Dolly Parton left behind a cabin full of treasures in her Idyllwild, California home. The country superstar purchased the place with her husband Carl Dean in 1994, and left it beautifully decorated when she donated it to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California in November 2023.
The home features the original furniture chosen by Dolly herself, as well as a collection of art and belongings that offer a rare glimpse into her private world.
The current owner has opened an Instagram account to share shots of the home with fans, and states in the page’s bio that the Idyllwild cabin is “the only known and intact Dolly Parton interior anywhere in the world,” with the exception of her tour bus, which can be viewed at her Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge.
A series of photos the owner deemed a “sneak peak” shows rooms filled with finds such as an old spinning wheel, and Dolly’s famous guitar-shaped toilet seat. Rustic quilts are draped over the beds, and a colorful woven rug fills the floor of one bedroom.
Packs of glass-bottled Coca Cola are stashed in the pantry as well as the refrigerator, which also contains a few bottles of Perrier water. On a shelf is an array of canned goods with a handwritten note that reads, “DO NOT EAT! These are now antiques!”
Dolly Parton Left a List of Her Friends’ Phone Numbers in Idyllwild Cabin
Perhaps the most unbelievable and nostalgic find in the home is a personal directory containing the names and telephone numbers of many of Dolly’s friends and associates.
Some of the names that appear include Judy and Rachel, which are likely her sister Rachel Parton and best friend Judy Ogle.
“The house is exactly as Dolly left it,” the owner Brian Vassalo said on the news. “If we were going to be the stewards, we were going to keep it just how she left it.” He explained there’s a refrigrator on every level, because “the story goes that Dolly could not be away from her Coca Cola.” He went on, “It’s Dolly’s house. It will always be Dolly’s house. We’re very fortunate to just be the stewards of that home.”
It’s not entirely clear what the owners plan to do with the place, besides leaving it as a shrine to the “Jolene” singer.
Dolly Parton Once Gave Oprah a Tour of the Bus Now On Display at Dollywood
Back in 2010, Dolly invited Oprah Winfrey to step on board her tour bus, where she showed off the small but comfortable-looking bunks and revealed she sat in the tiny bathtub at the bottom of the shower “all the time,” to Oprah’s disbelief.
She then opened a cabinet to reveal a lineup of around 7 wigs, and said she loved traveling by bus “because I can do all my reading, all my dressing.” She added, “I live on my bed.” She then showed a corner dedicated to her cosmetics where she would sit to get glammed.
“Your chairs are so little!” Oprah exclaimed, to which the 5-foot songstress replied, “I know, well I’m tiny.” Dolly also showed the inside of her bus refrigerator, saying she was following a low-carb plan on the weekdays at the time. “I hardly ever check into hotels anymore,” she shared.
