The History Of
The Great Smoky Mountains
National Park

In 1923, when Mrs. Willis P. Davis of Knoxville visited the American West, she fell in love with America's National Parks. Mrs. Davis felt that the Smoky Mountains were certainly worthy of such esteemed status. It was with her inspiration that the movement to establish The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was born.

Park support came slowly. Debates raged over who would buy the land and whether the Smokies should become a National Forest or National Park. Many local politicians in both North Carolina and Tennessee were willing to support the Park because they never thought it could happen. Much of the support surrounded the proposed construction of an improved road between Knoxville and Asheville, not the Park itself. After a long and difficult struggle, the concept of a Park in the Smoky Mountains became a reality. Colonel David Chapman was the leading figure supporting the future National Park.

National politics were as difficult as local resistance. The Smokies beat out more than 60 other proposed sites. But, the Federal government provided no money for land acquisition. And, it was not until 1926 that Congress finally authorized a Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Park Commissions then began raising the funds needed to buy the thousands of tracts of land that would compose the new National Park. Through donations ranging from pennies from school children to thousands of dollars from large benefactors, the Park Movement raised almost $2.5 million in pledges. Another $2.5 million came directly from North Carolina and Tennessee.

With the Great Depression, land values soared and pledges became extremely difficult to collect. More money was needed!!! Desperate, the Park Commission almost appealed to Congress for additional funds. However, relief finally came as the Rockefeller family donated $5 million to complete the Park. The memorial at Newfound Gap stands in honor of this great act of generosity. In 1933 the United States Government supplied another $1.55 million for additional land purchases.

Land was difficult to buy despite the Park Movement. Greed, private property rights, and personal glory often clashed with government condemnation and the Park Movement. After buying about half the land, it was deeded to the Federal Government. Congress established the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on June 15, 1934, and turned its stewardship to the National Park Service. Land acquisition continued and on September 2, 1940, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially dedicated the Park.