The Unveiling of the Statue
The statue was officially unveiled on May 3, 1987, exactly one year after Dollywood’s very first opening day. The ceremony was attended by Dolly, her father Lee, the famous Knoxville grocer Cas Walker, and a crowd of around 500 spectators. Speaking at the event, Dolly told the people of Sevierville that the statue “makes me feel like you folks are proud of me, and I’ve always wanted you to be.”
Jim Gray also spoke at the ceremony, telling the crowd that he had received more offers for help on creating the statue than any other project he had worked on. Gray recalled, “Everyone wanted to help…carry clay, or anything. But I wanted to do this one myself.”
What the Statue Means to Dolly and Her Family
The Dolly Parton statue meant a great deal to Dolly’s late father, Lee Parton.
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Parton told a heartwarming story about her father’s devotion to her statue:
“After my Dad died, one of my brothers told me that Daddy used to put a big bucket, a big oil drum of soapy water, and a broom in the back of his truck, and late at night, he’d go down to the statue and scrub all the pigeon poop off that. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?… It touched me. I cried my eyes out.”
Visiting the Dolly Parton Statue in Sevierville
If you want to see the Dolly Parton statue for yourself during your getaway, head on over to the Sevier County Courthouse at 125 Court Avenue in Sevierville, TN. The statue is situated outside of the courthouse and is an extremely popular spot for taking vacation photos.