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The Great Smoky Mountain National Park
covers 800 square miles between the states of Tennessee and North Carolina.
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has the most inspiring natural and
cultural treasures in the Southern Appalachians. The Great Smoky Mountain
National Park has abundant plant and animal life and a very large historical
background. The Smokies lie within 550 miles of one-third of the American
population.
The national park idea came about in the late 1890’s and by the mid-1920’s
support groups from Asheville, North Carolina and Knoxville, Tennessee and
were pulling together to search for an area between the two cities. The
strongest supporters of the park were not conservationists but simply
motorists who wanted to preserve the scenery through which they could drive
their new cars.
Eighty-five percent of the land was held by commercial interests, mainly
lumber companies, and the remember of the land was small farms and other
parcels. More than 2,000 deeds were transferred to federal ownership. On
June 15, 1934 it was official and Congress established the national park.
Over the next sixteen years the Civilian Conservation Corps worked to build
many trails, campgrounds, stone buildings and bridges that are still enjoyed
by visitors in the Park today. When President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated
the park in 1940 it became a sanctuary for all the people of the world to
enjoy.
The National Park preserves and maintains a collections of 77 historic
structures and preserved landscapes in five historic districts. The
collections represent a century of human history in the region and helps to
tell the story of all the people who lived and worked in the Great Smoky
Mountain National Park before it was created.
Conservationists, backpackers, fishermen, and motorists were among some of
the main groups that were wanting the creation of the Park. Today many other
visitors take pleasure in the Park’s fun and recreational opportunities. The
park’s main purpose lies in its extraordinary quality as a sanctuary.
Between the massive mountains, deep valleys and beautiful running streams
create homes for hundreds of plants and animals.
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has more than 1,100 front country
campsites, 100 backcountry campsites, 800 miles of trails, 700 miles of
streams, 11 picnic grounds, 3 visitor centers, and countless scenic
overlooks. Many photographers love the area and love to take time to
photograph American black bears, deer, turkeys, beautiful flowers, and other
various types of wildlife that are popular. By taking a walk on the Park’s
trails you can become up close and personal to the diversity of life in the
Smokies. Many salamander and plants are found just inside the Great Smoky
Mountain National Park and the forests are lined with more different types
of trees than any other national park.
Park maps, guidebooks and videos are
available at the Park bookstores at each visitor center. More information
can be obtained from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website,
www.nps.gov and you can call them at 865-436-1200. |
