COVERED BRIDGE   |   COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER   |  CARTER MANSION
          ELIZABETHTON AIRPORT

Entering Elizabethton from Watauga Lake:
Carter County Visitors' Center & State Line Drive In


Carter County Visitors Center in Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee

All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2007
All Rights Reserved
See links to article references at the end of the article.

October, 2007

The Elizabethton-Carter County Chamber of Commerce Tourism Council has a large center on 321/19 as you enter the Elizabethton area. But you are most likely to remember the train exhibit next to it.

Under the green "railway station" sit 3 railroad cars which represent the railway lines which helped Elizabethton and Carter County develop. Carter County Visitors Center in Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee

Carter County Visitors Center in Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee

"Carter County's railroad history is the story of three trains, the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (better known as Tweetsie 1881 - 1951); the Southern Railroad (1911 - 1940); and the North American Rayon Steam Engine (1936 - 1992). The glory days of the railroads have ended. The memories are captured in this exhibit: an original Tweetsie boxcar, a Southern caboose, and the NAR steam engine which was believed to be the last active steam locomotive in the United States in commercial use."

    ~ Historical Marker at the Visitors' Center

Carter County Visitors Center in Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee
Visitors Information Center in Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee

The Tourist Bureau's website www.TourElizabethton.com (see link below) is a wealth of information about the area and the site is also linked to other sites in the area including Carter County, The City of Elizabethton, Elizabethton Electric, The Elizabethton Star newspaper, and the Elizabethton Chamber of Commerce (see all links below).

Inside the Visitors Center Tourism Director Larry Gobble and others provide information that only people raised in the area could provide.

Visitors Information Center in Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee
State Line Drive In Theater Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee

"The State Line Drive In has been a part of Elizabethton and Carter County Tennessee since 1947. We are a family-owned business focusing on family entertainment in a clean, friendly environment. Our staff prides themselves on delivering a first rate experience to our guests and meeting your needs while you visit. The Stateline is a seasonal theater operating in the summer months - April through September. We offer one feature each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. On Holiday Weekends (Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day) we offer a double feature."
    ~ www.StateLineDriveIn.com (see link below)

State Line Drive In Theater Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee
Watauga Old Fields in Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee

Elizabethton has much to offer to visitors. It was the beginning of democracy outside the original Thirteen colonies and the beginning of the State of Tennessee. It is surrounded by the natural beauty of Roan Mountain, Watauga Lake, the Doe River Gorge and much more. The Visitors' Center is a great place to start.

 

1882 Covered Bridge in Downtown Elizabethton Tennessee near Watauga Lake Tennessee

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