Built with Care, From the Ground Up

In the early 1970s, after working for a large company in Alcoa, Don Headrick knew he wanted to work for himself. In 1971, Don and his wife Sandy purchased a historic lumber company–era home located along what was then State Highway 73, now known as US Highway 321 (East Lamar Alexander Parkway), in the heart of Townsend. While they would have loved to preserve the old house as a home, their growing family needed a business that could provide long-term stability.

In 1972, Townsend Grocery opened its doors, offering a full line of groceries to local residents. That business, now known as Parkway Grocery, is still operating today and is proudly run by their son, Stephen. During those early years, Don focused on growing the business while Sandy worked in the store, and family life revolved around the rhythms of small-town entrepreneurship. While most children played with blocks, their two children, Stephen and Emily, stacked grocery items and helped around the store. It was a busy, happy time.

Not long after opening the grocery, Don discovered a passion for building. He formed Don Headrick Construction Company and began working in residential and light commercial construction while Sandy continued managing the store. The work was fulfilling—but eventually, Don and Sandy began thinking about what they wanted the next chapter of their lives to look like.

After much thought, Don suggested, and Sandy agreed, that building a motel near the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park felt like the perfect next step. In 1981, they purchased a scenic hilltop property known locally as the “Company Farm,” a former lumber company site overlooking the Little River area. The land offered sweeping mountain views and a peaceful setting that immediately felt special.

They drew the plans, arranged financing, and got to work.

Ground broke in December of 1981, and in just six months, a feat that still surprises many. The first room was rented in June of 1982, coinciding with the year of the Knoxville World’s Fair. While the inn didn’t see many World’s Fair travelers, it marked the beginning of a journey that would shape the rest of their lives.

Over the past 44 years, Don and Sandy have continually upgraded, renovated, and carefully maintained the inn, ensuring it remains just as welcoming today as it was when it first opened, if not better. With decades of experience, they’ve refined what truly matters: comfort, cleanliness, personal service, and thoughtful details that make guests feel at home. One of those details? The famous homemade muffins that have become a guest favorite at breakfast.

What began as a bold construction project has grown into a lifelong passion, one built on hard work, family, and genuine hospitality.