The singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist and businesswoman whose career spanned 60 years died on Tuesday, August 25 at 80 years old following a brief stint with cancer, her family confirmed on social media. Tributes began pouring in from across the world as fans and loved ones alike eulogized Parton — including an Austin suburb.
The city of Pflugerville paid tribute to Parton in a social media post on Wednesday, August 26, writing in part: “The world lost an icon yesterday with the passing of the incomparable Dolly Parton.”
The Central Texas suburb’s love for Dolly runs deep courtesy the city’s historic Kuempel Haus, a Queen Anne-style architectural masterpiece first built in 1904. The property served as a backdrop for one of Parton’s classic films: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
The Kuempel Haus stood in for La Grange’s Chicken Ranch featured in the 1982 film, starring Parton alongside Burt Reynolds. Parton played Miss Mona — a woman who ran a brothel dubbed the Chicken Ranch in a tiny Texas town — opposite Reynolds’ Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, her lover in the movie.
“If you’ll be crying in your car this week, we invite you to drive by at 16422 Cameron Road,” city officials added in the social media post. “We will always love you pforever, Dolly.”
Find it: 16422 Cameron Road, Pflugerville, TX 78660