Christy FAQ

Christy is a 1967 historical fictional novel written by Catherine Marshall (the real life daughter of ‘Christy’). It was later adapted into a TV show in 1994. Christy or technically Leonora, came to Tennessee from Asheville, North Carolina in 1909 to teach poor schoolchildren at a mission school. A preacher and doctor peacefully battle for Christy’s love.

Leonora Wood wanted the the novel to be written to tell the story about the mountain people, her friends and hardships. It’s a mixture of facts and fiction to entice the reader. About 3/4 of the TV series is fact. However, the novel is 90% true according to a family member. Leonora (Christy) came from Asheville, North Carolina to Del Rio, Tennessee in 1909. The television series fictional cove is called Cutter Gap.

I gave the website this name because the term ‘cove’ is used numerous times throughout the series and novel. The filming location is in Townsend, Tennessee next to Cades Cove. Townsend was the original cove in the area. The real life events of the cove or ‘hollow’ (holler) is located in Del Rio, Tennessee. This website is an ad free, sales free website.

No, I’m trying to respect and abide by copyright regulations.

The DVD series (1994-1995) is currently out of print. You can find new and used copies on eBay.com and Amazon.com

Try to update your web browser if possible. All images used on the site are a relatively new image format called WebP by Google. It is rapidly growing in adoption and is expected to replace the majority of all image file types such as .jpg and .png.

The story of Christy, isn’t 100% true. Catherine Marshall was transcribing her mother’s story and eventually her mind took over to where in some points, she didn’t know where truth and fiction met. However, the biggest addition to the story is Dr. MacNeill. He did not exist in real life.

In and around Townsend, Tennessee. It was filmed only an hour south of the many real life events that occurred in Del Rio, Tennessee. Most of the ‘Echoes’ episode was filmed at the Museum of Appalachia in Clinton, Tennessee.

It doesn’t, however a page on Facebook called ‘Christy Friends’ exists, essentially to take its place.

The filming location is on private property on Dunn Hollow Road with no trespassing. Unfortunately most buildings used in the series are rapidly deteriorating. However you can visit the real location of the mission in Del Rio, Tennessee. There really aren’t any structures left, only foundations. You take a 7 mile single lane road on Old 15th Road and turn onto Chapel Hollow Road. The renovated church was moved out of the hollow not too far away, at the corner of Old 15th Road and Ebenezer Way.

I feel the series is the most genuine live drama. In fact, the final movie was filmed in British Columbia, Canada not in the East Tennessee mountains. If you’ve watched the movies or read the novel I suggest reading the spoilers below. You’ll understand why I think the TV series conclusion was the perfect ending.

In the novel and TV show Christy does not marry. Upon the making of the movies, the family of Leonora Wood did not want Christy to marry, simply because it was not in the novel. The writer for the movies realized they didn’t want to leave the fans hanging so to speak and she married Dr. MacNeill.

In Catherine’s Marshall’s manuscripts it was seen she had intended Christy to marry the doctor however they were unpublished and unfinished. Who knows if she would have kept it that way or changed it. Perhaps she simply put the entire project to rest.

In real life Christy (Leonora) marries the preacher, John Wood. It’s important to note that the author of ‘Christy’ Catherine Marshall, is the daughter of Leonora Wood. Catherine was married to Peter Marshall, a Scottish-American minister.

Since the TV series and novel ends on a cliffhanger, and all real life events involved, I think it leaves the viewer to decide.

At this time Christy is unavailable for streaming. You can find the DVD on eBay.com and Amazon.com