When the Clinchfield Railroad mades it way through the Roses Creek Community in the early 1900’s, the Holston Corporation established a grand hotel with a golf course and other luxurious amenities for those wanting to escape the heat of the low country for the cool summers in the mountains.
The Altapass Depot
They gave it the name Altapass. Alta (meaning high-elevation 2,623 feet) and pass (noting McKinney Gap) were combined in the early 1900′s by the Clinchfield Railroad to name the popular community/resort. The bustling tourist community disappeared when the Clinchfield discontinued passenger services and the the highway went through Gillespie Gap, bypassing McKinney Gap altogether. Today, the train station and all remains of the hotels and golf course are gone. The refurbished Altapass Orchard established by the railroad has once again reinvigorated tourism in the community.
The grand Altapass Inn with a golf course and bowling alley among it’s many amenities.
Postcard advertising the Altapass Inn.
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